Belvedere Infant School

Introduction

At Belvedere Infant School, Science is viewed as having a vital role in developing well-rounded pupils.  Science stimulates and excites pupil’s curiosity about natural phenomena, while allowing them to understand scientific ideas and their effect.  We aim to give all pupils a strong understanding of the impact of Science in their everyday and future lives by asking them to think scientifically, gaining an understanding of the scientific processes and the implications in the real world, which is contextualised in an engaging curriculum.

Each lesson develops the pupils’ scientific skills through practical activities focusing on observation, enquiry, planning and investigations, as well as encouraging ongoing pupil questions based on their scientific experiences.

Our Science Lead is Mr Powell.

Aim

The National Curriculum for Science states:

During years 1 and 2, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

• asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways
• observing closely, using simple equipment
• performing simple tests
• identifying and classifying
• using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
• gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.

Curriculum/Scheme of Work

We currently focus our teaching of KS1 Science through the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). 

Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Science is taught as part of Understanding the World: The natural World. It is developed through purposeful play based experiences which are represented in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments. In the Early Years, children learn to recognise similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes. Many of the activities planned for ‘The World’ take place in outside areas, for example planting, observing seasonal changes, minibeast hunts, playing in the mud kitchen and harvesting herbs and vegetables. 

Planning

The Science plans ensure progression of knowledge and skills across both Early Years and Key Stage One through the International Primary Curriculum. A new science unit will begin with a class discussion to recap and assess prior knowledge before a knowledge harvest of what the children already know about the new topic. This will then be reviewed as a class at the end to see how the children’s knowledge has broadened.

Lessons will include practical investigations and/or scientific observations. Children are encouraged to question and find out which develops their enquiry skills and deepens their knowledge. There are regular opportunities to recap and revisit in order to build on previous learning.

Teaching

Key Stage One Science is taught as a complete block of work according to where the unit fits into the IPC topic being covered that half term.  All lessons include a starter activity focused on learning from a previous lesson.  Some lessons will include; opportunities for discussions and questions; Investigating, observing or researching in groups or pairs; a recording of the learning in science books, and a reflection or activity to close to recap and assess progress

The way in which Science is recorded varies depending on ability and the content of the lesson. These may include:

• Written accounts including: instructions, reports and explanations
• Annotated diagrams
• Charts, graphs and tables
• Model making

Opportunities for outdoor learning will be provided wherever possible. The Science lead is responsible for organising a themed Science week each year, where the whole school spends the week immersed in scientific investigation. 

Variation and Adaptation

In order to achieve and provide an inclusive Science curriculum, we vary the level of support (called scaffolding) in a lesson to challenge all pupils while also supporting those who may require it. Using formative assessment, teachers establish what their class already know and plan tasks which build on this knowledge. Teachers think carefully about how to question different groups and individuals to check understanding, encourage discussions and challenge higher level thinking.

Challenging pupils is done by (but is not limited to): asking questions that promote deep thinking and learning; limiting the number of instructions given; providing opportunities for cognitive conflict (presenting information that is incompatible with pupils’ current thinking).

To support SEN pupils, teachers can provide additional resources or plan for smaller steps to achieve the learning goal, where appropriate.

Assessment

Teachers will assess children’s Science work against the Science Learning Questions in the International Primary Curriculum to ensure they gain a full understanding of what each child has learned and what is needed to develop their understanding. Teachers use this assessment to directly inform their planning for future lessons. Assessment strategies include:

• Lesson starter and Reflection/closing activities (Recall and recap quiz)
• Observations of pupils during lessons;
• Use of questioning;
• Marking of pupil books;
• End of unit ‘quiz’ that develops over the course of the unit

In addition, the Science Lead measures the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• General pupil discussions about their learning (called pupil voice);
• Reflection on standards achieved for knowledge and skills through book monitoring;
• Observations of learning in classrooms
• Learning environment and display walks