Science

In Science pupils will have the opportunity to:

At King’s Meadow Academy we have in place, for each subject area, a knowledge and skills progression document, which is used for planning, to ensure sequenced and appropriate content for specific year groups. Teachers are clear on the learning and expectations for each year group, as this has been carefully selected and mapped out so that children are building on prior knowledge and skills each term and each year.

Within these documents there are opportunities for differentiation, in order to meet the needs of all learners.

Science lessons are carefully planned through our themes, so that valuable links can be made across other subjects.

A two year, long term rolling programme maps out the coverage of the discrete teaching and learning opportunities for children to develop and embed specific skills. This ensures coverage of the National Curriculum, for science across both Key Stage 1 and 2 and work within and beyond the Early Year’s Framework across our Foundation Stage.

Within each discrete block of science teaching, class teachers carefully plan the specific outcomes for their year group, based upon age appropriate knowledge and skills, as well as the needs of the cohort or individuals within it.

There is a strong focus on developing the scientific vocabulary of our children and retention of this through practical learning opportunities. New vocabulary is taught, with the emphasis on key scientific words and phrases . Although we actively introduce and are ambitious with the language we use, we understand the importance not to over complicate this language with very young children, but ensure underlying principles and meanings of the words are taught and understood.

Children are introduced to and reminded of key vocabulary. Questioning is used to check their understanding and prior knowledge, before new concepts, skills or knowledge are introduced.

Modelling is used by class teachers to clarify expectations, children are then given plentiful opportunities to consolidate, build upon and apply basic skills and knowledge, across a series of lessons, as well as across the year.

When children are learning about a subject through a discrete teaching sessions they are explicitly told that today they are going to be ‘scientists.’ They are then reminded of the key skills that they will learn, use and develop within this subject.

In Science these are:

We are learning to:

• use our five senses
• ask and answer questions
• make predictions
• plan and investigate
• say why and how things happen
• record our ideas and findings

As well as the discrete teaching of knowledge in science lessons, science investigation days are planned to ensure that children have regular opportunities to embed their knowledge and practise their skills throughout the year. Children regularly engage in in practical, ‘hands on’ learning, visits out, as well as visitors to school, to enhance their science experiences further.

Science is one of our key subject drivers in developing the ‘World Citizens’ side of our school curriculum. Through studying a range of people from the past and present, who have had an impact on the world of Science, as well as a range of countries and cultures,  children learn about and are taught to challenge stereotypes connected to gender, wealth, disability and cultural background. They are educated that differences should be celebrated and are not a barrier to achievement.

Pupils also have additional opportunities to extend their scientific knowledge and skills through cross-curricular work. Strong links with other subject areas, particularly Maths and English, ensure that children have numerous opportunities to apply skills across the curriculum. Opportunities to learn about significant people, including inventors and explorers are carefully chosen, so that children are continually developing the sense of the importance of science in the wider world. This learning also strengthens the links between science, history and geography.

Texts relating to science knowledge and concepts used to further underpin this understanding and encourage questions from children.

This ensures that elements of the science curriculum are accessed by children throughout the year.

Teaching Science in EYFS

Ongoing assessments of the children’s knowledge and skills is observed by the class teacher. Misconceptions are addressed and next steps carefully planned. Children’s outcomes are  compared to the subject specific skills and knowledge documents. At the end of a block of discrete teaching (or term) subject leaders gather an overview of children’s outcomes in each subject area. This is used to plan appropriate next steps for their future learning, as well as provide an overview of learning within a subject area across the whole school.