INTENT
“Scientists have become the bearers of the torch of discovery in our quest for knowledge” Stephen Hawking
Science is the vital linchpin that provides the foundations and tools for understanding the world in which we live and how it works. It is a significant part of human culture and represents one of the pinnacles of human thinking capacity. Our classrooms provide a ‘laboratory’ of common experience for the development of language, reasoning and problem-solving skills.
At St Barnabas MAT, science is taught through the disciplines of Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
The 2014 National Curriculum for Science aims to ensure that all children:
- 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.
Our sole intent is to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena for every child so that they can explain what is occurring, will occur or has occurred and at every opportunity building upon their Science Capital.
IMPLEMENTATION:
At St Barnabas MAT, teachers have a positive attitude towards the teaching of relevant and progressive science in their classrooms. Learning is never capped but reinforces an ethos that all children are capable of achieving high standards embedded in quality first teaching.
Science is planned and taught to build upon previous learning and skills. Teachers have a deep understanding of where each child’s learning journey began and where it must lead. Teachers have the autonomy to adapt their teaching as required to cater for the individual needs of the children in their class.
Working scientifically skills are explicitly taught and embedded into lessons. These types of scientific enquiry include observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources. Science is taught through practical and ‘hands on’ tasks performed by the class teacher as demonstrations or by the children to support their understanding of key concepts and phenomena. In turn, this equally helps the children to develop scientific hypotheses, use simple and more sophisticated scientific equipment and interpret results.
A variety of new vocabulary and the use of quality scientific words are integral and are taught and developed throughout the children’s school career. Teacher’s ensure that they continually build upon these foundations.
Questioning is always constructive and effective; helping children to question their everyday understanding of the natural world and phenomena and move towards more abstract and complex concepts. Scientific ‘talk’ is also an imperative part of scientific lessons helping the child to debate, compare and seek others’ points of view.
IMPACT:
First and foremost, children at St Barnabas MAT enjoy science! Our successful approach results in an engaging, practical and high-quality science curriculum, which provides the children with the skills and resources to learn about, discover and question the natural and human-constructed world around them and finally encounter more abstract ideas. In KS1, the use of varied first-hand experiences of the natural world around them ultimately enhances and creates the basis of strong foundations for KS2 to build onto so that more abstract concepts are easily questioned and decoded. Wherever possible, we endeavour to make links with STEM. STEM activities provide hands-on and minds-on lessons for our children. They make science both fun and interesting helping our children to do much more than just learn and ultimately increasing their science capital.
Development of Scientific skills at St Barnabas MAT.
| SKILLS | Year 1/2 | Year 3/4 | Year 5/6 |
| QUESTIONING | Ask simple questions | Ask relevant questions | Plan scientific enquiries, including recognising and controlling variables |
| Breadth | Year 1 – Plants Year 1 – Materials Year 2 – Living things and their habitats Year 2 – Animals including humans Year 2 – How we change as we grow Year 2 – Everyday materials |
Year 3 – Magnets Year 3 – Plants Year 4 – changing states of matter Year 4 – electricity |
Year 5 – Properties of materials Year 5 – Forces Year 5 – Animals including humans Year 6 – Animals including humans Year 6 – Living things and their habitats Year 6 – Evolution and inheritance |
| OBSERVING | Observe closely | Use systematic observation and accurate measurement using a range of equipment | Take measurements with accuracy and precision |
| Breadth | Year 1 – Plants Year 2 – Living things and their habitats Year 2 – Animals including humans Year 2 – How we change as we grow Year 2 – Everyday materials |
Year 3 – Magnets Year 3 – Plants Year 4 – What happens when …? Year 4 – sound |
Year 5 – Properties of materials Year 5 – Forces Year 5 – Animals including humans Year 6 – Light Year 6 – Electricity |
| Testing | Perform simple tests | Set up practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests | and fair tests Use test results to make predictions and set up further comparative and fair tests |
| Breadth | Year 1 – Materials Year 1 – Humans and animals Year 2 – Everyday materials Year 2 – How we change as we grow |
Year 3 – Properties of rocks Year 3 – Light Year 3 – Plant Year 4 – changing states of matter Year 4 – Electricity Year 4 – Sound |
Year 5 – Properties if materials Year 5 – Forces Year 6 – Light Year 6 – Electricity |
| CLASSIFIYING | Identify and classify using simple keys | Gather, record and present data | Record data and results using diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs |
| Breadth | Year 1 – Living things and their habitats Year 2 – Animals including humans Year 2 – Everyday materials Year 2 – How we change as we grow Year 2 – Living things and their habitats |
Year 3 – Plants Year 3 – animals including humans Year 4 – animals including humans Year 4 – living things and their habitats |
Year 5 – Properties of materials Year 6 – Light Year 6 – Electricity Year 6 – Animals including humans |
| RECORDING & PRESENTING | Use observation and ideas to suggest answers to questions | Record findings | Record data and results using diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs |
| Breadth | Gather and record data to help answer questions Year 1 – Plants Year 2 – Animals including humans Year 2 – Everyday materials Year 2 – How we change as we grow Year 2 – Living things and their habitats |
Report on findings from enquiries Year 4 – observe changes in states of matter |
Year 5 – Living things and their habitats Year 5 – Properties of materials Year 5 – Animals including Humans Year 5 – Space Year 5 – Forces Year 6 – Light Year 6 – Electricity Year 6 – Animals including humans |
| PATTERN FINDING | Identify differences, similarities and changes | Identify scientific evidence that has been used to support /refute ideas or arguments | |
| Breadth | Year 3 – Plants Year 3 – Rocks Year 3 – Magnets Year 3 – Light Year 4 – electricity Year 4 – changing states of matter Year 4 – Sound |
Year 5 – Space Year 5 – Animals including humans Year 6 – Evolution and inheritance |
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| DRAW CONCLUSIONS | Use results to draw conclusions, make predictions and suggest improvements. Use evidence to answer questions or support findings. | Report and present enquiry findings including conclusions, causal relations and and explanations of and degree of trust in results in oral and written forms | |
| Breadth | Year 3 – Plants | Year 5 – Properties of materials Year 5 – Forces Year 6 – Light Year 6 – Electricity |
