Science

Science

Science is made of three disciplines; biology, chemistry and physics. Science provides children with essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and allows them to understand the impact science has on their lives now and in the future. All of these allow children to understand the world in which they live.

Our principal aim is to develop the children’s scientific knowledge, skills and understanding as well as foster a love for learning. At the forefront of all science lessons is enquiry and active learning. We aim to develop children’s natural curiosity by using a combination of quality first teaching and other learning strategies. We believe children learn best when:

• They have opportunities to collaborate with their peers
• They have memorable and exciting experience
• They have a learning environment that is stimulating including high quality texts
• They have opportunities to experience experiments first hand
• They can engage with secondary sources such as books, videos and photographs
• They go on visits and have visitors
• They can make links to their learning and their own lives and experiences
• We recognise the fact that we have children who are working at different stages so we provide challenge and support to ensure that all learners fulfil their potential

Our aims for science at Bishop Wilson C of E Primary School:

• To inspire children’s curiosity
• To provide a basis for children’s predictions about what could, might or will happen
• To develop children’s understanding of ways to solve problems and find answers
• To use a range of scientific and everyday equipment to find their own answers and make sense of processes
• To understand the role science plays in their life in the past, at present and in the future

Curriculum

At Bishop Wilson C of E Primary School we use a curriculum overview which makes links to the topics taught in geography and history. In addition, we use the progress maps to ensure that children’s skills, knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts are built on each year. Using these documents simultaneously ensures that the children have science lessons that are accessible and appropriate to their needs.

EYFS

During the Early Years Foundation stage, the children are given the opportunity to explore and make sense of their world. Science is an area of the curriculum whereby children’s natural curiosity can provide a basis for learning therefore teachers use a combination of planning in the moment and other high quality science resources to engage every child.

Throughout children’s Early Year’s experience, children engage in open-ended activities where they are encouraged to take risks, engage in new experiences and learn by trial and error. The Early Years environment provides children with stimulating resources and high quality first hand experiences and challenges which are appropriate to the development of each child.

Key Stage 1

The National Curriculum Programme of Study at Key Stage 1 focuses on enabling pupils to experience and observe phenomena and looking more closely at the natural and humanly constructed world around them.

Children will experience using different types of scientific enquiry and first hand experiment to answer their own questions and develop a natural curiosity. In addition to conducting their own experience, children will use secondary sources to find things out such as videos and books. Children will encounter scientific language and use this to explain what they have found and make sense of their ideas.

Key Stage 2

The National Curriculum Programme of Study at Key Stage 2 provides opportunities for pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about their own and other environments. During Key Stage two, children encounter more abstract ideas (such as sounds and electricity). They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time.