Science

Our school definition of Science: 

Science is the study and understanding of the world around us through observation and experimentation.

3 I's Statements

Intent Statement - Science 

At St Joseph’s Primary School, our children are scientists! It is our intention to provide a high-quality Science education. This will provide our children with the foundations they need to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life and have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. 

Through the curriculum, our children will develop a passion for Science. We will provide our children with a variety of opportunities where they can fully immerse themselves in their learning. We want our children to remember their Science lessons in school, to be able to look back in years to come and cherish the memories they have. 

Our aim at St Joseph’s is for our children to be ambitious individuals, who always aim high and have no limits when thinking about who they strive to be when they grow up, whether that is an astronaut, forensic scientist, or microbiologist. To achieve this, we ensure exciting, practical hands on experiences are offered which encourage curiosity and questioning. These stimulating and challenging experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. At St Joseph’s, we use the Grammarsaurus Science scheme of work to ensure the National Curriculum is followed in an interesting and engaging way.  

Implementation Statement - Science 

• At St Joseph’s, Science is taught in all year groups from the early years to year six.  
• Each pupil has a Science book which they can take pride in and include a range of work across the school year. 
• Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills.  
• Teachers promote enjoyment and foster interest of the scientific disciplines: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. 

• Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observations as well as conclude their findings. 
• Children present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations and diagrams. 
• In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’, there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. 
• We use Practice/ Going Deeper opportunities to ensure understanding and skills are kept up to date and relevant for our science objectives, and also for assessment for learning. 
• All staff have access to the National College where they will have the opportunity to develop their subject knowledge in different areas of learning. It also ensures high levels of confidence and knowledge are maintained. 

• Effective use of education visits and visitors are planned, to enrich and enhance the pupil’s learning experiences within the Science curriculum. 
• Teachers use highly effective assessment for learning in each lesson to ensure misconceptions are highlighted and addressed. 
• Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning intention, with misconceptions addressed within it. 
• Teachers ensure that all children can access teaching and learning through use of scaffolds such as pictures to explain vocabulary or support to write down answers as needed. 
• Children are given clear success criteria in order to achieve the learning intention with differing elements of independence. 

• Pupils are regularly given the opportunity for self or peer assessment, which will then be used to inform planning, preparation, differentiation and address misconceptions within that lesson, or for the next lesson. 
• Cross-curricular links are planned for, with other subjects such as Maths, English and Computing. 
• Children are assessed against the taught objectives termly and are assessed as working above, at or below. 

Impact Statement - Science  

The impact of this curriculum design will lead to our children at St Joseph’s making good progress over time, across key stages, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave St Joseph’s reaching at least age-related expectations for Science. Through various workshops, trips and interactions with experts, our Science curriculum will lead pupils to be enthusiastic Science learners and understand that Science has changed our lives; that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. We want to empower our children so they understand they have the capability to change the world. This is evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice, their work and their overwhelming enjoyment for Science.