Science
We are proud to announce that we have been awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark! A big thank you to Miss Bender for all of her hard work in achieving this standard! - June 2023
Dell’s Science Vision
At Dell, Science provides opportunities for all children to wonder, observe and investigate the natural world around us.
Science is good at Dell when…
teaching is adapted for the learners in the class.
children are engaged and excited with their learning.
children make connections with previous learning in Science.
opportunities are given to learn practically and embed or explore previously taught knowledge, skills and key scientific vocabulary.
children work in groups and in pairs.
children develop an ambitious, curious mind set outside of lessons with a confidence to ask why
Why?
Children are able to share and initiate learning outside of school.
Children become independent learners over time.
Children develop an ability to work with others.
Children will begin to see themselves as scientists.
Children understand the world around us better.
Children build resilience and confidence in developing their own investigations.
INTENT
At Dell Primary our children are limitless with their ambitions and opportunities. We have an inclusive Science curriculum that enables all children to access all learning, experiments and practical investigations. It is a broad and balanced curriculum that is sequential and enables children to build upon their previous knowledge and skills. We want to develop a passion for Science in all children. We want children to remember Science as informative but fun! Children work collaboratively through discussions and activities with visitors, hands-on learning and in class discussions. The children have opportunities to develop their knowledge and ask questions independently. Their curiosity is encouraged by all.
At Dell Primary, our curriculum has been thought of carefully through the use of Plan Bee; it has appropriate coverage; it is sequential and structured, and is implemented and adapts to the needs of our pupils. Science units are generally taught in unison to enable the development of the child’s learning.
By the end of their primary education at Dell, we intend for children to be able to engage with the world around them and enable them to progress their learning further. Children should be able to have an understanding of both working scientifically skills and an overall knowledge of Science within its different areas.
IMPLEMENTATION
At Dell Primary, we advocate focus on the aims of the National Curriculum through Plan Bee with flexibility to address gaps in any pupil’s scientific knowledge and skills.
In all lessons, a passion for Science is shared by all. Visitors are planned in to enhance, enrich and embed all children’s learning experiences within the Science curriculum. We are twinned with Carlton Marshes allowing our children more opportunities for hands- on learning.
Children’s lessons are sequenced and knowledge is built upon from previous lessons and year groups. Previous knowledge is assessed in Do Nows to check for retention of concepts, skills, processes and overall understanding. This enables teachers to support the children and build upon the knowledge the children currently have. Teachers provide a success criteria at the start of the lesson to enable all learners to achieve their learning objective. Through questioning and modelling different scientific skills, teachers can instantly assess their children’s knowledge, identify and address any misconceptions. Pupils are given opportunities to self-assess and developing the skill of assessing their peer’s work. At the end of each unit, the children have an end of unit quiz to assess their knowledge and see in future lessons what specifically needs to be a focus with future Do Nows or lessons. The children’s embedded knowledge from previous years and lessons will be seen in discussions, in books and Do Nows.
Scientific discussion and conversations are integral to children’s understanding and therefore we ensure children talk about their ideas and question each other’s thinking. Children also question, predict, investigate, observe while developing their ability to plan their own investigation in Years 5 and 6. Findings are presented in various ways using taught scientific language and diagrams.
Staff and pupil views are acknowledged through surveys. CPD is effectively planned to support in teachers’ knowledge, ensure high levels of confidence and improvement of Science for all. We understand and acknowledge the importance of children working scientifically, ensuring children are raising questions; recognising how to answer questions; carrying out practical enquiries; naming, comparing and sorting; observing and measuring changes; fair testing; using secondary sources; recording; recognising patterns and relationships; answering questions and explaining their findings; using results to identify new questions; using results to make predictions; making improvements and using scientific evidence. The skills and processes regarding working scientifically is paramount in the children’s science education at Dell Primary.
Science in the EYFS
Science is introduced indirectly through activities that encourage children to explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions and talk about the world around them. It’s called ‘knowledge and understanding of the world’.
Early Years science also helps children with skills in other Foundation Stage areas of the national curriculum, such as physical development and creative development.
IMPACT
Children will retain more information and build upon their knowledge over the years at Dell Primary from where they began to the end of Year 6. The children will have partaken in various workshops from visitors, trips and interactions with experts. Our children will be enthusiastic, ambitious learners and understand the impact and importance of science and how it has changed life itself and continues to. Our children will be resilient, curious learners who aspire to achieve more and be the next David Attenborough, biochemist, astrophysicist, chemical engineer, nurse, etc.
Through our science curriculum children will:
- be engaged and challenged
- be able to succeed in all science lessons because learning will be appropriately scaffolded
- make good and better progress from their starting points
- know how and why science is used in the outside world and in the workplace
- talk enthusiastically about their science lessons
Assessment and monitoring in science:
• Lesson observations, book monitoring and learning walks
• Gathering pupil voice (Junior Leaders)
• Moderating pupils work to ensure accurate assessments are made
• Tracking pupils’ progress
• Check for Understanding used as a formative assessment tool that informs planning and intervention
• EoUQ (End of Unit Quizzes) will be undertaken every half term
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