Ambition

Our Science curriculum allows for all pupils (SEND, disadvantaged and the more able) to achieve highly, whilst reflecting all aspects of Parklands ethos; fun, creativity and achievement. The curriculum promotes ecological values and develops children’s scientific knowledge, reasoning and understanding of the universe. By following a well-structured, sequential curriculum, all pupils participate in fun, innovative, engaging and accessible scientific experiences, which create inquisitive, enthused and knowledgeable pupils. Our Science Curriculum delivery is useful and innovative, whilst its content is taught in a logical progression, systematically and explicitly enough for all pupils to acquire the specified knowledge and skills. Therefore, teachers build, yearly, on key concepts and enable all pupils to achieve highly and reach their defined end points.

How we achieve our ambitions

The curriculum is planned and implemented through the use of sequential objectives, to ensure a logical, progression in attainment. By following a rigorous, specified structure, this allows pupils to consolidate their understanding of key concepts, yet avoid repetition, and build on their prior knowledge and application of skills. Pupils are given the capacity to understand key concepts as information is presented clearly, articulate discussion is promoted and outcomes are specified. Through each unit, children acquire scientific knowledge. Next, they develop their scientific enquiry skills and finally apply these skills via scientific investigations.

At the start of each Science unit, scientific vocabulary is discussed and recorded. This acquisition of vocabulary encourages pupils to describe associated scientific processes and key characteristics using technical terminology accurately and precisely. Through the progression of each unit, pupils develop their knowledge of scientific vocabulary and demonstrate this through report writing and class discussions. Once the vocabulary has been embedded, pupils create a class mind map to plot their understanding and discuss any questions they have. This is followed by a series of differentiated knowledge based sessions, which specify the intention to depart knowledge regarding the designated unit of study through the use of various media and processes.

Once the children have acquired scientific knowledge, they can realise this knowledge through the appropriation of skills during a Science investigation. The investigation is based upon a pupil question related to an area of study. The investigation specifies the intention to research and test a hypothesis via a scientific process which will reaffirm scientific fact in order to disprove misconceptions. Once an investigation has been conducted, the pupils record their process and results within a differentiated report; this allows teachers to assess the pupils understanding and rectify any misconceptions or encourage and promote a deeper understanding. By following our sequential approach to Science lessons, children have fun, through kinaesthetic sessions and investigations based upon pupil led questions.

This pupil led approach allows them to be creative and achieve highly by applying their knowledge as skills. In addition to the National curriculum programme of study, the delivery of ecologically aware ‘green’ units, raises children’s awareness and understanding of environmentally important concepts.

Outcomes

The children experience excitement, fun and creative opportunities through the many visitors and different investigations they participate in during Science lessons, celebration days and Science week and as a result of our bespoke Science curriculum, our pupils leave primary school with a heightened ecological awareness, a sense of environmental responsibility and an environmentally sound ethos embedded in their character.

In Jan 2020, we were very  proud to note that 3 of our  2019 Year 6 leavers gained entry onto a highly competitive STEM project.