Science

Intent

The Science curriculum at Ainderby Steeple CofE Primary aims to develop a sense of excitement, respect, love and curiosity of natural phenomena and an understanding of how the scientific community contributes to our past, present and future. We want our pupils to acquire a complex knowledge of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and also develop a broad range of skills in working scientifically and thinking like a scientist. As scientists, children will develop a wide-ranging scientific literacy and be encouraged to think critically, ask perceptive questions and analyse evidence. At Ainderby Steeple we truly believe that studying science enables our children to become compassionate citizens who will see how their knowledge and skills can enable them to become courageous advocates and help highlight and solve current and future global challenges.

Implementation

At Ainderby Steeple, we use Kapow to ignite our science curriculum. This curriculum meets the aims of the National Curriculum for Science and the Ofsted Research Review into Science. With this in mind, the following key strands have been established:

Scientific knowledge and understanding of:
- Biology – living organisms and vital processes.
- Chemistry – matter and its properties.
- Physicis – how the world we live in ‘works’.
Working Scientifically – processes and methods of science to answer questions about the world around us.
Science in action – uses and implications of science in the past, present and for the future.

The Science scheme is a spiral curriculum, with essential knowledge and skills revisited with increasing complexity, allowing our pupils to revise and build on their previous knowledge. Each unit is based upon one of the key science disciplines: Biology, Chemistry and Physics and to help show progression these disciplines they have been broken down into 6 key areas:

Plants
Animals, including humans
Living things and habitats
Materials
Energy
Forces, Earth and Space.

Pupils conceptual knowledge is developed through engaging activities and relevant specialist vocabulary is clearly identified. Working Scientifically skills (disciplinary) are integrated within conceptual knowledge rather than being taught discreetly as we feel this enables more frequent and relevant opportunities for these skills to be developed.

Lesson structure has a clearly defined and strong pattern. Every lesson starts with ‘Power up in 3’: 3 retrieval questions aimed to help our children recall essential knowledge and skills from the current topic, a previous topic and another subject which has a link to the lesson being taught. We then present the enquiry question for the lesson. We feel that this approach encourages our pupils to think like scientists throughout the lesson as it focusses them on what knowledge and skills they need to gain to be able to answer this question at the end of the lesson. Pupils are then presented with the specific scientific vocabulary they will be needing for this lesson. Following this, teaching strategies such as paired and group work, practical and creative tasks or computer-based tasks are utilised to ensure lessons are engaging and accessible for all learning styles,

To view our Non-Negotiables for teaching Science, please click here..

At Ainderby Steeple we have a 2 year rolling programme to ensure our mixed-age classes fully cover the National Curriculum. To view this document for Y1-6, click here.

To also see how Science is taught in Nursery and Reception click on the links.

Opportunities to celebrate Science

In addition to the well-planned science lessons that take place weekly in each class, teachers look for opportunities to enhance learning and extend children’s curiosity and enthusiasm in all areas of science such as:

Celebrating British Science Week
Offering a Science Club by LoveScience company
Having weekly Forest School lessons
Planting, growing and harvesting our own food in Ainderby Allotment
Caring and looking after a range of school animals

Impact

The impact of our Science curriculum can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Teachers can assess children’s responses to the individual lesson enquiry questions and furthermore, use an end of unit quiz to help provide a summative assessment which is then recorded on Sonar Tracker. This whole school assessment, is then readily available for the Science Subject Leader to monitor.

At the end of KS2, pupils will leave Ainderby Steeple equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in Key Stage 3. They will have the tools to confidently and meaningfully question and explore the world around them as well as critically and analytically experience and observe phenomena. Pupils will also understand the significance and impact of Science on society.

By following the Kapow scheme of work for Science the expected impact for our children is:

Develop a body of foundational knowledge for the Biology topics in the National curriculum: Plants; Animals, Including Humans; Living Things and Their Habitats; Evolution and Inheritance.
Develop a body of foundational knowledge for the Chemistry topics in the National curriculum: Everyday Materials; Uses of Everyday Materials; Properties and Changes of Materials; States of Matter; Rocks.
Develop a body of foundational knowledge for the Physics topics in the National curriculum: Seasonal Changes; Forces and Magnets; Sound; Light; Electricity; Earth and Space.
Be able to evaluate and identify the methods that ‘real world’ scientists use to develop and answer scientific questions.
Identify and use equipment effectively to accurately gather, measure and record data.
Be able to display and convey data in a variety of ways, including graphs.
Analyse data in order to identify, classify, group, and find patterns.
Use evidence to formulate explanations and conclusions.
Demonstrate scientific literacy through presenting concepts and communicating ideas using scientific vocabulary.
Understand the importance of resilience and a growth mindset, particularly in reference to scientific enquiry.
Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Science.

Science Subject Leader: Mrs Emily Thornton-Shaw

Documents

These documents are password protected. Please email admin to gain access to these.

Science Long Term Plan

Science Progression of Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge Organisers

Autumn 1 2022- Class 1 – Everyday materials, Class 2 – human survival, Class 3 – food and the digestive system, Class 4 – circulatory system

Autumn 2 2022- Class 1 – Human Senses, Class 2 – habitats, Class 3 – sound, Class 4 (see above for circulatory system)

Spring 1 2023 – Class 1 – Seasonal Changes, Class 2 – Uses of Materials, Class 3 – Grouping and Classifying, Class 4 – Electrical Circuits and Components

Spring 2 2023 – Class 1 (see above), Class 2 – Plant survival, Class 3 – States of matter, Class 4 (see above).

Summer 1 2023 – Class 1 – Plants, Class 2 – Animal survival, Class 3 – Electrical circuits and conductors, Class 4 – Light Theory.

Summer 2 2023 – Class 1 – Animals, Class 2 – (as above), Class 3 – (as above), Class 4 – Evolution and Inheritance.

Autumn 1 2023 – Class 1 – Seasonal changes, Class 2 – Habitats, Class 3 – Movement and Nutrition, Class 4 – Mixtures and seperation