Intent
Science at Springfield is centred around children’s curiosity about the world around them. It offers them the opportunity to discover, prove and disprove the answers to their scientific questions. Science is fun and practical giving children stimulating and challenging experiences, which help them secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary. We encourage the children to lead their own learning which in turn builds their confidence and enjoyment in this subject. We believe that these opportunities will ensure that our children are confident, life-long learners who will explore the world around them.
Implementation
Science is planned and assessed across the school with the children’s progression at the heart of what we teach. Progression and links between topics and year groups can be seen in the science content grid. Teachers use PLAN assessment resources produced by the ASE (Association of Science Education) to support them with planning and formative assessment. We also use TAPS (Teacher Assessment in Primary Science) resources, which provide support for selecting a skill to focus on within an enquiry.
Key objectives
| year_3_key_objectives.pdf |
| year_4_key_objectives.pdf |
| year_5_key_objectives.pdf |
| year_6_key_objectives.pdf |
Working scientifically
Although the ‘Working scientifically skills’ are described separately in our curriculum content, they are always taught through the different knowledge topics and concepts in each year group. Teachers use a range of enquiry types to do this - research using secondary sources, fair testing, observing over time, pattern seeking and identifying, classifying and grouping.
Promoting science talk and use of scientific vocabulary
At Springfield, we use a range of activities to help develop children’s thinking and oracy skills. These can be used for the retrieval practice of knowledge from a previous lesson, to introduce new learning or lead to further enquiries. Children are encouraged to use scientific vocabulary they have learnt when discussing their ideas with peers. Activities include: odd one out, true or false, meet the expert and what if?
I already know that… but I would like to find out about…
Children are always encouraged to ask and answer their own questions at Springfield. We think it is important that the children know they are scientists and leading their own learning. Before teachers plan new learning experiences, a classroom assessment is used to identify prior knowledge and possible misconceptions. Teachers use the Primary Science Teaching Trust resource ‘Explore, Extend, Engage’. This involves engaging practical activities with questions based on observing, describing, sorting, comparing and explaining observations.
Impact
The successful approach to the teaching of science at Springfield will result in a fun, engaging and high-quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world.
Assessment at Springfield is teacher and formative based. We use concept cartoons, mind maps, verbal/written outcomes, reflection tasks and presentations.
Children at Springfield Junior School will:
Assessment at Springfield is teacher and formative based. We use concept cartoons, mind maps, verbal/written outcomes, reflection tasks and presentations.
Children at Springfield Junior School will:
- demonstrate a love of science work and an interest in further study and work in this field.
- retain knowledge that is pertinent to science with a real-life context.
- be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.
- be able to articulate their understanding of scientific concepts and be able to reason scientifically using the correct scientific vocabulary.
- work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.
- achieve age related expectations in science at the end of their cohort year.
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Year 6 using Data Loggers
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World Children's Day
This year’s theme was ‘Plastic in our Oceans’. The children took part in a mission where they explored the importance of the ocean and the impact of plastic pollution. We then focused on what we can do to help solve the problem.
Year 3 |
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Year 3 learn about the following topics across the year:
- Forces and magnets - Light - Rocks - Animals, including humans - Plants
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