Science Curriculum

Science at Plymouth Grove Primary School

Our Science leaders are Ms Deol and Mrs Steward.

Article 29 of the UNCRC: a child or young person's education should help their mind, body and talents be the best they can

Global Goal 4: Quality Education

Intent

At Plymouth Grove Primary School we follow a broad and balanced Science curriculum through the topics outlined in the 2014 National Curriculum.  This provides pupils with the opportunity to develop and build on scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the key phases. We understand that children have a natural curiosity about the world in which they live and they are encouraged to ask questions, engage in discussions and develop problem solving skills. We plan for science knowledge to be taught through a skills based approach and support children to work collaboratively to plan and conduct simple experiments. 

We aim to build a high level of competence in working scientifically through:

• asking questions 

• observing and measuring 

• planning and setting up different types of enquiries 

• identifying and classifying 

• performing tests 

• gathering and recording data 

• using equipment 

• reporting, presenting and communicating data/findings.

Implementation

The objectives are clearly outlined in the Programme of Study and lessons are carefully planned with working scientifically embedded in each topic.  

Year group teachers plan together and, wherever possible, cross-curricular links are made with both core and foundation subjects. Planning is accessible on the school server which allows subject leaders to monitor coverage. Planning documents demonstrate learning objectives, success criteria and Building Learning Power skills applicable for each lesson. New vocabulary is introduced using Mr Word and Word Aware strategies  including the opportunity for children to apply newly taught vocabulary in written and oral form.  

All children have separate science books which are reviewed each year by subject leaders to monitor progress. Resource boxes have been set up for each topic in each year group, allowing teachers to effectively retrieve resources for each topic.  Salford Libraries is accessible for teachers to request age-appropriate science books for children to read in school. Knowledge, skills, concepts and idea organisers have been produced for each topic. 

The curriculum is enriched by visits to museums, farms and zoos. In addition to visits, school projects take place such as hatching duck eggs, tadpoles and stick insects. Science clubs, science assemblies and animal workshops take place to promote science during British Science Week. 

Coverage of science objectives allows children to transfer their skills into other curriculum areas. Skills and knowledge are relevant to Literacy, Numeracy, Geography, History and ICT. Science broadens children’s understanding of the world in which they live. It engages them with outside learning and teaches them to respect and value their world in which they live. Children think critically and engage in problem solving. They learn to seek answers to questions through exploration, investigation and research. Children develop presentation, communication and oracy skills. 

Assessment is carried out through low stakes quizzes based around knowledge organisers, teacher observations of working scientifically  and end of topic tests. Knowledge organisers from previous year groups provide retrieval practice to enable children to know more and remember more.  

Impact

Fischer Family Trust curriculum tracker is used to record the progress that pupils are making in terms of knowing more, remembering more and being able to do more  at the end of each academic year.

Outcomes from these are used to make judgements for working towards standard, expected standard and greater depth standard. These assessments allow subject leaders to measure the impact of teaching and learning. Assessments are merged with subject leader’s monitoring of planning and scrutiny of books informs their action plan for the following year.

Files to Download