Broseley C of E Primary School

Science

At Broseley C of E Primary School, we bring science alive through explicit teaching and experiential learning that inspires in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the universe that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Receiving the PSQM GILT award, shows that our science curriculum is an engaging, enquiry led subject that aims to ensure pupils are equipped to understand the uses and implications of science today and in the future.

Throughout the programmes of study, the children acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit that links to the three areas of science: biology, chemistry and physics. Teachers will activate prior knowledge in science and make links to other curriculum areas to provide opportunities for children to make connections and remember more. They will develop deeper knowledge of key ‘Working Scientifically’ skills and master their learning through stimulating and challenging wider experiences. We aim to increase children’s aspirations in science and make connections to their own lives by providing cultural capital links.

We will ensure that the Working Scientifically skills are built-on and developed so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently using scientific vocabulary. We encourage children to ask questions and to be curious about the world around them.

We provide extra-curricular ‘Crest Award’ science clubs from the British Science Assciaotion, ensuring all our pupils have opportunities to explore science in the outside the classroom. As well as taking part in British Science week, giving our pupils experiences to inspire them to think scientifically.

Intent

Our science curriculum is an engaging, enquiry led subject that aims to ensure pupils are equipped to understand the uses and implications of science today and in the future.

The programme of study for science states: ‘A high-quality Science education provides the foundations for understanding of the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.’

Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity. We believe that pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. Our children will know that human progress through history has largely rested on advances in science. From our knowledge of gravity to cutting-edge medicines, students of science have shaped our modern world.

Pupils will have the knowledge about the different scientific areas of chemistry, biology, and physics. In addition to, a clear understanding of the range of enquiry types which will allow them to become competent scientists in an ever-changing world.

Knowledge of chemistry, biology and physics can help children to understand the challenges of our own time with a specific focus on sustainability, equality, and empowerment. It engages pupils in questions about the universe and helps pupils to understand the world they live in, preparing them for their future as a thriving global citizen.

At Broseley C of E, our science curriculum builds a strong foundation of knowledge and skills through an approach that teaches both the substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills that pupils will need. Pupils are taught to approach their learning as a scientist. Both the knowledge and skills build sequentially as pupils move through the school and are expertly mapped to ensure that pupils can make links with what has already been taught.

Within the science curriculum, pupils are taught subject specific vocabulary and are able to use this expertly within their explanations, giving them the cultural capital they will need to be a responsible global citizen. The outcome will allow them to clearly articulate well-formed questions and answers in addition to evaluating information about the people and place that they study. We believe that our pupils need to have a strong base knowledge on which to build and springboard their own point of enquiry. We want our pupils to not merely be able to repeat facts or memorise knowledge but use this knowledge to ask and begin to answer their own questions.

Our aim is to empower our children so they can aspire to become an expert in the study of science – if they choose to.

Implementation: How is Science taught at Broseley C of E?

We believe that skills and knowledge are intrinsically linked in the Science curriculum. Children are involved in a wide range of activities that are practical, relevant, cooperative, and satisfying in order to help their understanding of scientific concepts and processes. This includes asking questions, discussing, predicting, and planning investigations as well as methods of recording, interpreting and evaluating findings. We aim to link lessons to real life and in so doing we are fostering social awareness, responsibility, resilience, and reflective thinking.

The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure that pupils build on the knowledge and skills they have been taught. In addition to this, the key themes of sustainability, equality, and empowerment are threaded throughout the curriculum from Reception to Year 6.

In EYFS children follow the early learning goal – the world, should ‘know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own environment and how it may differ from other environments. They make observations and explain why things occur and talk about changes.

In KS1 and KS2 pupils receive a discreet Science lesson taught weekly.

In Key Stage 1, children should experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should be helped to understand scientific ideas and should begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found.

During lower Key Stage 2, pupils should broaden their scientific view of the world around them, they should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which type of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them. They should draw on simple conclusions and use some scientific language.

During upper Key Stage 2, pupils should develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships, and interactions more systematically. They should be aware of more abstract ideas and recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time.

Planning is sequenced in the following way to ensure consistency when moving between year groups and key stages in preparation for transition to secondary school and beyond.

Impact

Regular learning sessions show that pupils are confident and able to talk knowledgeably about what they have learned in science using subject specific vocabulary. The pupil voice discussions show that pupils greatly enjoy science and can recall their learning and knowledge over time, making links between units of work. Lesson observations also triangulate this.

Work in pupil exercise books demonstrates that science is taught at a high standard across the school with opportunities for pupils to work at a greater depth. As a result, pupils make sustained progress across both key stages. Work is of high quality, with pride taken and demonstrates pupils are acquiring knowledge, skills, and vocabulary in an appropriate sequence.

At the beginning of a unit, children will complete a mini assessment based on substantive knowledge about the subject. This will be administered again at the end of the topic as a measure of progression in this learning domain.

At the beginning of each lesson, pupils either complete a ‘knowing more and remembering more’ task which assesses the knowledge they have retained from previous lessons, or they use knowledge organisers to self or peer quiz. Teachers use the outcome from the task to support pupils who may have gaps in their knowledge. Children use the outcome of their self and peer quizzing to revise any gaps at home.

At the mid and end point of the topic, pupils complete a quiz which comprises of several questions linked to the learning within the unit. Teachers use the quiz outcomes to support pupils who may have gaps in their knowledge.

During lessons, teachers move around the classroom and give pupils verbal feedback, they may be asked to check an answer again or prompted to include further details or information.

Following a series of modelled investigations, the children’s working scientifically knowledge will be assessed via an independent investigation. Children will be tasked with creating and carrying out their own investigation. The children will be solely assessed on the working scientifically focus for that learning cycle.

The sequence of learning ends through a written assessment using a ‘Double Page Response.’ Children are able to showcase either their substantive and/or disciplinary knowledge.

All learning and assessments are recorded in the children’s science books. These books are passed to the next teacher to inform next steps such as consolidation and progression.

PSQM

Through effective leadership of science, working with local schools and actively looking to be professionally developed by experts through CPD, Broseley C of E Primary School has been awarded the prestigious Primary Science Quality Mark accreditation for 2022-2025. As one of only 250 schools nationwide, we have been recognised for our teacher autonomy and innovation while at the same time offering a clear framework for development in science subject leadership, teaching, and learning.

Schools that achieve PSQM demonstrate commitment and expertise in science leadership, teaching, and learning. As a school, we are extremely proud of our achievement.