Science
Curriculum Overview
Our science curriculum is designed to enable children to grasp a solid understanding of life processes, materials and physical processes by applying the skills of exploring, observing, grouping, classifying, questioning, researching, planning, testing, measuring, communicating and evaluating. As a result, our pupils are learning to work as real scientists.
They do this by following The Rising Stars Switched On Science Scheme. This scheme provides a fully comprehensive coverage of the Science National Curriculum providing effective progression over time through the knowledge and skills strands of the units of work. Children are given access to ideas and ways of working scientifically in a range of contexts providing appropriate repetition and reinforcement to help ensure retention over time.
They do this by following The Rising Stars Switched On Science Scheme. This scheme provides a fully comprehensive coverage of the Science National Curriculum providing effective progression over time through the knowledge and skills strands of the units of work. Children are given access to ideas and ways of working scientifically in a range of contexts providing appropriate repetition and reinforcement to help ensure retention over time.
In key stage 1, topics follow a cross-curricular approach in order to set a context which is engaging and meaningful. In key stage 2, topics are discrete and where appropriate, ideas are provided for cross-curricular links. The units of work have a strong focus on practical exploration. We believe exploration and practical opportunities should always be at the heart of our science learning, making our lessons exciting, memorable and enquiry-based.
The scheme we use is adapted to meet the needs of our learners, while providing detailed background knowledge for the teacher to draw from in effective lesson planning.
To further meet the needs of our pupils, teachers use the Explorify website and Concept Cartoons to apply and consolidate learning. These approaches are a useful vehicle for developing our children’s oracy skills.
We know how important it is for children to build on their prior learning and we are excited to develop the use of knowledge mats to reinforce prior science knowledge. This is something we are working on as part of the SEERIH Shine project, which is aimed at raising science attainment across Key stage 2 and 3. The project is an excellent opportunity for us to collaborate with primary and secondary schools, as well as the University of Manchester to make our science curriculum the best it can be!
We are very pleased to have been awarded the Bronze Primary Science Quality Mark award for our science curriculum!
The scheme we use is adapted to meet the needs of our learners, while providing detailed background knowledge for the teacher to draw from in effective lesson planning.
To further meet the needs of our pupils, teachers use the Explorify website and Concept Cartoons to apply and consolidate learning. These approaches are a useful vehicle for developing our children’s oracy skills.
We know how important it is for children to build on their prior learning and we are excited to develop the use of knowledge mats to reinforce prior science knowledge. This is something we are working on as part of the SEERIH Shine project, which is aimed at raising science attainment across Key stage 2 and 3. The project is an excellent opportunity for us to collaborate with primary and secondary schools, as well as the University of Manchester to make our science curriculum the best it can be!
We are very pleased to have been awarded the Bronze Primary Science Quality Mark award for our science curriculum!
Please find more information about each year group's coverage below:
| y1_science_medium_term_planning.doc |
| y2_science_medium_term_planning.doc |
| y3_science_medium_term_planning.doc |
| y4_science_medium_term_planning.doc |
| y5_science_medium_term_planning.doc |
| y6_science_medium_term_planning.doc |