Subject leader – Miss Murphy
This is our intent, implementation and Impact statement for science. Science Intent, Implementation and Impact
Science Curriculum Overview
Along with English and maths, science remains one of the main core subjects. It can be one of the most exciting and practical subjects and, as a result, is a real joy to teach and learn. Children love the chance to learn through being totally hands-on and finding things out for themselves — the perfect way to understand the world around them. A positive primary science experience is also key to encouraging future generations to not only study this at secondary school, but also potentially to follow it as a career.
A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things wi
ll behave, and analyse causes.
Pupils should be encouraged to ‘Work scientifically’ meaning the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science for each year group. ‘Working Scientifically’ should be embedded within all areas of science, focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. These types of scientific enquiry should include: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources. Pupils should seek answers to questions through collecting, analysing and presenting data. ‘Working scientifically’ will be developed further at key stages 3 and 4, once pupils have built up sufficient understanding of science to engage meaningfully in more sophisticated discussion of experimental design and control.
Aims
The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- 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 th
em. - are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
Topics covered across the curriculum include:
- Plants
- Materials
- Living Things
- Animals
- Rocks
- Light/Electricity
- Forces
- Sound
- Earth and Space
- Matter
