Science at VPS

Vision

We want our children to explore the world around them with curiosity and excitement, asking questions and making predictions about how things work and why things happen. We want to ensure that they understand the importance of the natural and physical world and develop a respect for all living things.
 
We want our children to understand the key scientific concepts, facts and processes appropriate for their stage of learning, and be able to build on this knowledge through practical enquiry and scientific investigation. We want them to be able to analyse and explain their findings using scientific language and vocabulary with confidence.
We also want them to appreciate the role that science has played in shaping the way we live today, and the valuable contributions made by a diverse range of people, cultures and communities.

Aims

To ensure this vision is met, we aim to deliver a science curriculum that:

• Stimulates and excites curiosity about the world around us
• Develops a solid understanding of core concepts and scientific knowledge
• Builds children’s confidence to use their scientific knowledge to answer questions
• Offers hands-on practical experiences and activities that develop specific scientific skills
• Ensure that all children make progress in their scientific understanding and skills
• Places science in a real-world, diverse and cross-curricular context

Equal Opportunities and Inclusion

We ensure that all pupils have access to the science curriculum by using a range of strategies and approaches:

• Carefully planned and targeted use of additional adult support
• Differentiated resources, including writing frames and scaffolds, where necessary
• Use of paired and group work to support pupils to reach greater depth

We ensure that learning in science and technology:

• Supports positive attitudes to scientific endeavour in different cultures
• Provides good role models and resources that emphasise equality and inclusion
• The role of women and girls in STEM subjects
• How science and technology work to support the developing world

Curriculum Content and Progression

Early Years Framework
Pupils in the EYFS follow the EFYS Framework where Scientific knowledge and skills are covered in the Understanding the World area of learning. Some aspects of the Communication and Language, Literacy and Mathematics areas of learning will also support learning in this area.
We ensure that relevant learning in the EYFS is taken into account as pupils move into Year 1.

National Curriculum
In Key stage 1 and 2 we follow the National Curriculum for Science 2014 and ensure that all statutory requirements are met at each Phase/Key Stage and in each year group.

Knowledge and Understanding
The National Curriculum for science contains a range of concepts, knowledge and understanding across the three main areas of science: Life and Living Things (Biology); The Physical World (Physics) and Materials and Their Properties (Chemistry).
We build learning around these three strands across all year groups to ensure progression.
 
​We use the ASE PLAN Knowledge Grids to focus on the specific knowledge and skills that need to be learned in each Science Unit. This ensures that children are taught the correct science content at the right stage of their school journey.

Scheme of Work

The school Science Lead has developed a bespoke scheme of work with detailed lesson plans and resources for each year group. The scheme of work covers the statutory Science National Curriculum for all year groups and also reflects the school ethos and values.

Links to other subjects and topics
Some Science units are matched to other class topics and themes but only where links are strong and will enhance learning.
All unit plans and resources are available in the Science folder on the Staff Google drive.

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Planning
The scheme of work provides detailed medium term planning for each half termly or termly unit. Teachers will then create their own teaching slides using the suggested resources and materials.

Learning Objectives
National Curriculum objectives are noted, and the key scientific enquiry approaches and skills for each session are identified. These are combined to create two learning objectives,  one based around scientific enquiry skills (We are learning to…) and one based on scientific knowledge (We are learning that…)
Key questions and vocabulary are also provided. Expected pupil outcomes are listed to focus teaching.

Resources
Resources are signposted, including activity sheets, slide presentations, videos, books and other materials.
Many resources have been developed specifically for our scheme of work. We also use several reputable third part sources of teaching and learning materials, lesson plans and presentations. These sources have been evaluated by the Science Lead and embedded into medium term plans to  ensure teaching materials are appropriate and of consistent quality. They include: LGfL Switched on Science; Hamilton Science; Twinkl; CGP+ and BBC Bitesize

Teaching and Learning ​

Curriculum Coverage
Science is a core subject alongside English and Maths, and we feel it is important to make sure that there is enough teaching and learning time set aside to cover the Science curriculum in depth. To this end we have allocated one morning session each week either before or after morning break.

Characteristics of good science teaching
Good science teaching is varied, with teaching strategies, planned outcomes and delivery depending on what the children are learning.
​Teaching strategies might include:

• Concept mapping to activate prior knowledge and explore misconceptions
• Whole class teaching of new concepts and knowledge ‘from the front’
• Using videos and images to support learning
• Teacher modelling and scaffolding of recording methods and scientific writing genres
• Paired discussion to consolidate teaching points
• Group discussions to support prediction and analysis of findings
• Focused practical work in small groups to develop measurement, observation and recording skills
• Open ended practical exploration in groups to encourage scientific questioning and hypothesising
• Research and information gathering sessions using books and digital resources
• Presentations from children to their peers explaining their findings
• Extended writing to develop scientific ideas and reach conclusions
• Quizzes and low stakes testing to support retention of knowledge

Cross-curricular links

Links with English
There is always a focus on key vocabulary and scientific language, particularly when starting a new topic, and children are encouraged to learn and remember these words
Scientific writing will include description, explanation, information reports (including comparisons) and discussion. These types of writing are scaffolded using a range of writing frames, template and models until children are confident in using them independently.
 
Links with Maths
There are rich opportunities to link maths with science, particularly in the areas of data handling/statistics and measurement. Teachers plan for these links, ensuring that children are secure in the mathematical concepts and skills before using them in a scientific context
 
Use of ICT
ICT can be an invaluable tool for scientists, and there are many useful resources that will add a new dimension to many areas of science. These include:

• Data Logging equipment – for measurement and recording of light, sound and temperature levels
• Digital microscopes – the magnified image can be shown on the lass whiteboard
• Digital photography – invaluable to record a science investigation and stimulate follow-up writing
• Digital video – useful for recording a process that might be hard to see in detail or that happen quickly

​Science Marking and Assessment

Marking
We follow the general school marking policy for science

• Marking includes both content/knowledge and scientific enquiry skills
• Careful attentions is paid to possible misconceptions and misunderstandings, and opportunities for self/adult correction identified and included in comments written in the child’s book

Assessment
We assess pupil learning and attainment in a variety of ways.
 
Scientific Knowledge quizzes
Cognitive Science tells us that knowledge retention can be supported by asking pupils to recall their learning sometime after the topic has been taught. To this end we use knowledge quizzes at the end of Science units, and also after some time has passed. These quizzes are delivered using Google classroom.
In KS1 the quizzes are delivered as a whole class or in small groups with an adult. In KS2 the quizzes are delivered individually to pupils.
The quiz results can be viewed immediately, and common misconceptions or misunderstandings corrected,
 
Pupil Voice Interviews
The Science Lead meet with children form each year group twice during the school year and asked questions about their learning. Pupils are encouraged to recall information, and also to use their Science books as a reference source to trigger recall.
Class teachers are present at these meetings which provide them with a valuable insight into pupil’s understanding of the science topics covered and their ability to describe, explain and reflect on their science learning. It also allows teachers to assess their use of scientific vocabulary.
 
Pupil Self-Assessment
There will be opportunities for pupils to reflect on their learning in discussion with the teacher and their peers, and in written self-assessment statements in their Science books.
 
Formative Assessment and Marking
Science is assessed at the point of learning using the school’s assessment and marking procedures. See the Assessment policy for more information