Vision Statement
We live in an increasingly scientific and technological age where children need to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to prepare them for life in the 21st Century. We, at Moorlands CE Primary Academy, believe that the teaching of science develops in children an interest and curiosity about the world in which they live and gives them a respect for the environment. We aim to build upon the children’s Understanding of the World fostered in the Early Years and build on this through the Science National Curriculum Science framework (2014). They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
As a school, our aim is to encourage the children to become scientists and inventors, allowing them to be inquisitive and be able to question concepts through explanation and understanding. We do this in many ways including offering cross-curricular opportunities especially within our maths and English curriculum. Our children also have the opportunity to investigate ideas and conduct practical, scientific experiments which in turn leads to engaged and enthused pupils who are able to retrieve knowledge long term. The children will have higher aspirations and believe they are capable of following a scientific pathway should they wish to.
Aims
We aim to:
- 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 devise their own scientific questions about the world around them and the skills to answer them.
- equip pupils with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
Delivery
Science at Moorlands aims to foster a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living by offering a broad science curriculum based on a clear progression of scientific knowledge, vocabulary and skills. Children develop a respect for our world allowing them to develop original ideas and a questioning attitude.
Moorlands teaches science with a key focus on “working scientifically.” In order to do this, the school focuses on the five key areas of working scientifically: observation over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing; research using secondary sources. These are woven throughout the science curriculum and medium-term planning ensures that children are able to access all five areas consistently throughout the year through a variety of hands-on investigations and experiments. To ensure creativity is fostered in science at Moorlands we value children’s own lines of enquiry and explore these in each year group through our science lessons.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, science is covered in the ‘Understand of the World’ area of the Early Years Curriculum. Through activities where children have the chance to explore, observe, make decisions and predictions and talk about the world around them, science is embedded into the curriculum ensuring children at Moorlands have the opportunity to be lifelong science enthusiasts.
In Key Stages 1 and 2, science is taught weekly. This ensures that the children have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in their learning. Opportunities are explored and links can be made to reading, writing and maths. Knowledge is scaffolded year on year in specific areas. Working scientifically skills are embedded within lessons.
Inclusion is at the core of our curriculum delivery and in science we make adjustments and offer support to allow all children to access learning in all lessons.
Coverage
At Moorlands we follow the ‘Grammarsaurus’ Curriculum which aims to build on scientific skills and knowledge throughout each academic year and key stage. Our curriculum is spread over a 2 Year cycle which is shown below along with an overview of our science skills and vocabulary progression:
Assessment
Formative assessment is used regularly in our science lessons to ensure children’s needs are met and that skills and knowledge are developed over time. These informal assessments are used to inform future planning and understanding of each child’s next steps in scientific learning. At the end of each topic or unit a Summative Assessment will be set.
