Science
At Kingsmead Primary School, our science curriculum is designed to deliver a high-quality science education that provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Relevant, hands-on, practical learning teaches children the essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science, in order to confidently explore and discover and understand the world around them. Science capital is raised through partnership with STEM Ambassadors and real life scientists, particularly during Science week. All children in school participate in high quality, ambitious Science lessons that develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena and help equip them with the understanding of the application of science today and for the future.
The National Curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future
develop disciplinary and substantive knowledge through investigative learning.
Practical hands-on activities
Throughout the teaching of the science curriculum, pupils ask questions and cover the five science enquiry skills below by relating the working scientifically skills to the programme of study being taught:
observation over time
fair or comparative tests
identification and classification
research
pattern seeking
Implementation
At Kingsmead we implement a science curriculum by delivering well planned and resourced lessons that provide children with hands-on and enriching learning experiences.
We recognise that our curriculum planning must allow for children to gain a progressively deeper level of knowledge, understanding and skill competency as they move throughout the school. Our science plans are progressive and provide a coherent science curriculum that is delivered over a two year period to ensure full coverage of the required programmes of study. Planning shows the breadth of study and includes identified practical opportunities to develop the teaching of working scientifically skills in each unit of work. Plans also include the key knowledge for each unit that all children should know, enabling children to articulate scientific concepts clearly and precisely. All children at Kingsmead Primary School are given equal opportunities in all areas of Science and detailed medium term plans enable teachers to adjust lessons to provide the appropriate level of challenge or support needed for individual children.
Adapting the curriculum for pupils with SEND in science
• Adaptive teaching takes place in all lessons.
• For sensory or physically impaired pupils, science learning may require enlarging texts, using clear fonts, using visual overlays, or audio description of images.
• Dyslexic pupils may benefit from well-spaced print.
• Teachers break down the components of the subject curriculum into manageable chunks for pupils who find learning more difficult, particularly those with cognition and learning needs. These may be smaller ‘steps’ than those taken by other pupils to avoid cognitive overload.
• A variety of additional scaffolds may be used in lessons, such vocabulary banks, additional visual stimuli or adult support.
In EYFS whole class science activities and investigations are planned for by teachers and science is explored through looking at ‘Understanding the World’. Children are encouraged to consider why and how things work when investigating the world around them and through simple experiments to develop their scientific skills both inside the classroom and in outdoor learning spaces.
In KS1 children learners build on their previous learning and continue developing their scientific knowledge and skills. Science is taught weekly for at least an hour introducing children to curriculum knowledge and working scientifically skills
In Lower Key Stage 2 pupils deepen their understanding of key concepts, adding new generative knowledge and vocabulary to existing schema and learning new knowledge through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. For example, the biology strand of ‘plants’ is revisited in LKS2, with the component learning of basic plant structure in KS1 transforming into the composite learning of water transportation within plants in LKS2. Whilst the chemistry unit of work on rocks and soils is first introduced in LKS2 leading to the teaching of Earth and Space in UKS2.
In Upper Key Stage 2 children continue to develop their scientific knowledge, revisiting concepts previously taught in KS1 or LKS2 and extending their understanding and vocabulary in these units of work. New and more complex scientific concepts are also taught in UKS2, not previously covered. For example, the teaching of evolution and inheritance. Working scientifically skills continue to be developed through each unit of work and show clear progression in their complexity. For example, children are required to raise their own scientific questions and hypotheses and to select the most appropriate line of enquiry to investigate these.
KS1 “We did an experiment to see which surface (on the ramp) let the car go furthest. We found that the smoothest worked best, the fluffy one had bumps which slowed the car down.”
UKS2 “I really enjoyed investigating the best material to make a parachute from because we got to test different materials from a height.”
Enrichment
British Science Week is celebrated through whole school involvement in science learning and experiences. During the week presentations, hands-on investigations and science fairs are delivered to all classes by visiting scientists, STEM Ambassadors, science A level students from a local sixth form college and Year 5/6 pupils. Children have a wide range of educational experiences outside of school through science trips and an after school STEM club for KS2 children.
Impact
Children have a real love of learning for this subject and are keen to discuss their understanding using the correct terminology to discuss their observations.
Children have a clear understanding of the scientific processes behind the investigations and are confident to carry out practical experiments to answer scientific questions.
As they move up through school, children know more and remember more in Science, through evidence in their science books and through discussions with pupils (pupil voice). We will also see they are able to recall prior learning and apply it. Children will then start their next year of learning with the necessary skills and knowledge to build upon.
If you were to walk into a Science lesson at Kingsmead you would see:
Engaged and curious learners reflecting and thinking critically about science concepts, asking questions to support and develop their scientific understanding further.
Opportunities for children to work collaboratively with their peers, to investigate hypotheses both practically and through the use of secondary sources.
A key skill being taught during an experiment based on the ‘Working Scientifically’ strand of the science National Curriculum.
Children who are confident to make connections with their prior knowledge and between their new science learning and real-life applications.