Skip to content ↓

Science

 

Our Science Lead is Andrew Lawson

Intent:

At Firfield, we strive to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily lives. We want children to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically as well as demonstrating excellent scientific knowledge and understanding of the world around them. It is our aim to provide the children with a series of fun, interesting, knowledge based lessons to allow them develop the skills to show their scientific knowledge in a range of written and verbal explanations, whilst showing imaginative, original and innovative application of these skills. We also plan exciting, practical Science lessons to enable pupils to develop into confident and competent scientists who show initiative in their learning. It is our intention to provide an engaging and practical Science curriculum, which is full of creativity and is progressive across both Key Stages and each Year group. Children at Firfield will become able to work, talk, think, write and act like scientists who have a broad Science vocabulary and can fluently discuss what they are learning in lessons. Above all else, it is our goal to encourage children to develop a passion, curiosity and lifelong love for Science, whilst highlighting future career opportunities that it may provide, particularly in STEM subjects.

 

Implementation:

At Firfield, Science lessons are based on the PKC Science curriculum, which aims to equip children with the foundations for understanding the world through a scientific lens. Pupils will be taught units of work that cover and go beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum in the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Our science curriculum builds knowledge incrementally through a series of carefully sequenced lessons. Pupils will encounter people who have made significant contributions to the field of science over time, understanding that science has been a quest for understanding for many years, and will continue to be so in the future. Pupils at Firfield will build a body of key foundational science knowledge as they work through the curriculum, asking questions and developing a sense of curiosity about the world around us. Over time, their knowledge will deepen, moving from recognising and naming parts of the human body to understanding how our muscles work, how our blood moves around our body and how our nervous system helps us to interact with the world. Pupils have multiple opportunities to secure and build on their knowledge and understanding as subject content is revisited at points throughout the curriculum. This helps children to master the knowledge and concepts whilst building up an extended specialist vocabulary. This incremental approach helps teachers at Firfield to identify knowledge gaps and look back at previous content if they need to close gaps in knowledge or understanding. Importantly, substantive scientific knowledge is taught first, before pupils are asked to undertake enquiry. This helps them to fully understand the elements of the enquiry first, and to make informed observations about the processes they see. Gathering information, recording data, graphing data and interpreting findings are all essential skills that pupils will apply to new contexts as they work through the curriculum. Enquiries include observing over time, pattern seeking, identifying, classifying and grouping, comparative and fair testing and researching using secondary sources. Scientific enquiries provide children with a wealth of opportunities, but first and foremost they will help to deepen understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science as a discipline and how it differs from other subjects they are studying. Pupils will gain an understanding of the purpose and uses of science both today and in the future. Throughout the science curriculum, children at Firfield are taught that scientific discoveries have been made since time began around the world. Importantly in Science, over time, children learn about scientists and their search for the truth. They learn that the people who have contributed to science, from Ancient Baghdad to Ancient Rome and beyond, are diverse and many voices make up the story of science. At Firfield, children will be assessed against the knowledge goals built into each lesson and using low stakes assessments at the end of each block (such as multiple choice quizzes), self-assessment of key vocabulary sheets or as an assessment by outcome, based on tasks chosen by the teacher.

 

Impact:

  • The PKC curriculum enables children to understand the important role that science plays in the sustainability of life on earth.
  • Children will achieve age related expectations in Science at the end of each academic year.
  • Children will retain scientific knowledge more effectively and apply what they have learnt in class to real life situations and the World around them.
  • Children will be able to work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.
  • Children will be able to think and work scientifically.
  • Children will be able to ask questions, devise hypotheses and find answers.
  • Children will discover the impact of a diverse range of famous scientists throughout history.
  • We want children following this curriculum to be equipped to go forth into their secondary education with curiosity, passion and a desire for discovery.
  • Pupils will be encouraged to use the knowledge they learn in Science and apply it to investigations that test a theory or set out to answer a question.