Intent
At Ladock School, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. As one of the core subjects taught in Primary Schools, we give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires.
The Scientific area of learning is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. It will develop the natural curiosity of the child, encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment and provide opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence.
At Ladock Primary School, in conjunction with the aims of the National Curriculum, our Science teaching offers opportunities for children to:
Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics;
Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of Science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them;
Be equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.
Develop the essential scientific enquiry skills to deepen their scientific knowledge.
The National Curriculum will provide a structure and skill development for the science curriculum being taught throughout the school, which is now linked, where possible to the theme topics to provide a creative scheme of work, which reflects a balanced programme of study.
Implementation
Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science. Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following;
Science will be taught in planned and arranged topic blocks by the class teacher in separate science books. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge.
This curiosity is celebrated within the classroom. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons, often involving high-quality resources to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.
We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.
Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. This is developed through the years, in-keeping with the topics.
Impact
The successful approach at Ladock School results in a fun, engaging, high-quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world. Our engagement with the local environment ensures that children learn through varied and first hand experiences of the world around them. So much of science lends itself to outdoor learning and so we provide children with opportunities to experience this. Through launch trips and interactions with experts and local charities, children have the understanding that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity.