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Sensational Science

SENSATIONAL SCIENCE

Children really enjoy Science lessons at Walford. We aim to use Science to stimulate and excite children's curiosity about phenomena and events in the world around them as well as giving them the opportunities to develop their understanding and increase their knowledge. We aim to promote the development of enquiry, exploration and observation in a meaningful context. The children take part in at least one Science lesson each week. Science lessons encourage children to work collaboratively and independently to learn about the world around them.

INTENT

At Walford Nursery & Primary School, children will:

develop an everyday application of scientific knowledge in the world around them;
undertake a range of activities which take place in and out of the classroom to engage children about the world around them;
develop knowledge of different aspects of Science: Biology, Chemistry and Physics;
develop a respect for all living things and the environment and an understanding of their interdependence;
promote the learning of skills and knowledge, understanding and key vocabulary through a scientific attitude to the solving of problems;
develop the skills of experimenting, devising and carrying out investigations and testing hypotheses by means of fair tests;
communicate and record information following practical observations;
promote confidence in the safe use of appropriate scientific equipment;
use computing skills to collect, display and analyse data;
encourage the ability to make predictions and suggest explanations based on an understanding of the world around them and scientific knowledge;
develop an ability to understand and interpret scientific information presented in verbal, mathematical, diagrammatic or graphic form.

This is the knowledge and understanding gained at each stage:

By the end of EYFS, children will:

have had an opportunity to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and develop their knowledge and sense of the world around them;

develop the crucial knowledge, skills and understanding that help them make sense of the world;
engage in activities based on first-hand experiences that encourage exploration, observation, problem solving, prediction, critical thinking and decision-making and discussion;
experience a wide range of activities, indoors and outdoors, including adult focused, child-initiated and independent play;
be stimulated, interested and curious;
observed by adults and learning is recorded in a variety of ways.

By the end of Key Stage 1, children will:

experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly constructed world around them;
be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice;
be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information;
begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways;
carry out first-hand practical experiences;
use appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos to support their learning;
work scientifically;
read and spell scientific vocabulary at a level consistent with their increasing word-reading and spelling knowledge at key stage 1.

By the end of lower Key Stage 2, children will:

enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them;
explore, talk about, test and develop ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions;
ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information;
draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out;
work scientifically;
read and spell scientific vocabulary correctly and with confidence, using their growing word-reading and spelling knowledge.

When working scientifically, by the end of lower Key Stage 2, children will:

ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them;
set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests;
make systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, take accurate measurements using standard units, use a range of equipment, include thermometers and data loggers;
gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions;
record findings use simple scientific language, draw, label diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables;
report on findings from enquiries, include oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions;
use results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions;
identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes;
use straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

By the end of upper Key Stage 2, children will:

enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas;
explore and talk about their ideas; ask their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analyse functions, relationships and interactions more systematically;
encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates;
recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time;
select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information;
draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings;
read, spell and pronounce scientific vocabulary correctly.

When working scientifically, by the end of upper Key Stage 2, children will:

plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, include recognise and control variables where necessary;
take measurements, use a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate;
record data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs;
use test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests;
report and present findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and a degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations;
identify scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

IMPLEMENTATION

What does our Science Curriculum look like?

Please refer to:

Our Long Term Overview to demonstrate the progression of knowledge and skills within the whole school Science offer;
Our Curriculum Maps for each year group to map teaching and learning, knowledge and skills through topics;
Knowledge Organisers which summarise the key knowledge and skills to be acquired and retained during Science topics.

Teachers will:

plan a series of differentiated lessons which build on areas previously taught in other year groups that show progression;
create a learning environment that supports learning and that engages children’s interest in the topic being studied e.g. role play areas, interactive displays;
engage the pupils through the use of engaging resources and use of media to carry out practical sessions;
conduct regular book scrutiny’s, pupil perceptions and planning checks;
promote Science through enrichment activities, e.g., Planetarium visit;
support, encourage, foster and nurture a love of Science;
research innovative, engaging practice and new techniques;
undertake regular whole school professional development.

Children will be supported by:

differentiated work, where appropriate, to ensure all children are able to meet the learning objective;
small group/1:1 adult support, when required;
extra time (pre-teaching) with learning the vocabulary for EAL and SEND pupils in order for them to join in with discussion.
resources being checked to ensure they are safe and can be used with the children;
the use of effective questioning;
the use of teacher and self-assessment to quickly identify any child who requires additional support in specific areas. These pupils will then receive additional support or resources to use;
the use of knowledge organisers to support learning;
the use of key vocabulary within lessons;
the use of retrieval activities e.g. Flash Back 4’s and the Learning Ambassador Award.

Children will be challenged by:

differentiated lessons;
the use of effective questioning;
giving children roles of responsibility during group activities and experiments;
additional activities to stretch the learning within the lesson.

All children (including SEND / EAL) can access the curriculum by:

pre-taught vocabulary/sessions, when appropriate (SEND or EAL);
seating children alongside good role models who can provide additional support;
providing visual/practical prompts;
teaching lessons using a range of different techniques to appeal to different learning styles e.g. videos, drama, artefacts, texts etc.

IMPACT

At Walford Nursery and Primary School, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. Our Science Curriculum facilitates sequential learning and long-term progression of knowledge and skills. Teaching and learning methods provide regular opportunities to recap acquired knowledge through high quality questioning, discussion, modelling and explaining to aid retrieval and the beginning and end of a lesson or unit. This enables all children to alter their long-term memory, know more, remember more and be able to do more as scientists.

This is what you might typically see:

engaged learners;
children posing questions for research;
children engaged in practical investigation to explore scientific phenomena;
themed days to give the children the opportunity to learn about Science and the world around us in a meaningful context. Children sharing their learning with others through contributing to a display;
children discussing, reflecting and sharing their learning.

This is how we know how well our pupils are doing:

lessons are planned based on scientific skills which are specific for each year group;

marking and feedback by teacher and peers;
observations of children during investigation and exploration;
photographic and video evidence;
EYFS floor books;
displays of work in classes;
assessment tracked at the end of each term;
book scrutiny, pupil perceptions and planning audits.

This is the impact of the teaching:

children who enjoy Science;
inquisitive learners;
reflective learners;
children who are able to demonstrate a variety of scientific skills;
children who are prepared to share what they’ve learnt in a variety of ways;
confident children who can talk about their Science lessons and discoveries they’ve made;
children who are able to use and explain the meaning of scientific vocabulary;
children who are prepared to take risks;
children who are able to gain an insight into the world they live in.