Intent

At Knowle Park Primary School, our science intent is to nurture a love for science so that the children foster a healthy curiosity about our universe and build on this year on year.

Our science curriculum is aimed to inspire all children to be inquisitive and work scientifically through a range of practical investigations, which will equip them for KS3 and beyond. We provide our learners with rich, scientific vocabulary and our lessons enable children to ask questions and predict, plan and carry out investigations, observe and measure, record and draw conclusions. We look at a diverse range of scientists and teach the children how the skills they learn can be applied in the real world. In addition to this, we ensure they are given chances to make and learn from mistakes.

Our local links with Redcatch Community Gardens and The Northern Slopes gives our children exciting opportunities to confidently explore and discover what is around them so they develop positive attitudes towards their surroundings and consider sustainability and the environment. The units they cover also build on their understanding of sustainability and how we can shape the future.

Implementation

Every science unit has: 

•  A front cover which will include:

• a scientific question that enables children to tackle real science concepts relating to the how and why of our world.
• A space for them to answer the question.
• The KPPS logo.
• All significant people linked to that unit (BAME/scientists).
• All local links.
• All visitors, trips or workshops for that unit.
• All Eco links for that unit.
• All reading material or cross curricular links for that unit.  
• A  knowledge organiser.

The first lesson:

• Recaps prior learning using the knowledge organiser from a previous year.  (For example, when Year 5 teach ‘Forces’, the teacher will use the Year 3 ‘Forces & magnets’ knowledge organiser to do this).
• Will be a stimulus or hook to engage the children about that particular science topic.
• The teacher will introduce the Knowledge organiser and the cover sheet and the children then stick these into their books so they can refer to them during all lessons.

 Every lesson will include:

• Oracy starters which are linked to the lesson.
• A recap prior learning from the previous lesson(s).
• A recap of vocabulary for that unit.
• Practical lessons – When possible, science is taught through a practical means. (Children can investigate a particular question or they can learn through problem solving tasks).

• Plenty of discussion and higher order thinking.

 All books have:

• The vision and pupil voice (explaining why they learn science) on the front cover.
• A title and date for every lesson.
• A front cover for every science unit which includes a question and all links to that unit.

  Every practical lesson will include:

• A photograph. (Children can explain their learning easier when looking at a photograph).
• A focused recording - The teacher will decide which part of the working scientifically skills they are focusing on and record it.  (Often the children will have practiced many of the skills during one lesson).
• At the end of the lesson children will be asked to explain their learning (orally or written).

All lessons will include a recap of prior learning:

• Teachers and children will refer to their front cover and knowledge organiser during every lesson.
• At the end of each practical lesson, children will discuss which scientific skills they have practiced during that lesson.  The teacher will mark these off on the (working scientifically) pie charts on the science working wall.  

Impact

The children at KPPS will:

• Be introduced to a diverse range of scientists who have made our world a better place.
• Understand how learning science is directly linked to sustainability.
• Be able to work collaboratively and practically to investigate, experiment and therefore learn from mistakes.
• Be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.
• Be able to reason scientifically using rich scientific vocabulary.
• Demonstrate a love of science.