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“The important thing is to never stop questioning”
Albert Einstein
Intent
At Park Lane, our intent is for all our Griffins to engage in a Science Curriculum that not only enables the children to explore and discover the world around them, but allows them to ask questions and make observations that will deepen their understanding of the world we live in. We expect all children to be engaging in STEM-based learning, where they apply their prior knowledge and skills through integrated in-context problems which are focused on specific learning intentions. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. This curiosity is celebrated within Park Lane.
We aspire for all our Griffins to have access to a sequenced curriculum, which allows for open-questioning and child-led investigation and to develop conceptual understanding. Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career whilst new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching and knowledge organisers.
We believe that Science should not only be taught in the classroom, but also used to broaden all pupil’s Wide Horizons, which allow all pupils to come off-timetable, provide broader provision and allow for the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills. These events involve families and the wider community of the Park Lane family
Implementation
Teachers at Park Lane Primary School:
- Have secure subject knowledge across all areas of Science and can confidently use scientific vocabulary when modelling to pupils.
- Promote a sense of wonder, intrigue and curiosity in pupils as they challenge themselves and discover their inner scientist.
- Encourage children to ‘work scientifically’ and develop independence as they progress through the school.
- Cultivate a love of learning across all Scientific topics through hands-on investigations
- Provide real-life contexts to their understanding in order to reinforce their learning.
- Provide children with exceptional experiences through Trust partnerships in the Griffin Science Symposium and through activities with the Ogden Trust.
Impact
Our Science curriculum is balanced and of a high quality which is carefully planned to demonstrate progression. All children at Park Lane are making expected or accelerated progress. Through our methods of measuring and assessing our intent and impact, we can refine and adapt our planning further which, in turn, improves the quality of teaching and learning. We do this using the following methods:
- Formal observations through our Wider Horizons ‘Week in Learnings’, where teacher practice, pupil engagement and work in books is assessed.
- The use of questions from teachers in order to address children’s misconceptions and reinforce key scientific skills which need additional work.
- Termly book reviews are carried out by the subject leader to ensure cohesion, monitor the impact of teaching in all year groups and identify areas for development.
- The subject leader uses Target Tracker’s gap analysis across year groups which is used to ensure class teachers can focus on addressing these gaps.
- The online learning platform Seesaw provides the subject lead with evidence across all year groups that highlights the children’s understanding of Science.