Science

Science School Policy

Intent

At St Paul's CofE Junior School, we want to develop each child’s interest in science, the natural world and beyond Earth. Children will acquire the knowledge and the skills of scientific enquiry necessary to investigate phenomena and communicate their findings.

We aim to:

Develop children’s positive attitudes towards science and its importance in all areas of life
Build on children’s abilities to conduct a range of scientific enquiries and ability to distinguish between enquiry types
Develop children’s language and vocabulary of science and build confidence to use in the appropriate context,
Encourage an appreciation of science, scientists and their contributions to history and the modern world,
Use formative assessment to address misconceptions and progress children’s current understanding.

©Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT)

Implementation

At St Paul's, the teaching and learning of science involves the following:

Well sequenced planning which builds year on year and is in line with the National Curriculum.
Skills of working scientifically are woven into teaching sequences with clear progression through the school.
Children are provided with opportunity to communicate scientific ideas in various ways and to different audiences.
Children are provided with cross-curricular opportunities to read, discuss and view the lives and work of historical and contemporary scientists,
Staff use effective questioning and regular assessment to monitor the learning of knowledge and skills, addressing gaps where appear.
Learning is further enhanced through educational visits and visitors to the school, including Healthy Schools Weeks and Eco-Science Weeks.
Support of staff (subject knowledge, assessment, resources)

Impact

As a result of our science provision at St. Paul’s you will see:

Engaged children who are confident to talk about science, their learning and links with the real world,
Children able to discuss contributions from historical and contemporary scientists and how these link and impact on the real world
Children working collaboratively to investigate answers to questions,
Children showing resilience and scientific curiosity where predictions are not realised or investigations show answers that were unexpected,
Confidence to teach science and inspire scientific curiosity and resilience, develops in teachers,
Children and teachers grow in confidence to distinguish between different scientific enquiries; how these can be used; how different enquiry types may be more suitable for certain investigations,
Children able to recognise, discuss and present different elements of scientific methods,
Learning that is monitored and supported to ensure the majority of children make at least age related expectations in their scientific subject knowledge and skills.