Science at Chesterton Primary School
Curriculum Intent
At Chesterton Primary School we pride ourselves on delivering a Science curriculum which has been designed to increase our pupils' knowledge and understanding of the world in order to equip pupils with skills for future careers. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. Children will lead their own learning through exploration and experimentation. Where possible we enrich pupils learning through opportunities to experience science in action through trips and visitors. We have worked to develop our Science understanding using Professor PICRO, an acronym which breaks down the Science enquiry skills to scaffold children's understanding.
Science Branches
Implementation
Science is taught weekly and blocked into timetabled slots following a long term plan. The different topics of Science are spread across the year throughout year groups. Medium terms plans are used to home in on skills and knowledge and break these down into manageable chunks for our pupils. Teachers check on what children already know using retrieval techniques through all lessons so that children are able to make links to prior learning. Each Science lesson has a dual objective - a knowledge skill and a science enquiry skill allowing children to make links between what they know and investigating why, what and how?
Impact
The successful approach to the teaching of science at Chesterton Primary School will result in a fun, engaging, high quality Science education that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them once they complete their primary education.
Assessment is teacher based and formed using informal strategies such as verbal and written outcomes, retrieval tasks, quizzes and reflection tasks both half termly and in the moment AFL. The ongoing assessment of Science, allows for misconceptions and gaps to be addressed more immediately rather than building on insecure scientific foundations.
Science Long Term Plan
Examples of Medium Term Plans:
Science Year 2 MTP
Science Year 4 MTP
Science Year 6 MTP
Science Key Concepts