Intent
At Wistaston Church Lane we want all children to recognise how Science exists in everyday life. We want children to notice, to be curious about and to care for the World around us. We aim to develop children’s natural curiousity through enquiry, whilst giving every child a broad understanding and knowledge base.
We strive to equip children with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future. We supply them with a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner, including I.C.T., diagrams, graphs and charts. The children’s specialist vocabulary will be extended, allowing them to use technical terminology accurately and precisely. They will be given the opportunity to apply mathematical knowledge and understanding to Science when collecting, presenting and analysing data. We encourage a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own, and other children’s safety. We develop an enthusiasm and enjoyment of scientific learning and discovery.
Implementation
Our children begin their Science journey in our Early Years setting. Through the ‘Understanding the World’ area of learning, children are guided to make sense of their physical world and their community. The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters. In addition, listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world. As well as building important knowledge, this extends their familiarity with words, enriching and widening children’s vocabulary.
Our children will build on this important stage throughout Key Stage One and Two. Science is planned and taught by class teachers using the National Curriculum. Through our planning, we involve enquiry and problem solving opportunities that allow the children to think and 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. Curiosity is celebrated within the classroom. By creating engaging lessons, often involving physical resources we aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children achieve and make progress.
At Church Lane our learning and skill development build lesson on lesson and year and year. Cognitive load is addressed by using regular recap opportunities. We look back at previous lesson’s, topic’s and year's learning by using 'pink for think' or concept cartoons. We check children's current knowledge in a scientific area using a 'warm up' task. We build on this using carefully sequenced lessons and show progression in the 'hot task' at the end of the unit. Children’s knowledge and understanding increases throughout the school and they become more proficient in selecting and using scientific equipment and collating and interpreting results.
Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching.
We introduce seven science skills which the children develop through scientific investigation:
- asking questions
- making predictions
- setting up tests
- observing and measuring
- recording data
- interpreting and communicating results
- evaluating
This is developed through the years, in-keeping with the topics and branches into other areas of the curriculum. Allowing for cross-curricular learning opportunities. Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and workshops with experts.
Impact
At Church Lane we are all working towards our Science ‘end points’. Teachers will use these end points to work towards, and will use the children’s work and their knowledge of their class to deem whether their children have reached them. We will see progression in knowledge by comparing our ‘warm up’ and ‘hot’ tasks. At each Key Stage we build on our practical skills. Teachers will ensure that the seven skills of investigation are covered regularly.
In EYFS tapestry is used to assess their investigation area, giving Key stage One teachers a greater understanding during transition of pupils knowledge base before science is taught discretely.
The Science Subject Leader, alongside the SLT, will monitor the quality of teaching and learning through observations, learning walks and regular book monitoring. They will check that all knowledge coverage and that the seven skills of investigation are regularly used.
Cultural Capital
At Wistaston Church Lane Academy, we develop the following skills to support children in becoming scientists:
- Inquisitive learning, adapting to a range of topics and building on prior knowledge.
- Increasing their curiosity and reflection when creating experiments, adapting their plans as they go.
- The ability to ensure evaluation supports hypothesis, and prior knowledge has been used to help create their set up.
- The confidence to make errors and reflect upon these and adapt their plan and articulate why their experiment didn’t support their hypothesis.
- The ability to draw upon prior knowledge from previous year groups to develop knowledge and deepen understanding.