>> SCIENCE
āThe Science of today is the technology of tomorrow.ā
Edward Teller
Intent
At Lordswood school, we exemplify our teaching on the ethos of the three pillars of the Griffin Schoolās Trust – Proud Traditions, Wide Horizons and High Achievement.
As a school, we recognise and value the importance of science and its role that it plays in our world. We take great pride in providing all children with a purposeful, progressive, language-rich science curriculum which is engaging and inclusive for all. We encourage our children to be inquisitive throughout their journey at our school and beyond. Children confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world in which we live. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are in their future. We want our children to remember their science lessons, to cherish these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities with which they are presented. To achieve this, our science curriculum involves exciting, practical hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge, scientific enquiry and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. At Lordswood, we have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the science National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Implementation
The National Curriculum and the Early Years statutory framework provides the basis of our science curriculum, which is tailored to meet the learning and developmental needs of the children at Lordswood. Starting in the Early Years Foundation Stage, our children are given ample opportunities to explore and investigate, through first hand exploration. We aim to develop enquiring minds and scientific enquiry as early on as possible and ensure these continue to develop as children move into and through the primary phase.
Science lessons at Lordswood are taught termly across an immersive curriculum using the Kapow Primary science scheme of work. This scheme aims to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena and an understanding of how the scientific community contributes to the past, present and future. The curriculum aims for pupils to develop a complex knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics but also adopt a broad range of skills in working scientifically and beyond. The scheme of work is inclusive and meaningful so all pupils may experience the joy of science and make associations between their science learning and their lives outside the classroom. Studying science allows pupils to appreciate how new knowledge and skills can be fundamental to solving arising global challenges.
The delivery of science lessons allow children to:
- Experience and observe both the natural and humanly-constructed world around them.
- Be curious and ask questions.
- Have a growing confidence when working scientifically.
- Explore, test and develop their understanding of scientific ideas.
- Use appropriate scientific language to communicate ideas and findings.
- Have knowledge of and exposure to the 5 types of enquiry.
Science lessons allow children to fully immerse themselves in the topics that they are learning. Teachers use the immersive curriculum to plan activities in which children are encouraged to reflect upon their prior learning and build upon their skills in a sequential way. Children are encouraged, through their understanding of metacognition, to question and become enquiry-based learners. We aim to encourage childrenās use of subject-specific scientific vocabulary so that they are able to articulate their ideas effectively. Our teachers are given the freedom to create lessons and contexts which allow children to explore open-ended and engaging tasks and offer them the choice on how they would like to develop their skills. Children are given support when they need it to enable them to achieve the objectives of the lesson and children are provided with purposeful challenge to encourage them to dive deeper into their learning. Childrenās skills and knowledge are assessed at the end of each unit, with outcomes informing next steps in teaching and learning.
Children at Lordswood are presented with opportunities to share their work with the wider school community and with families. They are offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits, trips and visitors to complement and broaden the curriculum. These are purposeful and link with the knowledge being taught in class. Our annual Proud Tradition, The Griffin Schoolās Trust Science Symposium allows all children to collaborate as a Griffin Community exploring meaningful topics. The Griffin Science Symposium, and participation in British Science Week, provides our entire Lordswood family with the opportunity to interact and be stimulated by leading scientists and to gain overviews and deeper understanding of current issues and on-going work with regard to how science is, and could in the future help our world to be a better place.
Impact
The impact of this curriculum design leads to outstanding progress over time, across key stages, relative to a childās individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children leave Lordswood reaching at least age-related expectations for science. All children demonstrate an excitement and enthusiasm for their learning and engage in challenges that have deepened their understanding.
Our children will leave us being able to ask deep and meaningful questions which will support the learning in all curriculum areas. They will be inquisitive to explore and discover what is around them and they will be yearning to have a deeper understanding of the world.
Through various workshops, trips and interactions with experts, our science curriculum will lead pupils to be enthusiastic scientific learners and understand that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the worldās future prosperity.
Overwhelming enjoyment for science is evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice, their work and their attendance at additional extra- curricular science sessions.
Children leave empowered, understanding they have the capability to change the world.