Science  Curriculum Information

Intent  

At Collingwood Primary School, our inclusive, progressive science curriculum has been designed with the intention of developing:

• scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding;

• a curiosity about nature and processes;

• scientific enquiry skills and vocabulary including accurate observation and measuring skills;

• recognition of the importance and use of science in every aspect of daily life;

• an understanding of the implications of science in the future

• an appreciation of how science has changed the world around us and know that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity

• motivation, particularly for our female pupils, to consider a career in STEM professions.

Implementation

National Curriculum expectations:

KS1 to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos. ‘

Years 3 and 4: The principal focus of science teaching in lower key stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out. 

Years 5 and 6: The principal focus of science teaching in upper key stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. At upper key stage 2, they should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. They should select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information. Pupils should draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.

How this looks at Collingwood:

Science can be taught weekly or as a block over several days. Scientific principles and enquiries are woven throughout our curriculum: Problem Solving, Pattern Seeking, Fair Testing, Research, Observation Over Time and Identifying, Grouping and Classifying.  These ensure that Collingwood pupils are gaining a full breadth of opportunities to engage in learning as scientists. 

Collingwood’s Curriculum Policy and School Aims, can be found on the policies page of this website.  An overview of what is being taught to each year group can be found on separate Class Pages on this website ("Children" tab drop down menu) and guidance on more personalised learning eg spellings, times tables and reading, can be found in your child's own "Supporting Learning Book" which should be kept in their book bag and go between home and school each day.  If you would like to know more, please ask at the office and our Class teachers or Subject Leads will be happy to contact you.