Science
Our science subject leader is Miss Bonner.
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 should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement, passion and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Enabling our children to ASPIRE in Science:
A: Our science curriculum is ambitious, achievable and accessible for all – it enables our learners to aim high and persevere whilst working scientifically and learning through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. It enables all learners to achieve through focused and explicit key learning takeaways each lesson, careful lesson structure, frequent retrieval practice, floor books and a practical approach to lessons where possible. Assessments focus on the key learning takeaways for each lesson/ unit.
S: Our science curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure that children build upon their prior learning. Our science road map presents this to children visually and is referred to by teachers frequently so children know where they are on their learning journey and how they are building on their prior learning. Floor books also enable children to revisit their class learning from previous units. Knowledge organisers also highlight the key learning takeaways to children.
P: Exciting learning topics and enthusiastic teaching develops and encourages children passion for science and enrichment opportunities outside of the classroom are used where appropriate. Children’s curiosity is fostered through the use of leaning questions within lessons. Children see what it is to become a scientist as they learning the individual progressive strands of being a St Peter’s scientist.
I: Children are encouraged to develop independence of thought in science. Our progressive ‘Working Scientifically’ Skills ensure that as children progress through the school they receive more opportunities to make predictions, develop their own investigative tests and to follow their own lines of enquiry within a provided learning topic.
R: Through our science curriculum, children learn about the natural world and science as a global subject. Links are made to other subjects where possible such as geography. Children learn about diverse scientists and their contributions to global science.
E: Reading is encouraged and promoted within science. Children learn about the value of research and learning about science through different texts. Where appropriate science texts form the basis of whole class reading sessions as a method of pre-learning or revising previously learned concepts. Children communicate their science learning and progress in a variety of methods: written explanations/ investigations, verbal presentations, leaflets, posters and through the use of technology.
As a result of our ASPIRE science curriculum, children will develop the knowledge and skills they need to progress to the next stage of their education and to become future scientists of the world.
Children will know more, remember more and will be able to do more within science.
Science Floor books
During the 2021-22 academic year, we have explored the use of floor books to capture learning, show progression and as a tool for children's retrieval practice and referring learning to prior knowledge.
In Key Stage 1, floor books are used every lesson with children completing learning that contributes to this around the key learning take aways. Every lesson begins by exploring the floor book and what has been learned so far throughout the unit of learning. Children are continuously guided to reflect on their learning journey and to see how they are building upon their learning progressively.
In Key Stage 2, children have individual science books. However, every unit is summarised in the floor book with a focus on the key learning takeaways (knowledge-based). As children progress through the school, and along our science roadmap, they will use floor books to retrieve prior learning and see how subsequent units build upon what the children already know and have learned.
Have a look at some of our floor books pages below!
