Intent

What are we trying to achieve with our curriculum? 

Here at Shavington Primary School, it is our intention to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life and adapt it to our core values as a school encouraging a pupil led approach. We give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires as it is fundamental as a foundation for scientific learning. This Scientific area of learning is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. It will develop the natural curiosity of the child, encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment. It will also provide opportunities for critical evaluation and reflection of evidence which we consider fundamental skill in this core subject. We intend to build a Science curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge.  

Our Science curriculum encourages children to embrace Science and aspire to become enquiry-based learners whilst embedding the use of experimentation and questioning skills. We also strive to ensure they are confident when problem solving either independently or collaboratively. 

Implementation

How do we deliver our curriculum? 

Children at Shavington Primary School will:

  • Have access to a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the Early Years Foundation Framework and National Curriculum where teaching and learning should show progression across all curricular within the strands of Science. 
  • Have access to key language and meanings in order to understand and readily apply to their written, mathematical and verbal communication. 
  • Use a range of resources to develop their knowledge and understanding that is integral to their learning and develop their understanding of working scientifically. 
  • Have opportunities to engage in practical investigative activities within Science lessons. 
  • Will reflect on prior learning from previous years (from EYFS to Year 6) and cross-curricular links will be made wherever possible. 
  • Will be able to build upon their own prior knowledge and link ideas together, enabling them to reason, question and become enquiry-based learners. 
  • Will be encouraged to take part in self-directed exploration and applicable links to Science will be made to develop the children’s topical learning.

At Shavington Primary School, we aspire to promote children’s independence and motivate children to adopt a responsibility in their own learning. In order to achieve this, we have implemented self/teacher assessment sheets, which the children use as a working document to track their achievements and progress throughout a topic. We have also developed scientific vocabulary tasks at the beginning of each unit, which provides the children with the specific vocabulary and terminology for that module - allowing them to access the topic with more confidence and self-belief. 

A module related task, which is completed prior to starting (pre-learning task) and end (post-learning task) of a topic, is used in order to show clear progression and children’s new found knowledge and understanding. These tasks also enable the children to articulate scientific concepts clearly, methodically and precisely, assisting them in making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others. 

Impact

What difference is our curriculum making to our pupils? 

  • Most children will achieve age related expectations in Science at the end of their cohort year. 
  • Children will retain knowledge that is pertinent to Science with a real-life context to use throughout their lives.
  • Children will be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge. 
  • Children will work collaboratively, independently and practically to investigate, research and experiment. 
  • Children will be able to explain the processes that they have taken and be able to reason scientifically. 
  • Children will develop an enquiring mind, which we hope will continue with them in their future steps in both their education and, one day, their career.