Science
‘Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure science.’ Edwin Powell Hubble
Intent
At St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School, we aim to deliver a Science curriculum that is memorable, engaging and meaningful, with ‘working scientifically’ at its core. Our curriculum enables pupils to acquire and develop the knowledge, skills and vocabulary they need to be successful Scientists. It provides the opportunity for children to develop, apply and embed their skills through linked topic learning, building on previously established skills and knowledge. We take our learning in Science outdoors at every opportunity and strive to develop pupils’ understanding of the world around them.
Children regularly plan, carry out and evaluate experiments and observations. By the end of their time at St Catherine’s, pupils are able to pose questions that they can then form investigations around and present their findings in a scientific format.
Implementation
We deliver a Science curriculum that;
- Develops creativity and challenges all of our learners
- Inspires and excites our children through engaging practical sessions
- Develops aspirational learners.
- Encourages our children to be self-motivated, independent, curious and resilient learners by developing inquiry based skills
At St Catherine’s, we follow the scientific knowledge and skills progression laid out in the National Curriculum. Each unit of science contains a clear progression of knowledge. Each lesson includes a knowledge-learning objective and an objective linked to working scientifically, which is unpicked at the beginning of each lesson. When appropriate, lessons feature a hands-on science experiment or investigation to consolidate the learning objective of the lesson and to ensure all children are actively engaged.
Working scientifically allows children to think about what could happen in a given situation, teaching them to form their own opinions. By learning that not everything works the first time, children become resilient and are eager to ‘try again’ while constantly asking questions and searching for answers through a range of sources.
Progression of Skills
We use our Science Progression of Skills document to ensure pupils are building on prior learning and developing their skills further year-on-year.
Impact
By the time children leave St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School, they should be equipped with the scientific knowledge outlined in the National Curriculum, have a deep understanding of what it means to work scientifically and be able to communicate their findings across a range of different methods. However, perhaps most fundamentally, we aim for all our children to leave St Catherine’s with a passion for, and enjoyment of, science.
Outdoor Learning
We are excited about the current developments of our Outdoor Learning area, which includes a pond, and are looking forward to using this space to further enhance our Science curriculum soon.
Home Learning
If you wish to support pupils with their learning at home, the BBC Bitesize website provides a rich range of information, activities and games.