Intent of  Science  curriculum

 

Roebuck Academy recognises and values the importance of Science and Scientific Enquiry. Science at Roebuck aims to develop a fun, practical and engaging high-quality curriculum that inspires the next generation to succeed and excel in science. We do this through fully adhering to the aims of the national curriculum and fostering a healthy curiosity and interest in the sciences.

We strongly believe that high quality Science education and teaching offers the foundations for understanding the world around us. A key element to our teaching is the building of fundamental Scientific knowledge and concepts that can be added to and developed each year to allow our students to advance their rational thinking skills in addition to developing a sense of curiosity and excitement about science.

Science is ever changing and is fundamental for a prosperous future, which we strive to facilitate and stress the importance of when delivering the teaching of the processes, methods and knowledge of this vital area.

Children are constantly exposed and immersed in key scientific vocabulary, increasing student’s knowledge and understanding of not only the specific matter they are currently studying, but of the world they live in.

Throughout the programmes of study, the children will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. We ensure that the Working Scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments and investigation, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently, being familiar with scientific terminology and, most importantly, to continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings.

All children will be provided with a broad and balanced Science curriculum which reflects the equality and diversity policies and practice in school.

 

Implementation

We implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout our school to ensure there are high standards of teaching and learning in Science. This teaching takes place consistently in standalone lessons, once a week for up to two hours, on a Friday morning throughout Key Stage one and two (although in some classes it has needed to be moved due to time tabling commitments or have tried blocking the subject).

In EYFS, Science is taught as an integral part of their topic work. It is taught through the Early Learning Goal  ‘Understanding the World’ which makes up a significant part of their learning. Science at Foundation Stage is introduced indirectly through activities that encourage the children to explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions, and talk about the world around them, for example investigations such as, which objects sink and float in water? They also use ‘curiosity cubes’ which allow them to explore, investigate and ask questions about things that they see in their environment.

To ensure that science runs efficiently throughout the school we have a central resource area which is audited regularly.

Science teaching at Roebuck involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. Each lesson has a ‘Key Question’ which is explored and answered throughout the lesson. All lessons are started with a ‘Sticky Starter’ which aim to revisit learning from a previous unit to help keep learning active. This could link to the lesson that is being taught (using learning from an earlier year group or it could be a different unit) Although staff are provided with a scheme of work (Snap Science) and the teaching sequence to follow, teachers plan to suit their children’s interests, current events, their own teaching style, the use of any support staff and the resources available. Our teaching sequence has been developed in conjunction with Snap Science to enable a continuous approach throughout the academy and to enable students to develop a deep scientific understanding. In addition to this, staff also have access to Explorify and Pzaz Science which they use to enhance their teaching. As well as making use of web sites such as ‘A Scientist Just Like Me’. In addition, we make good use of the STEM ambassador web site and access the webinar sessions to develop our children’s science capital.

We have continued to develop Knowledge Organisers for children to use throughout the topics to help to reduce cognitive load. Teachers develop these further to include the use of widgets to help support all learners. These work well and help teachers and children to focus on key vocabulary for each unit.

During the year, a Science day is planned which raises the profile of Science. Science leads write a progressive plan around a theme so that each year group answers an enquiry question.

At Roebuck, we ensure that all students are exposed to rich learning experiences that aim to:

• Make links between science and other subjects.

• Prepare our students for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world.

• Build on our student’s natural curiosity and develop a scientific approach to solving problems.

• Help our students acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.

• Help develop and extend our student’s scientific concept of the world they live in.

• Develop the use of scientific language and vocabulary, recording and techniques.

• Develop in pupils a general sense of enquiry, which encourages them to question and make suggestions.

• Encourages open-mindedness, self-assessment, resilience and developing the key scientific skills including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.

We ensure new teachers are supported in the approach we take to Science at Roebuck.

Impact

Our children enjoy and understand the importance of Science. They develop their knowledge and understanding as well as their scientific enquiry skills over time and understand the importance of Science in their future.

At Roebuck Academy, we have made good use of partnerships and opportunities are in place to enrich the curriculum and opportunities for the children. Some of these include: STEM ambassador links, Science technology, engineering and maths (STEM) workshops, MBDA STEM enrichment activities for pupils, STEM continued professional development (CPD) for teaching staff and we have made links with our parents who are in STEM careers.

Our allotment area, is an area that is in continual use across the school. A partnership with Paul Dee and the college students, who work with our pupils, is in place. Paul plans and implements a number of workshops in the allotment area for children across key stage one and two. 

 

Making these links provides our children with exciting experiences to enhance their learning in science. Children are excited about their learning and look forward to these opportunities. The impact and measure of this is to ensure students not only acquire the appropriate age-related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives. Our aim for science is to increase the skills needed to navigate an ever-changing world of science and technology by immersing our students with scientific enquiry skills, key scientific knowledge and investigative skills. We aim to create a culture of high scientific aspirations, which will allow our students a platform to develop their scientific learning and careers, and to articulate their understanding of key scientific concepts.

 

Teachers access progress in a number of ways in Science. These include regularly reviewing children’s learning and scrutinising their work. For example, teachers will observe how children are performing in class (e.g., whilst carrying out an experiment), look at the work in their books and talk to them asking key questions to get a better grasp on their understanding especially if they have struggled to record this in their books. 

After each unit, summative assessment data is recorded by class teachers, and this shows how many children are working at age related expectations as well as above or at a greater depth level. This informs the subject leader of the levels the children are working at across the school.

The impact of themed days and trips have continued to prove of utmost importance to enrich and promote science across the school. Trips to Paradise wildlife park, Standalone farm, Tring Natural History museum and Airbus STEM discovery centre were fundamental to our children’s experience of their topic.