Intent
Here at St Giles C of E Academy, our science vision is to nurture the children’s curiosity by providing a Science curriculum that inspires questions and inquiry. We aspire for our children to become life-long learners who continue to have an active role in Science. Our curriculum enables them to explore and discover the world around them, providing them with a deeper understanding of the world we live in.
We realise that young children are naturally curious and passionate about learning; we aim to provide a stimulating science curriculum that nurtures the children’s natural curiosity and their on-going intellectual development. Our curriculum, as often as possible, provides a hands-on, inquiry-based structure. Children will experience the joy of having wonderful ideas, exploration and investigation – that is, the joy of finding out. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help children secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary. We believe that these opportunities will ensure that our children are confident, life-long learners who will explore the world around them.
Implementation
Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science. At St Giles we implement a two year rolling Science curriculum that builds on prior skills and knowledge year on year. As far as possible, each topic must have an element which challenges the “Thinking Scientifically” element of the curriculum and focuses on building different aspects of inquiry skills. Teachers use pre-topic quizzes to assess previous knowledge and recollection of ‘sticky knowledge’ before new concepts, skills or knowledge are introduced.
Throughout their Science Journey at St Giles, children will be given the opportunity to:
• Ask simple questions and recognise that they can be answered in different ways
• Observe closely, using their five senses
• Use a range of scientific equipment and resources
• Make predictions about what they think might happen
• Plan and investigate
• Saying why and how things happen
• Perform simple tests
• Identify and classify
• Use their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
• Gather and record data to help answer questions
• Evaluate their own work and say how this can be improved
Impact
Overall children enjoy and are enthusiastic about Science in our school. Clear progression can be seen within the children’s topic books along with evidence of high levels of teacher expectation. Assessment of science is made against the outcomes of the Science National curriculum and is an ongoing process throughout the year using teacher assessment and pre and post topic assessments. Our SLT, staff and governors are kept up to date with the developments within the science curriculum during annual meetings.
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