What does Science look like at Chisenhale?
Intent:
At Chisenhale Primary School, our science curriculum aims to deliver a high quality scientific education that will provide children with the foundations they need to recognise the importance science plays in all aspects of daily life. We want our children to appreciate how science has changed the lives of human beings and to understand that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. Our science curriculum aims to encourage our children to be naturally curious about the world around them and to guide them into becoming enquiry-based learners.
Throughout their time Chisenhale Primary School, children will acquire and develop the key scientific knowledge within each science unit and across each year group, in line with the National Curriculum requirements. Our science curriculum ensures that the working scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at the school so that they can apply their scientific knowledge to a range of practical scientific investigations. Science lessons will allow opportunities for all children to raise questions and make observations, work collaboratively to discuss ideas in order to plan and carry out investigations.
Implementation:
Teaching science at Chisenhale Primary School involves adapting and extending the National Curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. We use the ‘PLAN’ Primary Science Assessment resources in order to achieve this. Science units are taught on a year group rolling programme. Having identified the linked content from previous years, this information can be used to plan initial activities to engage that prior learning. This ensures progression between year groups and guarantees topics are covered.
Children will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning from previous lessons through short and open ended recap activities. This will also form invaluable teacher assessment opportunities and enable effective planning of future activities in order to consolidate the children’s learning.
Scientific oracy will be developed through the use of short, focussed discussions using a ‘discussion prompt’ to stimulate thinking, talking and encourage the children to share their ideas with their classmates. Discussion prompts include:
- Odd One Out
- PMI (Positive Minus Interesting)
- Big Question
Working scientifically skills are linked to the National Curriculum and focus on enabling the children to ask questions, make predictions, plan enquires, take measurements, observe closely, record results, draw conclusions and evaluate enquiries. Working scientifically skills are embedded into all lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career. In Key Stage Two, children will learn to discuss and identify any working scientifically skills they have used within in their lessons.
Within all lessons, new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. Children developed their scientific knowledge and understanding through group discussions, presentations, demonstrations, videos, practical explanations, investigative activities, as well as child-led instructions where possible and appropriate. Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various working scientifically skills in order to further embed scientific understanding.
The classroom displays are used to aid the children’s learning; reinforce previously taught concepts and stimulate their natural curiosity. Key vocabulary and images from the unit will be displayed in each classroom.
Pupils will study a range of significant scientists and the impact that their scientific discoveries have had on the modern world. Children will also be introduced to a diverse range of scientists and people who work in science-related jobs. ‘A Scientist Just Like Me’ is designed to raise awareness of diversity in science-related jobs and to provide illustrated examples of a wide range of science-based careers.
Books are monitored throughout the year and pupil voices are conducted to ensure the content/skills are covered as planned and that children are retaining their knowledge and understanding as scientists.
Impact:
The impact of the Chisenhale Science Curriculum will ensure that children have:
- a wider variety of skills linked to scientific knowledge and working scientifically.
- the ability to articulate their understanding of scientific concepts and be able to reason scientifically using a rich scientific vocabulary.
- a passion for scientific investigations and an interest in further study and work within science.
- the skills to question ideas and link scientific knowledge to real life contexts.
- the experience and ability to work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.
Our assessments and monitoring allow us to see the impact of our teaching, guide future planning and ensure that our standards of teaching are high.
Here is further information about our science curriculum coverage: