Sea Lane, Worthing, West Sussex, BN12 5DU

office@ferring.w-sussex.sch.uk

01903 243945

Ferring Church of England Primary School

An Inspiring Place to Grow, Believe and Achieve

SCIENCE CURRICULUM INTENT 

 

INTENT:

At Ferring we want our children to be naturally curious about the world around them. We want to embrace their sense of wonder about natural phenomena and to guide them into becoming enquiry-based learners. The science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world in which they live. We want our children to develop an understanding of the uses and implications of Science, how it has changed and shaped our lives and how vital it is to the world’s future prosperity. 

Scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic the children study and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. Topics, such as Plants, are taught in Key Stage One and studied again in further detail throughout Key Stage Two. Thus allowing the children to grow in their understanding, building upon their prior knowledge and increasing their enthusiasm for the topics whilst embedding this procedural knowledge into the long-term memory. 

Science teaching at Ferring involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs to ensure they are challenged and achieve success, regardless of their starting point. Where possible, science is linked to class topics. Science is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage in line with the National Curriculum requirements. Teachers plan to suit their children’s interests, current events, their own teaching style, the use of any support staff and the resources available. Opportunities are sought to teach science through all of the primary subjects.

 We ensure that all children are provided with rich learning experiences that aim to:

  • Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future. 
  • Help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas. 
  • Help develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world. 
  • Build on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems. 
  • Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the skills of investigation – including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating. 
  • Develop the use of scientific language, recording and techniques. 
  • Develop the use of computing in investigating and recording. 
  • Make links between science and other subjects.

IMPLEMENTATION:

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. 

Planning for science is a process in which all teachers are involved to ensure that the school gives full coverage of, ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science 2014’ and, ‘Understanding of the World’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Additionally, Science teaching at Ferring C of E Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. We use the Rising Stars ‘scheme of work’ in order to achieve this.

Science units are taught on a year rolling programme. This ensures progression between year groups and guarantees topics are covered. Teachers plan to suit their children’s interests, current events, their own teaching style, the use of any support staff and the resources available.

We seize opportunities to further enhance the curriculum and grow enthusiasm in science. Recent examples include: the annual, whole school science week, a visit from the owls (Early Years), use of our pond by all year groups, as well as a Harry Potter themed activity morning from the Science teacher and Head at St. Oscar Romero School. This particular annual enrichment which Year 5 receive is just one of the ways we support transition to our local secondary school, as the children get a taste of the exciting opportunities in science on the next stage of their learning journey.

Many year groups also make use of the extensive gardening areas for growing and much of the produce is then used in the children’s kitchen, creating tasty dishes for all to enjoy.

Each unit of work has a strong element of investigation to develop children’s enquiring minds as well as a clear knowledge content to build on both their prior and next stages of learning. As well as this, in each year group, one topic is a stand-alone unit of enquiry aimed at nurturing the skills of being a young scientist. These include: Little Master Chefs (Year 2) – performing simple tests using food. The Big Build (Year 4) – Practical enquiries using bridges and towers. The Titanics (Year 6) – Exploring scientific concepts behind The Titanic.

INTENDED IMPACT:

The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age-related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives.

All children will have:

  • A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills.
  • A richer vocabulary which will enable to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
  • High aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life.

Our engagement with the local environment ensures that children learn through varied and first-hand experiences of the world around them. Children at our school overwhelmingly enjoy science and this results in motivated learners with sound scientific understanding. Our pupils are learning that Science in its many forms is vital to the world’s future prosperity and know and believe that they play a significant part in this future.  More children leave Ferring Primary School having achieved the Age Related Expectation in Science than do nationally. 

 

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SCIENCE AT FERRING C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL.