Science
Subject Leader – Mrs Murrell
At St Mary’s and St Benedict’s Primary School, we strive to provide a high quality Science curriculum through effective, fluid teaching. Through our Science curriculum, we aim to inspire children’s natural curiosity and create lessons which develop a sense of awe and wonder to the world in which we live in. We provide Science activities which are meaningful, appropriate to the individual child and ensure children are driven and passionate in seeking out information to help them understand the world around them. We give children opportunities to investigate, form hypothesis, experiment, observe, ask questions, use scientific equipment and record results.
Science is a core subject within the National Curriculum. The 2014 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 them
- Are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future
In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, Science is taught every half term and is linked to the Lancashire Scheme of Work. This has been adapted to incorporate a 2 year rolling programme to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum objectives in our school. We cover a variety of topics, such as plants, animals including humans, everyday materials, seasonal changes, forces and electricity. The overview of Science learning in each year group clearly identities progression as the children move through school in both knowledge and Working Scientifically Skills. The children develop vital scientific skills of enquiry and use a wide range of scientific vocabulary as they progress through the school.
In our Reception class our children work within the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework so Science is taught through a variety of topics such as All About Me and Life at Sea. Children learn how to compare things, looking at similarities and differences and use their senses to make sense of the world around them. They make observations of their environment such as seasonal changes. We give children opportunities to talk about what they know, what they have learnt and give reasons for why things happen.
We make cross curricular links with other topics throughout the curriculum, which develops the children’s knowledge, understanding and awareness of how Science is embedded into our everyday lives. The curriculum is enhanced and broadened through the use of the extensive outdoor area we have available at St Mary’s and St Benedict’s Primary School, the implementation of extra -curricular clubs and through Science focus weeks.
Our Science Principles
At St Mary’s and St Benedict’s, the teachers and pupils follow a set of Principles which are at the heart of all Science teaching and learning.
We think Science is good when…
- Children are engaged.
- The investigations are practical.
- Children are allowed to design their own investigations and choose their equipment.
- Children ask questions and want to find out more.
- Teachers and children are using scientific vocabulary.
- The learning is applicable to the real world.
- Children can explain what they have learnt.
British Science Week
Each year we celebrate British Science Week and last year our theme was ‘Growing’. We combine our Science week with Design and Technology and challenge students to investigate the theme through a homework competition. Each key stage had a focus on a different topic including; planting, making slime, life on Mars and exploring different types of trees. Across the school, the children investigated, designed, compared and discussed. We had a brilliant week!
SEND Pupils
For further information on how we cater for the needs of SEND pupils, please visit our SEND page and refer to our SEND policy.
Useful websites
Here are some useful websites you can access with your child. Just click on the image to access them: