Science Curriculum Intent
At Aspire, it is our intention to provide a high quality science education that provides children with the foundations they need to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life.
The curriculum is designed to ensure that children are able to acquire key scientific knowledge through practical experiences; using equipment, conducting experiments and explaining concepts confidently. The school’s approach to science takes account of the school’s own context, ensuring that children have as many opportunities to explore science practically and through experimentation. A high emphasis is placed on children using scientific skills.
Children are encouraged to work collaboratively in science lessons, with the teacher setting explicit expectations on each child's contribution. Children are encouraged to engage with other members of the class to enhance their learning experience.
They will be encouraged to ask questions about the world around them and work scientifically to further their conceptual understanding and scientific knowledge. We aim that through high quality teaching children will develop a love of science, a natural curiosity and the ability to find answers to their own questions using skills that they have learnt.
Science Curriculum Implementation
Throughout the teaching of Science, we aim to enable pupils to develop an interest in science and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about the world around them. Children are encouraged to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings. A love of science is nurtured through a varied and practical science curriculum. Throughout the programmes of study, the children acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group. Our curriculum is informed by the national curriculum built progressively from EYFS to the end of KS2.
Key skills and vocabulary are mapped for each year group which are in accordance with the Working Scientifically skills expectations of the national curriculum. The curriculum is designed to ensure that children are able to acquire key scientific knowledge through practical experiences.
At the start of each topic success criteria are given to each child, to ensure a clear understanding of what is expected is given to them. Each lesson has a table specifically outlining the task for the lesson, the scientific skills that are being used and allows the teacher to give feedback information about how independently a task was completed. It is expected that all children who are at an independent level of writing record an element of each lesson, with those whose ability is higher recording with more clarity and precision. Sufficient challenge is given by teachers, by challenging children to use scientific skills from higher year levels when children are able to demonstrate that they have mastered the skill for their year group.
Each year ‘Science Week’ is celebrated by the whole school. A whole school theme is established and all children are enabled to apply their scientific skills and share their ideas. Trips and workshops are used to create a ‘Buzz’ around science for that week and the whole school works together to explore concepts in more depth.
Children are assessed using the success criteria presented at the beginning of each topic. Teachers complete the table to show whether children are at a beginning, developing or embedded level of knowledge and skill. Teachers date the success criteria to show where the evidence of this level can be found in their science folders. As the children's knowledge and skills develop, teachers build upon this and move them onto the next level of the curriculum.
Science Curriculum Impact
The successful approach to the teaching of science at Aspire will result in a fun, engaging, high quality science education that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them once they complete their primary education.
Assessment is teacher based and formed by assessing children against the success criteria. Teachers mark and respond to misconceptions and gaps throughout the lessons or as immediately as possible to allow as much learning to take place as closely as possible to the lesson. This ensures children are not building upon incorrect scientific foundations.
By teaching Science skills and knowledge at Aspire we hope children will:
- Develop a love of science and an interest to further develop their scientific skills.
- Retain skills and knowledge within real life contexts.
- Have the confidence to question and reflect on their ideas and be able to use age appropriate scientific language.
- Understand how to work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.
- Make one year's progress in their scientific knowledge and skills throughout each year that they are at Aspire.