Science
INTENT
At Ashleigh Primary School our intent is to give every child a broad and balanced Science curriculum which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We want our children to love science, to remember their science lessons in our school, to cherish these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities they are presented with. To achieve this, it involves exciting, practical hands on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning. At Ashleigh Primary School, scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic the children study and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. This allows children to build upon their prior knowledge and increases their enthusiasm for the topics whilst embedding this knowledge.
IMPLEMENTATION
At Ashleigh Primary School, Science topics are taught within each year group in accordance with the National Curriculum. Topics are blocked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth. Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills. Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observations as well as conclude their findings. They present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations and diagrams. Children will use a range of resources to develop their knowledge and understanding that is integral to their learning and develop their understanding of working scientifically. Much of Science is suitable for outdoor learning and we have an ideal outdoor environment for scientific study and investigations. In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. At the start of each topic children will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know about a current topic.
IMPACT
The successful approach to the teaching of science at Ashleigh Primary School results in a fun, engaging, high quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them once they complete their primary education. Most children will achieve age related expectations in Science. Children will work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment. Children will be able to explain the processes they have taken and be able to reason scientifically. Children will retain knowledge that is pertinent to Science with a real-life context. Pupil voice is used to further develop the Science curriculum, through questioning of pupils’ views and attitudes towards Science, to assess the children’s enjoyment of science, and to motivate learners.