Louise Stubberfield
At Sacred Heart, we believe that Science is essential to everyday life and our aim is for all our children to become confident, resilient and curious scientists; it is therefore important for all children to be scientifically literate.
We believe that Science changes lives, shapes society and addresses global challenges. It provides a lens through which to understand the world around us and promotes curiosity, rational explanation and causality.
We believe that primary science helps pupils to:
investigate problems
learn how science works
discover why science matters in the world
Intent
Our Science Curriculum has been developed based to ensure a full coverage of the Science Programme of Study detailed in the National Curriculum 2014 (see below for documentation).
Our curriculum is designed to teach science as a means of discovering and understanding the world around us.
The curriculum consists of a body of knowledge which attempts to explain phenomena and experiences. It also involves a number of skills and processes by which this knowledge is achieved and applied. The science curriculum has been developed around the premis that scientific knowledge should:
be based on children’s existing conceptual understanding
arouse curiosity about natural phenomena which stimulates the posing of questions
be a systematic means of enabling the children to ask and attempt to answer questions arising from observations
provide models of scientists who have contributed to a field of science
expose children to the various strands of specialisation but which are still related
recognise that different children experience science differently
Implementation
Our curriculum enables children to learn scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding alongside practical, hands-on experiences which develop an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science. Pupils will learn about the work of significant scientists throughout history and consider the uses and implications of science, both today and for the future.
Our science teaching enables pupils to:
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils develop their understanding of the physical world and the ir community through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World’. The children are provided with a careful balance of teacher-led and pupil-initiated learning opportunities that allow them to:
use their senses to investigate a range of objects and materials
find out about and observe living things
look closely at similarities and differences, patterns and change
ask questions about why things happen and why things work
Pupils enjoy spending time (inside and out) exploring materials, exploring minibeasts and their environment, observing the changes in the seasons and immersing themselves in the world of plants and animals.
In Key Stages 1 and 2, science lessons are taught in discrete lessons, which have been carefully planned to allow pupils to make connections with prior learning and new learning. Pupils explore key aspects of learning before embarking on scientific investigations, where practical. These scientific investigations allow pupils the opportunities to:
plan and conduct experiments
record evidence and results/findings
make predictions and draw conclusions
Our expectation is that the majority of children will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace with learning always starting from the children’s prior knowledge and any misconceptions that they may have. From this, units of work can be personalised to the needs of the children.
Pupils learning is further extended with linked trips.
Impact
Pupils at Sacred Heart will perform highly at the end of their key stage for Science:
Early Learning Goal –Understanding of the World
Key Stage 1 Outcomes
Key Stage 2 Outcomes
2021 – EYFS – 92% at or above expected with 92% making expected or better progress
2021 – KS1 - 83% at or above expected standard with 100% expected or better progress
2021 – KS2 – 93% at or above expected standard with 100% expected or better progress
Pupils at Sacred Heart will be confident in posing scientific questions, planning investigations, interpreting data and drawing conclusions from this data.
Studying science will enable our pupils to ask questions about the world around them and encourage them to be curious about the world and how it works.
Pupils will take part in events in school and out linked to science.
More Information:
The following documents outline the content of the Science Curriculum that is taught at the school. These documents should be read in conjunction with the Termly Curriculum Outlines, as these provide more detailed information of the how these topics are to be taught.