Intent

Curriculum Design:

To create a science curriculum that is effectively designed and is fully understood by all.

To be ambitious in our aims and follow the national curriculum.

Progression:

To follow a whole school progression model in knowledge and skills.

To have a logical sequencing of concepts.

Assessment and Prior Learning:

For children to regularly revisit and recall previously learned knowledge from past years/units.

To use assessment constructively to inform curriculum design.

To have a purpose for assessment.

Staff Training:

To fully consider the depth and breadth of curriculum content. For the curriculum to not be narrowed or surface level. For science as a subject to be valued and prioritised.

To provide high-quality professional development to develop teacher subject knowledge and expertise.

For staff to prioritise health and safety during science experiments.

Adaptive Learning:

To have equality of opportunity for children to access the learning and make progress. To take into account children’s needs within planning and delivery to scaffold and stretch pupils as appropriate.

The Wider Curriculum:

To prioritise reading in science.

To apply mathematical concepts in science.

Wider Opportunities:

For children to understand what it means to be a scientist.

Gospel Values:

To promote our gospel values, particularly that of being curious, in the way we act as Scientists and see the world around us. To develop questioning pupils who have a sense of wonder and awe at the world around us.

Implementation

Curriculum Design:

Curriculum mapping ensures sufficient coverage over time.

Our Science subject leader is checking curriculum coverage and reviewing curriculum design alongside our science governor.

Progression:

The whole school progression model is being followed.

Content is sequenced by teachers to ensure that components of knowledge lead to conceptual understanding.

Assessment and Prior Learning:

Opportunities are planned and delivered for pupils to practice what they knew and then deepen their understanding.

Teacher assessment shapes future learning.

Staff Training:

Professional development and training opportunities are provided for staff, these develop curriculum expertise and health and safety awareness.

Teachers ensure sufficient depth and coverage of all science units.

The profile of Science is raised as a school by teachers, leaders and Science Ambassadors. This includes links with parents via our school Facebook page and whole school projects such as the ‘Great Science Share’.

Adaptive Learning:

We have equality of opportunities for children to access the learning and make progress. We take into account children's needs within planning and delivery. We scaffold and stretch pupils appropriately.

The Wider Curriculum:

Teachers are provided with training, examples and useful resources for applying mathematical concepts into science.

Resources are available to serve curricular intentions including reading materials.

Wider Opportunities:

Children are able to ask questions to real, local scientists across Key Stages.

Gospel Values:

We promote our gospel values in the way we act as Scientists and see the world around us. These are embedded into our key knowledge documents for each unit we teach. We develop questioning pupils who have a sense of wonder and awe at the world around us.

Impact

Curriculum Design:

Pupils successfully learn all units of the curriculum.

Pupils feel sufficiently challenged.

Progression:

Progress is made in learning across year groups. This progress builds from children’s starting points. Layers of knowledge and concepts are securely built upon this.

Pupils find learning new content and vocabulary useful due to progression in knowledge and skills over time.

Assessment and Prior Learning:

Pupils retain knowledge, skills and vocabulary from past units.

Pupils can apply their current understanding to future learning.

Staff Training:

Pupils’ understanding of scientific concepts is well developed and not piecemeal.

Teachers’ training ensures that they understand all the component strands of the national curriculum, e.g. working scientifically, living things, etc.

Scientific experiments follow health and safety procedures.

Pupil voice shows that children value science and recognise it as an important part of the curriculum as a whole.

Adaptive Learning:

There are equality of opportunities for children to access the learning and make progress. Children's needs are accounted for within planning and delivery. Pupils are scaffolded and stretched appropriately.

All pupils make progress and are able to access a rich and broad curriculum in science.

The Wider Curriculum:

Pupils can recall and discuss scientific knowledge and vocabulary they have learned by reading.

Wider Opportunities:

Children recognise scientific skills and knowledge that can be applied in future jobs beyond education or in hobbies outside of school.

Gospel Values:

Children are Scientists who act in a manner that reflects our gospel values in the way they see the children around them. Pupils ask questions and have a sense of wonder and awe.