Science Intent 

 

At Rise Park Primary and Nursery School, our intent is to provide a science curriculum that inspires pupil’s enquiring minds through questioning and practical activities. Our curriculum has been designed so that it follows the expectations of the National Curriculum and helps pupils make sense of the world around them as well as developing a sense of curiosity. We place a high value on the specific teaching of subject specific knowledge, vocabulary, investigative skills and questioning with the intent of developing an enquiring mind and the skills to help pupils answer their questions. Pupils are encouraged to record their learning in different ways through writing, drawing and collecting and presenting data.  We learn to make a hypothesis and conduct investigations to test our ideas.  We look at how science can help us understand our world and how we can work together to protect it. 

Aims: 

  • To foster a love of learning through enquiry. 
  • To communicate clearly and confidence through asking and answering questions. 
  • To establish how science has a role to play in our lives. 
  • To develop pupil’s understanding of the world around them and how they can care for themselves and the planet. 
  • To develop pupil’s enquiry skills through practical investigations. 
  • To develop an interest in the different areas of science: biology, chemistry and physics and how this could support pupils in their future career choices. 

 

As a school, we believe that creating a passion for science will enable pupils to build resilience through questioning and problem solving as well as looking towards the future. Cultivating this interest and enthusiasm will ensure that pupils’ love of science will develop interest in STEM subjects outside of school. 

 

Wherever possible, Science is taught weekly and recorded as appropriate. Learning can be presented in any number of ways – photos, diagrams, writing, sheets and learning in the books matches the planning. There is a method for HOW to carry out an investigation, and should be used across school (adopted appropriately for each year group).

Alongside this, activities should be included – as and when – to apply skills / further knowledge / address misconceptions.

Cross-curricular links in VIPERS/books that the children study in Shared Reading is made, where possible, and in other areas of the curriculum such as Maths and DT, to ensure Science remains a high priority throughout school.

Investigative Science 

Investigative and practical sessions form an integral part to how science is taught across the school.  We have a set prompt for planning investigations.  Not all investigative work needs to be so formally written in full, for example, a teacher may focus on predictions, but we always follow the same prompt from Year 1 to Year 6 with a view to children being able to plan and carry out an investigation independently.   

Wherever possible children work in pairs or small groups to carry out investigations linked to the Nation Curriculum learning objectives.  Learning is recorded in different ways including diagrams, photographs, tables graphs and written explanations. 

There are a set of Skills Ladders (linked to the non-statutory guidance in the National Curriculum) to develop progression in the children’s investigative skills. 

Assessment

Pre and post assessments are completed for each topic and recorded side-by-side in science books as a comparison between prior knowledge and knowledge learnt throughout the topic.

Retrieval activities are interwoven throughout each unit of work to practise new learning or embed previous knowledge.

The Big Question underpins each unit of unit and is used alongside post-assessments, to give children the opportunity to apply and make links between the knowledge and skills they have learnt.

Rise Park Science Skills Ladders

Opportunities for enrichment

We strive to enrich Science and provide meaningful links for the children. As well as using the school grounds, our local area and community in order to inspires curiosity and learning, we have worked with the Ogden Trust on their ‘beginning with a photograph’ competition. We also book visits that are related to Science including visiting local areas such as Wollaton Hall, linked to fossils and Mary Anning as well as travelling further afield to Magna Science Adventure Centre with Year 5. Links have also been developed with the University of Nottingham who have delivered lessons to our pupils as well as supporting with an after-school Science club.