Science
INFORMED
Science is a core subject of the National Curriculum. All class teachers are responsible for the implementation of this statement under the guidance of the subject leader who is responsible for monitoring its implementation and effectiveness in accordance with whole school monitoring procedures.
Pupils study living things (including plants, animals and humans), materials (including solids, liquids and gases), and learn about electricity, forces, light, sound and the place of the Earth within the solar system. Science is taught both within a cross curricular context, with explicit links made to other subject areas in particular ICT, Mathematics and English, as well as discretely for particular concepts and skills. Emphasis is placed on safe, effective practical work of a high quality.
Science is predominantly a practical subject. As appropriate to maturity and understanding, all children in school have the opportunity to use a wide range of equipment such as data loggers, viewers, torches, and mirrors. Science is taught within different contexts; primary classrooms, secondary school laboratories and in the field. At Downton CE VA Primary School, outdoor science education gives first-hand experience of the natural and built environment, provides opportunities for teamwork and includes all aspects of Science including chemistry, earth sciences, physics as well as ecology and biology.
Staff will foster and support the spirit of enquiry, provide structured support for the development of children as independent learners who understand the value of the subject, ensure that the school meets the obligations in the teaching of Science as outlined in the National Curriculum 2014 and that the teaching of Science contributes to a broad and balanced curriculum with explicit reference to Maths, Literacy and RE.
ARTICULATE
The teaching of Science at Downton CE VA Primary School is essential as part of the children’s learning process for educational, personal and intellectual development. Science is introduced to children from their earliest years, building on their own experiences and using the immediate environment wherever possible. Children are encouraged to examine, investigate, question, discuss and think about the world around them.
Children are encouraged to ask lots of questions, to collect their own data, record/present/interpret their findings in a variety of ways and to communicate through a variety of media. As an integral part of culture, past and present, it helps pupils understand themselves and relate to others, forging important links between the home, school and the wider world.
EMPOWERED
At Downton Primary School through Science teaching and learning, we aim to ensure, via the spiralled DPS Science curriculum framework that the children will obtain the skills to work independently to investigate their own ideas. This means we that we hope that every child will become an independent inquisitive learner who is confidently reflective and positively empowered to make a contribution to society.
IMPLEMENTATION
Long term plans for all subjects are taken initially from the National Curriculum. These are reflected in the school’s curriculum policy or on the topic cycle. The topic cycle is supported by yearly overviews for each year group.
Science has strong links with other curriculum areas and activities. As well as being taught as a discrete subject, we utilize these links with wherever possible as identified in our planning. The class teacher normally teaches Science to the whole class. Within the whole class situation children may work individually, in groups or as a whole class depending on the lesson curated to meet the needs of all children. Every child will have the opportunity to explore, investigate and explain their own ideas. Provision for children with particular needs is planned to allow equal access to practical and outdoor activities. Greater depth opportunities are provided for children showing exceptional ability in Science. Outdoor opportunities are provided both on site and through focused off site trips. Every class is expected to have one Science based trip per year. Enrichment opportunities are provided by visiting scientists, focus Science Days and other Science events.
Eco
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National curriculum
A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils at Downton Primary School are taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.
Through building-up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They are encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Aims
The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
