Science

Intent

At St. Andrew’s Southgate Primary School we believe that a high quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific areas of biology, chemistry and physics. All pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, skills, processes and wider uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the importance of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should also be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, pose questions, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world in which they live through investigation, as well as using and applying process skills. All children are exposed to experiences that develop their scientific enquiry and investigative skills. They are also immersed in scientific vocabulary, which aids children’s knowledge and understanding not only of the topic they are studying, but of the world around them.

Our learning experiences aim to:

• Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.
• Help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.
• Help develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.
• Build on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
• Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the skills of investigation – including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesizing, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
• Develop the use of scientific language, recording and techniques.
• Develop the use of computing in investigating and recording.
• Make links between science and other subjects.

Implementation

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Planning for science is a process in which all teachers are involved to ensure that the school gives full coverage of ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science 2014’ and, ‘Understanding the World’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Science teaching at St Andrew’s Southgate Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. A variety of resources are used to support teachers in their planning and implementation of the science curriculum for their year. Science is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage. Science is taught weekly to ensure children develop the skills and knowledge from that topic.

Our pupils experience the challenge and enjoyment of learning through carrying out different practical investigations which allow them to not only develop scientific skills, but also to develop and demonstrate their creativity. Science naturally enables and fosters children’s curiosity. At St. Andrew’s we have enhanced this through the exploration of practical investigations and interactive displays or working walls in every classroom. This allows the children to focus their ideas and express their predictions and understanding of what the answers could be. We encourage enrichment opportunities beyond the classroom by going on trips, to help give children first-hand experience of Science.

A highlight of our school calendar is our annual science/ STEM week which takes place in March alongside British science week. Here the children are involved in daily science investigations, workshops and visits from STEM ambassadors, parent STEM activities and a whole school science challenge that takes place in our playground.

Impact  

Science is a local and global discipline; our children will demonstrate positive attitudes towards a healthy lifestyle and acknowledge that nature plays a role in their mental wellbeing.

Our children will be able to think critically and deeply about the world around them.  St. Andrew’s pupils will have a passion and inbuilt curiosity for investigations. Using their knowledge, they should be able to independently develop their explanations that go further than the classroom. 

Pupils will discuss their findings confidently with an emphasis on using the correct scientific language. Children will be aware of scientific careers and will make links between the jobs they do and how it affects our community and future.