Intent
At St Gregory’s, we recognise the prominence of science in our curriculum and everyday lives as we navigate the wonderful world that God has given us. In line with National Curriculum aims, our Science curriculum offers children opportunities to develop and foster a wealth of scientific knowledge, vocabulary and enquiry skills as they progress from EYFS to KS1 to KS2. In addition, we aspire to teach lessons that spark curiosity and enjoyment, leading to a lifelong appreciation for science, so the children can continue to explore the world with a scientific mindset long after they depart St Gregory’s.
Implementation
Science is taught in KS1 and KS2 weekly with lessons planned to engage and promote active and curious learners through enquiry-based learning. Our carefully planned curriculum ensures coverage and whole school progression of substantive knowledge through a variety of topics such as: animals, including humans; electricity and light; evolution and inheritance; and Earth and space. In addition, knowledge organisers are utilised within each unit to support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts, concepts and vocabulary.
Science lessons are also rooted in the teaching and application of disciplinary knowledge, also known as enquiry skills. During practical lessons, children are given the opportunities to master these skills with a range of equipment, with each lesson having a skill focus to ensure coverage of each skill throughout the unit and their school career. During KS1, the children’s application of the enquiry skills may be more supported, with the goal of them developing independence as they progress into KS2.
Teachers use precise questioning in class to test knowledge and skills and assess regularly to identify those children who need support in achieving their full potential.
Impact
As a result of our curriculum, children at St Gregory’s develop a love of science and an increased understanding of the impact that the subject can have on their own and others’ lives. They can demonstrate a clear progression of knowledge and skills in Science and have an understanding of how Science can be used to benefit society.
Our teaching ensures that they become resourceful learners who develop independent thinking and questioning skills by the time they leave our school and they go to secondary school with a good scientific knowledge on which to base their deeper learning. In addition, our children also develop an understanding of the importance of caring for the environment and being stewards of our wonderful world.
Teachers feel confident to assess in science through formative and summative assessment during and after the unit which alongside discussions and written work, support accuracy of data.
What does Science at St Gregory's look like?
EYFS
Within the EYFS framework, ‘Understanding the World’ is one of the key areas of learning and development and supports the indirect introduction of Science. It involves helping children to make sense of their physical world and their community through exploration and observation of people, places, technology and the environment. Activities, like those shown below, encourage a scientific mindset to develop and provides opportunities to problem solve, make predictions and think about the world around them.
Examples of provision in EYFS that has inspired scientific thinking includes:
- Cooking – which lays the foundation and experiences for understanding irreversible changes (Year 4) and also, electricity (Year 4)
- Exploring the size of puddles – which lays the foundation of understanding parts of the water cycle (Year 4) and how water travels.
- Exploring the outside environment at different time of the year – lays the foundations for understanding seasons and seasonal changes (Year 1)
KS1
The principal focus of science teaching in Key Stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. During years 1 and 2, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
- Asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways
- Observing closely, using simple equipment
- Performing simple tests
- Identifying and classifying
- Using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
- Gathering and recording data to help in answering questions
These will be taught through the following topics:
- Plants
- Animals including humans
- Everyday materials
- Seasonal changes (ongoing topic throughout the year)
- Living things and their habitats
- Uses of everyday materials
We have used our trip to Wingham Wildlife Park to enhance our learning within our unit of living things and their habitats.
Our KS1 children also attended a workshop held by St Peter's, Broadstairs. They had the opportunity to explore science in different grounds and also experience a new realm of scientific technology.
LKS2
The principal focus of science teaching in years 3 & 4 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through:
- Setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
- Making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers
- Gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
- Recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables
- Reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions
- Using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions
- Identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes
- Using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings
These will be taught through the following topics:
- Plants
- Animals including humans
- Everyday materials
- Rocks
- Light
- Forces and magnets
- Living things and their habitats
- Electricity
- Sound
- States of matter
UKS2
The principal focus of science teaching in upper Key Stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through:
- Planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
- Taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
- Recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs
- Using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
- Reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
- Identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments
These will be taught through the following topics:
- Living things and their habitats
- Animals including humans
- Properties and changes of materials
- Earth and Space
- Forces
- Evolution and Inheritance
- Light
- Electricity
St Gregory's taking Science to the next level...
Calling all parents and carers...
Are there any parents/carers out there with a Scientific or Engineering background who would be willing to come into school and answer questions from our children about their jobs?
We would like to start 'Engage with an Engineer' and 'Speak with a Scientist' workshops so children can gain a deeper insight into specific careers with a Science background.
If you are interested, please contact Miss Campbell or the school office or alternatively send an email to:
leah.campbell@st-gregorys-margate.kcsp.org.uk
