Our Science Subject leader is Miss Kitto
At Manor Court Community Primary we aim to develop the full potential of all our pupils as confident and capable learners who have a passion for science. We aim to equip them with an understanding of the world through working scientifically and being curious. We give the children inclusive experiences that allow them to thrive within the wider world that science offers.
To develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding.
To be curious and work scientifically.
To develop scientific vocabulary and articulate scientific concepts.
Science at Manor Court Community Primary starts in our Early Years class where children age 2 to 4 learn about science through Understanding the world. Children participate in one planned experiment each week in addition to small world play, interactive life cycles, gardening, outside learning and a science exploration table outside.
As children move into the Foundation stage classes they continue to work towards the Early Learning Goals. In this year, science is linked through understanding the world, people and communities and physical development. Children make observations of animals and plants and notice any changes. They look at similarities and differences in relation to materials and living things. There are opportunities for outside learning and children take part in regular experiments whilst engaging with predicting what could happen.
In both the Early Years and Foundation there is a strong focus on the Characteristics of effective Learning which allows children to develop the critical thinking skills that will support their science throughout their school life, this enables the children to have these core science skills from the very start.
The science curriculum is taught on a weekly basis across all year groups from Year 1 to Year 6. The learning objective for each lesson is taken from the National Curriculum relevant to that year group to ensure there is clear progression of Science content. In each lesson, the Science content will always be taught through the skills of working scientifically. When planning for Science, we ensure there are cross curriculum links with English and maths. We link our oracy goals with our investigations and scientific discussions that allow for children to thrive in all areas of oracy and beyond.
The focus for Science in Key Stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. To ensure pupils are working scientifically pupils will be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. Pupils will perform simple tests and record their findings in order to help them answer a question.
For Key Stage 2 the focus is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. To ensure pupils are working scientifically pupils will use scientific language, ask relevant questions, set up simple practical enquiries/investigations and use fair tests. When conducting an enquiry, pupils will gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways. This recording of findings will be presented through drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts and tables. From these findings pupils will draw simple conclusions, make predictions and suggest further improvements.
When planning and teaching a unit of science, the relevant vocabulary is taken from the progression of vocabulary document to ensure there is clear progression in the same unit of science across the year groups. This ensures that vocabulary is progressive and builds on previous learning.
Science is monitored by identifying whether pupils have met the expectations from the national curriculum. These are recorded on a spreadsheet for each year group. They assess the pupil’s understanding of the science content and their ability to work scientifically. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6 Science is reported to county whether pupils achieved or did not achieve the expected standard.
Through careful monitoring of progress made throughout lessons and the outcome of work produced, additional support is offered to those who are finding a particular concept or skill difficult. These can take place when appropriate, whether that is within the lesson or separately. Those who have understood concepts more easily will be given additional challenges to progress to, applying their skills in a variety of contexts and developing their creativity and independence further.
Our aim at Manor Court Community Primary School is that every child’s needs are catered for and every child is given the chance to succeed, wherever their strength lies. It is our aim to give every child the opportunity to experience success in learning and to be the best that they can be. Teachers aim to include all pupils fully in all lessons. All pupils are encouraged to access age-appropriate learning; this is done by careful planning, differentiation, support and use of resources.