Science
At St. Luke’s, we strive to provide our pupils with an engaging science curriculum, that gives all pupils the opportunity to work scientifically and succeed in science. Learning about the world around them allows our pupils to deepen their respect, care and appreciation for the natural world and make connections between scientific concepts and real life. Through our curriculum, we encourage curiosity, passion and enjoyment, promoting independent learning and a thirst for knowledge.
Intent:
At St Luke’s, we value the importance of science and how it impacts our daily life. This ensures pupils can see the value in their science curriculum. Our science curriculum is developed to increase pupil knowledge and understanding of the world. With a natural curiosity, our pupils are provided with opportunities to develop skills associated with science as a process of enquiry. This supports our pupils to develop and build on prior knowledge, so that the new information they are learning, can be stored in their long-term memory.
Aims and Objectives
In conjunction with the National Curriculum, our science learning allows pupils to:
- develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
- are equipped with the scientific skills required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future
- it is important for lessons to have a skills-based focus, and that substantive knowledge can be taught through this
- develop their methods for communicating their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner
Implementation:
Teachers strive to create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all pupils are capable of answering difficult questions.
- Clear unit content which has been refined to ensure pupils are building on previous learning to gain a deeper understanding.
- Pupils work like scientists to apply their skills and develop knowledge.
- Unit vocabulary is taught and use of the correct terminology is encouraged in every Science and cross curricular lesson.
- Existing knowledge is assessed at the beginning of each topic to ensure any gaps in knowledge will be covered.
- Science lessons are as practical as possible to facilitate enquiry based learning whilst continuing to encourage their love of Science.
- Cross curricular links are made, where appropriate, particularly with reading and writing.
- Events such as British Science Week and World Space Week provide a broader provision. Children are encouraged to ask questions and find their own answers.
- Opportunities to learn at home with families and consolidate understanding of knowledge and enquiry which is celebrated at school and raises the profile of Science.
- Pupils are encouraged to self-assess each lessons to evaluate their own learning.
- At the end of each unit, summative assessment takes place through precise questioning and the completion of end of unit quizzes, to focus on our end points.
Impact:
Our approach at St Luke’s allows children to build on their knowledge as they progress through the school, making connections with their previous learning and the world around them. Our engagement with the local environment ensures that children learn through varied and first hand experiences. Pupils have extensive opportunities to develop their enquiry skills and have the confidence to ask probing questions, which they investigate. They are engaged, passionate and enthusiastic about the subject which they take with them as they progress through their education.
- Pupils will achieve age related expectations in science at the end of their Key Stage.
- Pupils will retain science knowledge with real life context.
- Pupils will develop and broaden their scientific skills.
- Pupils will work collaboratively and practically, to investigate and experiment.
- Pupils will be able to explain their investigation and provide reasoning.
Click on the link below to see our End Points
St Luke's Science Award
St Luke's Science Award is well underway now and children are enjoying completing the first experiment. The award comprises of 5 Science experiments to investigate at home with parents with a short explanation sheet to complete. This is set via Google Classrooms each half term and celebrated in our weekly celebration assembly.
Science Day
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