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Learning Intention
“Science is being curious about the world around you. It is asking questions, imagining possibilities and connecting concepts from the big to small. Science helps us to see miracles in the mundane and not to take anything for granted. It teaches us not to fear but seek understanding; not to worry but to create. Every child can be a scientist - it starts with a question and is nurtured through opportunity." Mrs Green, Science Leader
Meadowbank Primary School’s Science curriculum endeavours to inspire our children to question the world around them and prepare them to flourish in an ever-changing world. An enriched understanding of Science is key to creating empowered citizens who can contribute to school, the local community and beyond. Through collaborative, explorative and investigative learning opportunities, children at Meadowbank are enabled to be curious, discover and question the world around them. By learning to enquire, observe, conduct and respond, children can grow skills and powerful knowledge in order to articulate their understanding and make deepening connections with everything around them.
Aims
- To help shape future citizens into globally aware young people.
- To enable children to build on their own individual Science Capital and work collaboratively to learn from each other and the world around them.
- To support learners in answering their own curiosities about the world.
- To empower learners in making their own decisions about their learning.
- To encourage questioning, research and discovery.
- To develop scientific oracy through discussion, debate and exploration.
Learning Journey
The Science Leader has a strong understanding of the EYFS curriculum, and the seven areas of learning and development that shape the educational programmes in our Early Years Foundation Stage. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected, and the experiences, opportunities and activities which are planned enable children to develop a broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundations for good future progress through school and life. As children move into Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, Science is planned, for Years 1 to 6, using the Science progressive skills, knowledge and vocabulary maps which enable teachers to ensure they are always planning for the next steps in learning around any scientific concept. At Meadowbank we make links between Science and the wider curriculum by connecting powerful knowledge and skills in order to create a deep understanding of the reason behind scientific learning and its purpose in our local community and beyond. Long term planning identifies scientists and significant figures and knowledge and skills are further enhanced by the use of scientific vocabulary and experiences rich in practical and real life opportunities. It is the role of the adults to facilitate scientific learning. Children across school have the opportunity to become Leaders of Change by asking their own questions, sharing their own science capital and developing their own understanding through their own investigations.
Learning Environment and Immersion
To ensure our young scientists become Life Long Learners we plan for a rich and innovative scientific environment that every child has access to. This includes key vocabulary, question stems, scientific equipment and high quality texts for children to access independently. In order to engage children’s curiosity; a range of stimulus enriches the classroom environment and encourages oracy through discussion, debate and discovery. Science Capital is built through the use of real life objects and meaningful experiences which ensure they can see the purpose and reason for science beyond the classroom.
Assessment for Learning
Science assessment is captured through the use of the Science skill, knowledge and vocabulary progression maps and each year group’s curriculum planning journals; which clearly outline the medium term planning and learning journey across a half term. This is used to inform planning and map coverage across the year as well as include the children’s voice and their questions, interests and experiences. This sequence of learning is evident in each child’s Science book and highlights of this are captured and evidenced through the curriculum planning journal. Personalised short term planning ensures that teachers plan for children to demonstrate their understanding in a range of ways and ensures that this enables them to show their scientific knowledge and skills to the best of their ability; this may include videos, voice recordings, cross-curricular writing, diagrams and data collection. Feedback is given verbally during a science lesson so that each child can address misconceptions and make accelerated progress towards meeting and exceeding the age related expectations for that scientific concept.
Monitoring and review
The Science leader is responsible for the rigorous monitoring of Science through book and planning looks, children’s agency, lesson pop ins and whole school CPE. Ongoing analysis of outcomes enables the Science leader to identify vulnerable groups of children across school and support staff in enabling children within these groups to accelerate progress. Feedback to the teaching team then informs next steps in monitoring and support so that there can be personalised and effective JPD planned to address areas for development. Our children are involved in this monitoring process in a number of ways across the academic year. Children are empowered to talk about their learning through the curriculum planning journals and their own books during pupil voice opportunities. Our children can talk about their prior scientific learning and how it links to other areas of the curriculum and wider world. Our Science Ambassador Team are involved in science pop ins, environment check ins and regularly share their ideas for making Science the best that it can be at Meadowbank.
