Intent

Our intent for Science is:

• for all children to be equipped to make informed decisions about the scientific opportunities around them and to understand how science can impact on our lives.  

• for all children to be provided with the foundations for understanding the world through the learning of biology, chemistry and physics 

• to build curiosity from the beginning of children’s school experience in the EYFS, inspiring them to be inquisitive to explore new experiences about natural phenomena.  

• for children to be confident to explore their curiosity through scientific enquiry based lessons; and show an enthusiasm for science. 

• to enable children to ask questions which are then used to instruct further investigations and exploratory learning.  

• for children to understand how Science can be used to explain what is happening, through a range of exciting and motivating hands-on experiences. 

• to encourage and plan for the use of ‘science capital’, whereby children are given the opportunity to enhance their science-related knowledge, attitudes and resources to develop across their school life 

Implementation

Science at South Camberley ignites children’s natural curiosity about the world and we support pupils to explore and discover through sequences of carefully designed learning opportunities, which balance both scientific knowledge and skills.  Our progressive approach to Science ensures that children build on their learning from Early Years to Year 6 bit by bit so that they know and remember more.  Children recap prior knowledge through retrieval activities, to ensure what is taught is further embedded.  

Our scientists are immersed in discovery and testing in every Science lesson and we dedicate a lesson once a term to further explore a scientist linking to our topic using cross- curricular links. For example, Year 5 during their space topic further explored Neil Armstrong during a Teaching Reading lesson. We dedicate a full afternoon every week for all year groups to embrace the awe and wonder of Science.  We do this because we know that an immersive approach helps our pupils to achieve a greater depth and understanding of the knowledge and skills they are learning. We embed ‘working scientifically’ skills into lessons throughout our topics. In each lesson, children will be made aware of which enquiry skill they are working on in this lesson to ensure they have an understanding of the different skills. These skills become embedded, and children will build on their knowledge each year through the use of these skills. Here are the different enquiry skills we focus on: 

 

 

Each science unit begins with a hook lesson which creates enthusiasm from our pupils and gives a real life purpose to the learning, so that our young scientists understand why they need to learn what we are teaching.  For example, in Year 4, a local dentist wrote to our pupils asking them to research and investigate why tooth decay was on the rise.  They were asked to present their findings through a presentation and, in return, she sent some healthy snacks for their teeth.  Children in Year 3 were sent an email from the local park warden who explained that he had found owl pellets in the woodlands and he wanted to know what the owls had been eating to ensure that it was safe for them, because of the shape, size and consistency of their droppings. 

Our inclusive approach to science promotes a balance of collaborative and independent work and supports all pupils to achieve their best through carefully selected and designed questioning and assessment through lessons, which informs the needs of our learners.  For example, where there are pupils whose vocabulary is limited, we scaffold and support their understanding through a variety of approaches, including teaching the vocabulary before the lesson, providing word mats or working with an adult during specific parts of a lesson. 

We further enrich our Science curriculum by offering extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors to broaden and complement our learning.  For example, we welcomed the Astrodome to enrich the scientific understanding of our pupils learning about space. In Year 5, children go the Science Musuem and Kew Gardens to extend their knowledge of space and plants. We also have an annual  Science Week where we have visitors in school to deliver workshops to Key stage 1 and Key stage 2 children. The children thoroughly enjoy this experience and the lessons that follow within the classroom. Science is a practical, enjoyable lesson that children are enthusiastic about. 

We also celebrate the work children do and recognise their efforts in a variety of ways throughout the year. We have a scientist of the half term award, where each half term one child from each class will be recognised for their efforts. This award is linked with our enquiry skills and children are often celebrated for demonstrating a particular enquiry skill that half term. As well as this, we have a ‘science fair’ whereby children displayed the learning they had completed during Science Week and children were given the opportunity to view work from other year groups and celebrate the learning that takes place at South Camberley.  

Impact

Our successful Science curriculum ensures that before leaving South Camberley at the end of Year 6, children have experienced a broad, exciting and high-quality Science education that provides them with the foundations and knowledge for understanding the world around them. Through first-hand experiences and continuous, progressive learning, children have the understanding that Science has influenced and changed our lives and that Science is absolutely vital to our world’s future success.  

We hope that children will also recognise how their ‘science capital’ can have an impact on their own career choices and which jobs, in society, are suited to a scientific background. 

Children learn the possibilities for careers in science as a result of our community links and connections with agencies, including the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) association and the PSTT (Primary Science Technology Trust). From the exposure to a range of different scientists from various backgrounds, all children understand that they too are scientists and are capable of achieving. Children at South Camberley enjoy science which results in motivated learners with a strong scientific understanding of skills and knowledge by the time they leave us.  

"I like all the experiments we get to do” Year 5 Pupil 

"I learn lots of things in Science about the world" Year 4 Pupil

"I like Science because we do lots of messy investigations!" Year 4 Pupil