Intent
- Children leaving Keir Hardie should be critical, sceptical thinkers, who do not accept ideas based solely on authority, but have the independence of thought and self confidence to demand evidence to support assertions, not just in the scientific field but in all walks of life.
- At Keir Hardie, we recognise the challenges facing many of the children who come into our care. In order for them to succeed in and value the sciences, we will ensure that we build on their cultural and science capital, working with and alongside the community and combating the perception – wherever it exists – that science is a field for ‘others’.
- To continually evaluate, celebrate and strengthen our provision of science education, building on our firm foundations and working and sharing with other schools, enabling all to raise their standards. To help achieve this, we are seeking the Primary Science Quality Mark award this year.
Implementation
- Science is taught progressively throughout the year, focusing on the knowledge and skills outlined in the National Curriculum and taught in a sequence that can best build upon the foundations of children’s prior learning and understanding. Science lessons are differentiated to ensure that children who are falling behind are able to achieve the standard, and children who achieved the standard easily will be given opportunities to deepen their understanding via supportive questioning or extension activities.
- They will be able to ask and answer scientific questions, research effectively, observe closely, take measurements, analyse and interpret data, present their results in different ways, draw conclusions and evaluate the effectiveness of their approaches. They will also be able to work effectively in groups and share their ideas, respectfully and constructively critiquing each other’s methods and assumptions.
- In order to ensure equity of access for all children and respect for the natural world, environmental awareness continues to be a big part of what we do at Keir Hardie. Children of all ages and abilities are given the opportunity to take part in gardening, growing, harvesting and appreciating crop and flower growth. This is a particular strength of our provision for all pupils, especially for our pupils with Special Educational Needs and those in their Early Years of learning.
- Our teaching of science makes explicit links to environmentalism and the impact of humans upon the natural world. We encourage children to become Green Ambassadors, monitoring the environmental impact of the school and raising awareness of the need for respect for the environment.
Impact
- Children in EYFS transition to Year 1 with a wide range of vocabulary to describe natural and man-made phenomena around them, will have had extensive opportunities to play with and explore a range of different materials, plants, animals and seasonal conditions, and will have developed a sense of curiosity, respect and affection for the natural world.
- Pupils describe Science as more than just a body of knowledge, but as a way of thinking – a way of sceptically interrogating the world around them, and a valuable tool in separating verifiable fact from unsubstantiated opinion. This scientific understanding empowers children to have the confidence to assert their own opinions.
- Pupils enjoy and value their science lessons. A significant majority of our pupils achieve the national standard in all substantive and disciplinary areas of the National Curriculum for Science at Primary Level, and for our Year 6s at the end of the academic year to be ready to access the KS3 curriculum.
