At Lime Tree Primary Academy, we encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at the school and beyond
The Science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our world around us, the universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. Science has changed all our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.
Intent - what do we teach?
At Lime Tree, we want our pupils to enjoy and experience lessons and activities of Science which instigate a curiosity of the world around us, understand why physical, chemical and biological phenomena happen, have an appreciation for the scientific method and be able to use this knowledge to further their own questions and ideas of the world around them. We intend to do this by ensuring;
- Progression through a coherent and carefully sequenced Science curriculum that builds on prior knowledge across all primary years
- Embedding skills and concepts through practical work and activities;
- - observation over time
- - fair or comparative tests
- - identification and classification
- - research
- - pattern seeking
- Identifying myths and misconceptions
Communicating their understanding in a scientific way
Implementation - how do we teach it?
EYFS
Our science curriculum is carefully designed to build on the educational programmes set out in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage to teach our reception pupils an understanding of the world programme of study related to the natural world. In reception, children experience opportunities to explore the natural world around them by making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants. They also learn about processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter.
KS1 and KS2
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a carefully sequenced programme of learning, ‘Switched on Science' which ensures both coherence and progression throughout the whole school and across all year groups.
Our teachers create a positive attitude to Science within their classrooms and have high and equal expectations for all pupils. Whilst the programme is ambitious for all pupils, it also recognises that some pupils require additional support.
Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following:
- Each unit begins with a ‘Get started’ opener which provides ideas for eliciting prior learning from previous activities as well as personal experiences at home and in the local environment.
- ‘Let’s think like scientists’ provides questions which encourage critical thinking and research, thus extending and challenging
- Pupils are encouraged to express curiosity and are given opportunities to use their scientific skills to ask and answer their own
- Each lesson begins with a learning objective which ensures children know exactly which key skills and concepts are being
- Lessons are meaningful by setting content in a range of interesting contexts relevant to their own lives as well as working with contexts in the wider
- First-hand and practical activity is at the core of our
- Pupils are expected to reflect on their learning through discussion with adults and peer
This enables them to articulate their learning, explain their reasoning behind why and develop their independence.
Impact
By the end of their schooling with us children have developed a love for learning about the scientific world and are curious and inspired to find out more about Science and relate it to their own lives and aspirations.
They have gained a coherent body of knowledge and conceptual understanding about science through the study of the foundations of biology, physics and chemistry and are confident in understanding and using the processes and methods of scientific enquiry to explore and answer questions about the world around them.
Pupils have developed a broad vocabulary of science which will enable them to articulate their understanding of taught concepts and are able to use a range of investigations and practical activities giving them a greater understanding of the concepts and knowledge of science.
Children leave school equipped with the knowledge required to appreciate and understand science’s contribution to all aspects of everyday life. Pupils have developed the skills, knowledge, understanding and the motivation to prepare them to successfully engage with Science disciplines at Secondary school
