Science

 

Curriculum intent

At Grange, we teach children to understand and appreciate the world around them across the three disciplines: biology, chemistry and physics.

Children develop a sense of curiosity, excitement and learn to question, investigate and evaluate.  In Science we build up an extended specialist vocabulary and recall mathematical skills including collecting, presenting and analysing data.  To work scientifically children need to recognise, explore and predict natural processes through practical active learning, keeping children engaged and motivated. Having an awareness of the science around them and in the wider world will support children to become global citizens and make positive, informed choices about their responsibilities to the environment, their health and other scientific issues.

Implementation of the curriculum

In order to ensure high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the school. Science is taught weekly, using planning from HIAS that has been adapted to suit the needs of our children.

We believe children learn best through purposeful and real life contexts, therefore, where possible, science is taught with meaningful links to everyday life.

As well as developing their scientific knowledge, children carry out practical investigations to build on the enquiry skills of: planning, predicting, gathering evidence, recording and concluding.

Science units are organised to develop both substantive and disciplinary skills in unison. Longer investigations are designed to allow children to develop and apply these skills in different contexts. Specific vocabulary is taught in order for rich scientific discussion to take place.

Staff make use of a range of resources to stimulate and motivate learners. The school grounds are used to engage children with their environment, whilst enriching their learning.

Scientific thinking is valued across our curriculum, with children being encouraged to be curious and to utilise their scientific disciplinary skills in a broad range of ways.

Impact of our curriculum

Supported by our broad and balanced curriculum, Grange children view themselves as emerging scientists, who are encouraged to be curious and to utilise their scientific skills in a broad range of ways. Pupils are becoming more confident at carrying out investigations and experiments, and are not as reliant on the teachers telling them exactly what to do.

Children are equipped with the skills needed to adapt their thinking and investigative approaches to a range of contexts and ideas. The children have an appreciation of their own awe and wonder around them.

Through carefully planned sequences of learning, children develop their scientific knowledge, vocabulary and acquire the skills to generate their own lines of enquiry and are becoming increasingly better at explaining why they obtained specific results and in identifying where and why there results might not be so accurate.