Science
Intent
Our intent is that through our Science curriculum each child develops an understanding of world around us. We hope to stimulate a child’s curiosity in finding out why things happen and encourage them to be curious and to ask questions about what they observe and experience. We will teach methods of enquiry and investigation to establish a scientific way of thinking and to promote scientific discussion. We want our children to appreciate the way in which Science will affect the future on a personal, national and global level.
Our objectives in the teaching and learning in Science are for all our children:
- to ask and answer scientific questions;
- to plan and carry out scientific investigations with an increasing focus on fair testing and cause and effect processes;
- to choose and use a range of equipment accurately;
- to increase knowledge and understanding in the topics covered in biology, physics and chemistry;
- to predict how things will behave and evaluate and analyse their findings.
Implementation
At St Agnes’, teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms. The principal aim in our choice of teaching and learning is to develop knowledge, skills and understanding and to reinforce an attitude that everyone is capable of achieving.
Early Years
At St Agnes’, Teachers facilitate children’s curiosity with open ended questions and clearly thought out learning experiences which are both child led and adult led. Science makes a significant contribution to developing a child’s understanding of the world.
Key Stage 1 and 2
Children continue to build on their science knowledge with weekly science lessons. Through our planning, we involve problem solving opportunities that allow children to find out for themselves. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers.
At St Agnes’ we are committed to practical, explorative and investigative learning. We believe in a hands-on approach where children learn by doing it for themselves. This approach encourages our children to build resilience and become creative, critical thinkers.
Our teaching and learning supports our curriculum by ensuring that lessons build on prior learning and provide opportunities for guided and independent practice.
Through regular enrichment events, such as Science Week, we give pupils an opportunity to come off timetable, to provide broader provision and explore scientists in our local community.
Impact
The successful approach to the teaching of science at St Agnes’ Primary School will result in a fun, engaging, high quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world around them.
By the end of Key Stage Two, all children will have developed scientific enquiry skills in the five key areas: Observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, finding things out through secondary sources of information and modelling.
Children at St Agnes’ overwhelmingly enjoy science and this results in motivated learners with sound scientific understanding.
