Science

Intent

At Court Farm Primary School, our aim is that our science curriculum develops a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena, and an understanding of how the scientific community contributes to the past, present and future. Science is a core subject of the National Curriculum and aims for pupils to develop a complex knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics, alongside developing a broad range of skills in working scientifically and beyond. Science at Court Farm Primary School is inclusive and meaningful so all pupils can experience the joy of science and make associations between their science learning and their lives outside of the classroom.

We aim to:

  • build on the children’s natural curiosity.
  • teach the children scientific knowledge.
  • teach the children scientific skills.
  • stimulate them to investigate, question and develop attitudes of science.
  • teach them to communicate ideas using appropriate scientific language.
  • teach them how to evaluate their findings and suggest explanations

Implementation

At Court Farm Primary School, science is taught weekly using the KAPOW scheme. The Kapow Primary’s Science scheme is a spiral curriculum, with essential knowledge and skills revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. A range of engaging recall activities promotes frequent pupil reflection on prior learning, ensuring new learning is approached with confidence. The scheme is organised into three key strands to ensure the aims of the National Curriculum and Ofsted research is met.  These strands are:

  • Scientific knowledge and understanding of:
    • biology: living organisms and vital processes;
    • chemistry: matter and its properties;
    • physics: how the world we live in ‘works’.
  • Working scientifically: processes and methods of science to answer questions about the world around us.
  • Science in action: uses and implications of science in the past, present and for the future.

Within Early Years science is covered in the ‘Understanding the World’ area of the EYFS Curriculum. It is introduced indirectly through activities that encourage every child to explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions and talk about the world around them.

Across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, the National Curriculum is followed to explore six key areas of science to show progression throughout the school.

  • Plants
  • Animals, including humans
  • Living things and habitats
  • Materials
  • Energy
  • Forces, Earth and space

Across each of these areas, pupils explore knowledge and conceptual understanding through engaging activities and specialist vocabulary.  Working scientifically skills are integrated with conceptual understanding rather than taught discretely to provide frequent but relevant opportunities to for pupils to develop scientific enquiry. Lessons incorporate various teaching strategies, unit quizzes and knowledge catchers to ensure lessons are engaging and inclusive for all.

Impact 

The science curriculum at Court Farm Primary school aims to ensure pupils are equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge to succeed in science at Key Stage 3. Pupils will have the necessary tools to confidently and meaningfully question and explore the world around them and critically and analytically experience and observe phenomena. Pupils will understand the significance and impact of science on society.

In order to be confident in the impact of Science, the subject leader will monitor the subject through the following methods:

  • Discussion with pupils
  • Gathering evidence of written activities
  • Monitoring displays
  • Ongoing discussion with colleagues
  • Learning walks
  • Staff questionnaire
  • Meeting with the Trust Science Lead