Science

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Science Intent

At Oxclose Primary Academy, we believe Science should be fun and enjoyable. It should involve practical, hands-on experiences for all children to participate. Science should encourage a natural curiosity about the world around us. During Science lessons, we should take part in a variety of scientific experiences, including outdoor opportunities. We should be able to ask questions so that we can predict, investigate, record and conclude in different ways.

Our Science curriculum will provide children with knowledge and facts relating to a variety of units linked to biology, chemistry and physics (animals, including humans, states of matter and forces and magnets). Where units are repeated across school, we will ensure the knowledge shared with children is progressive and builds on what they already know.

We believe that the Science knowledge and skills we provide our children with will help them throughout the rest of their lives and ensure they are ready for the next stage of their learning.

Science Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement

Whole School Science Long Term Plan 2021-2022 v2​​​​​​​

Science Intent Poster -  Our Science Intent Poster is displayed within each classroom across the school.

 

Current Science

We have recently introduced current science, where appropriate, into our science curriculum. This has engaged children and sparked a natural curiosity. Our Year 6 children enjoyed incorporating a newspaper article on sea dragons into their unit of work on Evolution and inheritance. This is something we hope to develop further throughout school too.​​​​​​​

 

Science Texts

We have recently introduced texts that link with our science units of work across the whole school. This term, the children in Year 1 have been learning about seasonal change and have explored 'The Secrets of Winter' and snowflake patterns in their tuff tray. Year 2 children read about 'Traction Man' which linked to their learning on materials and their properties.

 

Durham University Science Challenge

Our Key Stage 2 pupils took part in a project run by Durham University over October half-term. Each child was given a pack of resources to take home and support them in carrying out some scientific investigations at home. Some of the children brought photographs in of what they had done to share with staff and children. A winner was chosen from each year group for best involvement in the project. Science book prizes were provided by Durham University. Well done to our Science Whizz Winners!

Intent

At Oxclose Primary Academy, we believe Science should be fun and enjoyable. It should involve practical, hands-on experiences for all children to participate. Science should encourage a natural curiosity about the world around us. During Science lessons, we should take part in a variety of scientific experiences, including outdoor opportunities. We should be able to ask questions so that we can predict, investigate, record and conclude in different ways.

Our Science curriculum will provide children with knowledge and facts relating to a variety of units linked to biology, chemistry and physics (animals, including humans, states of matter and forces and magnets). Where units are repeated across school, we will ensure the knowledge shared with children is progressive and builds on what they already know.

We believe that the Science knowledge and skills we provide our children with will help them throughout the rest of their lives and ensure they are ready for the next stage of their learning.

Implementation

Science is one of our core subjects, which acts as a driver and the Science Long Term Plan follows the National Curriculum. Medium Term Plans are in place for the teaching of Science in line with elements of the Focus Education Challenge Curriculum, which has been adapted to ensure it is bespoke for our pupils. Elements of working scientifically are identified on Medium Term Plans to ensure they are incorporated into lessons at an appropriate level.

Science is taught each term in all year groups. Sessions vary in length for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. There are occasions throughout the school year when Science teaching in blocked (Science Week). During Science Week there is a whole school theme and staff ensure the knowledge and skills taught within this week are progressive and appropriately differentiated. There is also a Scientist Study Week, which is an opportunity for pupils to learn about a key Scientist, linked to their Science unit, and how they have impacted on everyday life.

Sticky knowledge is identified for each Science unit, this is the knowledge we want pupils to be able to know, and remember, both during the teaching of the unit and after. In all year groups and units there are knowledge mats which identify this sticky knowledge and are used and available each lesson.

Scientific vocabulary will be a focus in all science lessons and pupils will develop this over time, completing activities to share new language and what it means. There will also be opportunities for pupils to have visits and/or visitors linked to their Science Curriculum.

Assessment will take place across lessons, at the end of each unit and across the school year. Pupils will be expected to be able to recall key sticky knowledge both within the teaching sequence and after the unit has been covered. Pupils will also complete activities to identify what they now know that they didn’t know previously.

Impact

Pupils will be able to confidently discuss, and demonstrate all aspects of the science curriculum that they have been covering as well as working scientifically elements. They will have knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics based units of work and be able to discuss investigative work with confidence. Pupils will be able to retain the knowledge, even after the unit they have been covering. Key sticky knowledge from previous units will be retained.

To enable us to measure the impact, the subject manager and senior leaders will use lesson visits, work scrutinies and pupil voice activities across the year.