Vision

At Barrow Hill Primary Academy, we believe that Science provides the foundation for learning about, exploring and making sense of the world that we live in. We aim to develop positive attitudes towards Science and inquisitive, strategic learners as well as critical and evaluative thinkers. We aim to make learning engaging, relevant and purposeful, contextualising the scientific concepts taught and inspiring potential scientists of the future.

Science Curriculum Intent

Our Science Curriculum aims not only to adhere to the statutory National Curriculum framework, but to give a rich Science conceptual knowledge and understanding and experimental processes.

The aims of our learning intend to:

• Develop pupils’ interest in, and enjoyment of Science. By building on children’s curiosity, the Science curriculum will help to instil positive attitudes and confidence within their Science learning.
• Delivering all of the requirements of the National Curriculum in relation to Science and covering all of the relevant knowledge, skills and scientific concepts.
• Ensuring that Science lessons are purposeful, accurate and imaginative.
• Ensuring pupils have sufficient scientific knowledge and vocabulary to understand both uses and implications of Science. Children will develop an appreciation of the changing nature and development of Scientific understanding.
• Develop pupils’ ability to generate questions, investigate these using correct techniques, accurately and appropriately record their findings using appropriate scientific understanding and analyse their results.
• Helping pupils to develop skills of prediction, hypothesising, experimentation, investigation, observation, measurement, interpretation and communication.
• Understanding the relevance and importance of Science in our society and promote ambition for pursuing future careers in STEM positions.

Science Curriculum Implementation

The National Curriculum is followed and provides a full breakdown of the statutory content to be covered within each unit.

Long term plan

The school Long Term Plan will outline the units to be taught in each year group as a two-year rolling cycle in order to ensure progression of the appropriate knowledge and skills throughout their primary school journey.

Teaching and Learning

Children will access to one hour of Science as a discrete lesson per week alongside other Science cross-curricular opportunities, where appropriate.

Teachers will use the key learning content in the DfE’s ‘Science programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2’ to ensure that all necessary content is covered.

As a school, we have referenced the PLAN documentation for each unit, which provides class teachers with a thorough starting point for planning the unit learning journey including, learning covered from prior year groups (as a beneficial pre-assessment), content and vocabulary to be delivered during the unit, and also learning that will be covered in future year groups (Next Steps). It highlights common misconceptions and provides assessment statements to monitor the progress of pupils.

Teachers are expected to use this documentation to support their S planning, which will highlight the journey of the steps of learning. A pre-assessment lesson should be included to revisit and assess relevant prior knowledge and vocabulary as well as a post-assessment lesson, where children will be expected to complete a knowledge organiser as a form of summative assessment. Each step should be planned using the school’s approach to lesson design. A pupil version should be made available to allow children to take a shared responsibility for their learning and progress.

All lessons should have a clear learning objective which is shared and reviewed with pupils.

Lessons should be engaging and inspire pupils to be inquisitive learners through discussion, key questioning, conceptual understanding, and a range of ways for pupils to record their work to suit pupils’ learning needs.

There should be a focus on vocabulary within lessons to ensure that pupils are able to articulate scientific concepts with accuracy.

Working Scientifically 

The working scientifically objectives and skills should be embedded within each unit of work. Throughout their learning journey, children must be given the opportunity to carry out different enquiry types with increasing levels of independence. These enquiry types include:

• Observe over time
• Classifying and grouping
• Pattern Seeking
• Comparative and fair test
• Research and secondary sources

Within each investigation, teachers should choose a key skill to develop and focus on for children to gain a rich understanding of how to carry out an investigation. This is with the intention that as these skills are regularly repeated and revisited, they will be able to be carried out with increased independence.

Working Scientifically Symbols for the enquiry types and key skills can be found in the Science folder Staff Shared One Drive and are expected to be displayed in every classroom and featured on S plans.

Exploration of these key scientific skills will be explored and scaffolded by the whole class through use of the Class floor book. This provides opportunity for the focus to be on the practical science and also facilitates discussions around key learning points. The floor book should be made available for all children to view, as it celebrates their scientific learning and enquiry.

Equal Opportunities 

All pupils will have equal access to the entire Science Curriculum, including practical experiments.

• Gender, learning ability, physical ability, ethnicity, linguistic ability and/or cultural circumstances will not impede pupils from accessing Science lessons.
• Where it is inappropriate for a pupil to participate in a lesson because of the reasons related to any of the factors outlined above, the lessons will be adapted to meet the pupil’s needs and alternative arrangements involving extra support will be provided where necessary.
• All efforts will be made to ensure that cultural and gender differences will be positively reflected in all lessons and teaching materials used.
• Barrow Hill Primary Academy aims to provide appropriate support and also challenge to extend scientific thinking.

Cross Curricular Opportunities

Wherever possible and appropriate, the Science Curriculum will provide opportunities to establish links with other curriculum areas, such as:

• English – Using speaking and listening skills to present their ideas and understanding; the use of drama to model scientific concepts; writing skills in their recording, planning, observing and explaining; the use of Non-Fiction texts.
• Maths – Measuring and data handling; Recording findings using charts, tables and graphs and the ability to analyse this data.
• Computing – Using digital devices for research purposes; recording results and findings using charts, tables, graphs and text; the use of calculators, stopwatches and other digital recording equipment.
• RHE – Links between key Science units regarding: life cycles, health, growth, physical well-being, nutrition, movement, physical safety.
• History – The contributions of key scientists throughout history and how theories and ideas are ever evolving.
• Music – With particular reference to the Sound unit.
• Citizenship – The awe and wonder of science; the impact of scientific discoveries and innovations on our lives and society; current scientific developments; Issues relating to pollution, climate change and genetic modifications and medical research and the ethical implications.

Additional Opportunities 

• Class teachers should aim to plan Science learning in a variety of different learning environments where appropriate, such as outdoor and in a kitchen.
• All children in school participate in our annual National Science Week Celebrations organised by the Subject Lead.
• Out of school opportunities, will be organised in order to explore their Science learning in a different context.
• Occasionally, after-school Science clubs will be organised for children to participate in.

Progression

At Barrow Hill Primary Academy, we recognise that our curriculum planning must allow for children to gain a progressively deeper level of knowledge, understanding and skill competency as they move through school from EYFS to Year 6. Our Science progression map and unit medium term planning documents enable teachers to view the Science learning as a journey throughout school and adjust planning to meet the particular needs of individuals or groups of children and to build on their prior knowledge and understanding.

Assessment

As part of everyday Science learning, class teachers will use a range of Formative and Summative assessments. Assessment statements for each unit of work can be found on the PLAN documents which have been used to inform lesson outcomes within the planning.

To inform summative teacher assessments, children will complete a knowledge organiser prepared by the class teacher at the end of a journey of learning. Teachers can also use the STEM Quick quizzes (available on the shared One Drive) for a particular unit which are designed for children to apply their scientific conceptual understanding in a more challenging context.

It is also important for pupils to self-evaluate their work and progress in Science through discussions with their Class Teacher.

Examples of evidence for these teacher assessments can be found in the form of:

• Written work or pictorial representations, such as: explanations of key concepts accurately using scientific vocabulary, labelled scientific diagrams, concept cartoons recorded, informal quizzes (via Microsoft Forms) in Science books or digitally via Class Dojo. (A range of recording opportunities should be available to support different learning needs within the class).
• Annotations from observations of the class teacher during class discussions, presentations and practical science activities.
• Photograph and video evidence from practical dramatised representations of scientific concepts, presentations from children, practical investigation or as part of continuous provision.

SEND

All SEND pupils will be able to access the full Science Curriculum in an inclusive way and appropriate to their level of need through appropriately differentiated learning outcomes, support resources for scaffolding and pre-teaching of key concepts. This should be in accordance from advice from the school SENDCO and school provision map and should be appropriate for each child’s individual needs.

Science Curriculum Impact

Skills

• Critical and evaluative thinking
• Inquisitive learners
• Developed questioning skills
• Developed prediction skills
• Developed accurate measuring skills
• Recording results and analysing data
• Forming conclusions based on evidence
• Working safely and maturely

Conceptual Knowledge

Key vocabulary and an ability to articulate scientific concepts across the curriculum content.

Other Outcomes 

Through science learning children will also have had the opportunity to develop skills such as:

• Speaking and listening
• Confidence
• Collaboration
• A deeper understanding of the world around them and relevance of science today
• Some pupils to be inspired to pursue Science in their further education or careers.