Science
Rationale
Science is taught in each class weekly as we cover the specifications of the National Curriculum and build children’s skills; consequently improving their knowledge and understanding of science.
Teachers use our progression documents for Physics, Chemistry and Biology and the ‘Working Scientifically’ objectives to ensure that prior learning is built-upon. These documents act as a clear professional development tool to support staff's subject knowledge and progression.
Working Scientifically
Science Superheroes are used to aid teaching and learning for working scientifically across the school. The images were specifically designed for the school to promote diversity.
As the children move through school, they will deepen their knowledge of the objectives relating to each superhero. This visual tool supports the children to recognise the skill they are being taught and using within a given lesson.
Planning
Every lesson is carefully planned to ensure that two objectives are taught: a knowledge objective (substantive) and working scientifically objective (disciplinary). The disciplinary knowledge is always related directly to substantive knowledge: for example, to classify animals, children have to have a knowledge of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Our science curriculum has been carefully sequenced to build on knowledge and skills. Objectives are revisited and designed to build upon previous learning. For example, in the unit on evolution and inheritance children apply prior knowledge acquired in the unit on rocks. In Y5, half a term is used to revisit learning from earlier in KS2 (covering electricity, light and rocks).
Our staff continuously assess children's understanding, enabling adaptations to learning experiences to be made where necessary. Where appropriate, teachers aim to make cross-curricular links: for example: painting pictures of plants before labelling (art/science); writing a biography of Charles Darwin and writing a structured scientific enquiry (English/science). We have a wide range of resources to ensure that all of our objectives can be taught effectively.
Children take part in Burbage Science Week which ranges from children creating scientific experiment packs for sale to taking part in national activities such as Growth 2022.
Science Long Term Plan
Science: Working Scientifically Progression Document
Science: Biology Knowledge & Skills Progression
biology progression document knowledge and skills.pdf
Science: Chemistry Knowledge & Skills Progression
chemistry progression document .pdf
Science: Physics Knowledge & Skills Progression
physics progression document.pdf