Science
Our vision: ‘Embracing diversity, building a brighter future together’.
‘Learning at Boothferry inspires us to discover, explore and use our knowledge, skills and understanding to develop ourselves as citizens of tomorrow’.
Curriculum Intent
IPC units of study offer a coherently planned sequence of lessons to help teachers ensure they have progressively covered the skills and concepts required in the National Curriculum It is our intention in Science to develop in all young people a lifelong curiosity and interest in the sciences. Through our IPC units of work, we intend for children to have the opportunity, wherever possible, to learn through varied systematic investigations, leading to them being equipped for life to ask and answer scientific questions about the world around them. As children progress through the year groups, they build on their skills in working scientifically, as well as on their scientific knowledge, as they develop greater independence in planning and carrying out fair and comparative tests to answer a range of scientific questions. Our aim is that children learn and retain the important, useful and powerful scientific vocabulary – the development of this is shown through our science vocabulary progression document. Our carefully selected IPC units of work ensure that children have a varied, progressive and well-mapped-out science curriculum that provides the opportunity for progression across the full breadth of the science national curriculum for KS1 and KS2.
Curriculum Implementation
The acquisition of key scientific knowledge is an integral part of our science lessons. The progression of skills for working scientifically are developed through the year groups and scientific enquiry skills are of key importance within lessons. The progression of these skills is set out in the progression of skills document and the progression of key scientific vocabulary is set out in the scientific vocabulary progression document. In accordance with the progression documents, scientific knowledge and enquiry skills are developed with increasing depth and challenge as children move through the year groups. They complete investigations and hands-on activities while gaining the scientific knowledge for each unit. Interwoven into the teaching sequence are opportunities for assessment rubrics (aimed at targeting next steps in learning). These allow teachers to assess children’s levels of understanding at various points in the unit being studied. They also enable opportunities to recap concepts where necessary. The sequence of lessons helps to embed scientific knowledge and skills, with each lesson building on previous learning – The diagram below demonstrates our approach to teaching each unit and throughout this process and there also the opportunity to regularly review and evaluate children’s understanding. Our IPC units of work include adult guidance to ensure that teachers are equipped with secure scientific subject knowledge, enabling them to deliver high-quality teaching and learning opportunities while making them aware of possible scientific misconceptions.
Curriculum impact
In Science, progress is measured through a child’s ability to know more, remember more and explain more. This can be measured in different ways in our IPC units. The use of our IPC assessment rubrics ensures opportunities are built into each unit for ongoing assessment. Attainment and progress can be measured across the school using our end of year summative assessments and end of year subject reviews that will inform the following year’s action plan. The impact of using the full range of resources included in the science unit will also be seen across the school with an increase in the profile of Science. The learning environment across the school will be more consistent with science technical vocabulary displayed, spoken and used by all learners. Whole-school and parental engagement will be improved through the use of science-specific home learning tasks and end of unit exit points. Children who feel confident in their science knowledge and enquiry skills will be excited about science, show that they are actively curious to learn more and will see the relevance of what they learn in science lessons to real-life situations and also the importance of science in the real world.
Progression of Skills
If you would like to read the Progression of Skills document, please click below.
Progression of Vocabulary
If you would like to read the Progression of Vocabulary document, please click below.
“Children in early years quickly master new sounds in phonics and enjoy curling up with their favourite book.”
“Leaders at Boothferry Primary School have established a distinctive school vision based on respect, cooperation and ‘international mindedness’.”
“Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum. The school has clearly identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn.”
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“The school has established a vibrant curriculum for all pupils. Adults bring learning to life through the many opportunities that the curriculum offers.”
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