Manifold Church of England Academy

Science

Manifold Church of England Academy understands the need for all pupils to develop their Scientific ability as an essential component of all subjects and as a subject in its own right. A good understanding of scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding helps to support pupils work across the curriculum.

A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Intent
• To develop pupils’ interest and enjoyment of, science. By building on children’s curiosity, the science curriculum will help to instil a positive attitude towards science in pupils and how this is manifested in their everyday lives.
• To deliver all the requirements of the national curriculum in relation to science and covering major scientific concepts.
• To ensure all science lessons are purposeful, accurate and imaginative.
• To ensure pupils have sufficient scientific knowledge to understand both the uses and implications of science, today and in the future. This will also give pupils an appreciation of the changing nature of scientific knowledge.
• To develop pupils’ ability to pose questions, investigate these using correct techniques, accurately record their findings using appropriate scientific language and analyse their results, drawing conclusions form observed phenomena and being able to suggest further investigations.
• To help pupils develop the skills of prediction, hypothesising, experimentation, investigation, observation, measurement, interpretation and communication.
• To make pupils aware of and alert to links between science and other school subjects, as well as their lives more generally, including the Christian Ethos of the school.
• To ensure progression and sequencing of knowledge and skills.
• To be inclusive to all children attending Manifold C of E Academy.
• To use the unique situation of the school within the Staffordshire Moorlands to enhance Science and make it relevant to stakeholders.

Implementation
Manifold’s primary science curriculum is based on a big questions which link to the national curriculum. Each class has a set of big questions which they work on throughout the year in themes which are based on the’ Focus Education Learning Challenges’.
These are on a two-yearly cycle to ensure breadth, balance, continuity and progression for our mixed age classes.
Science in Early Years is based on the world around the children and follows EY goals.

We believe that children need to be given opportunities to learn from one another and to take part in group/ partner work when appropriate but to also have the confidence to work independently when needed.

Pupils are taught to understand and use correct scientific vocabulary based on the objectives and skills being taught.
Practical ‘hands on’ learning is at the core of our science teaching and learning. Our lessons will allow for a wide range of scientific enquiry, including the following:
• Pattern seeking
• Observation over time
• Classifying and grouping
• Undertaking comparative and fair testing
• Using basic equipment accurately
• Researching using secondary sources

Opportunities for outdoor learning will be provided wherever possible given the situation of the school and the large grounds and woods we have available. External educational visits and providers in school, which are science based, are encouraged where feasible. ( e.g. Visits to Churnet View in Science week; Auriga star dome visit in space week; Staffordshire Moorlands grassland project)

Developing skills such as questioning, observing, gathering and recording data, and drawing conclusions are key to excellent science teaching and learning at our school.

Impact
At Manifold Church of England Academy we expect that by the end of Year 4 our children should be able to recall knowledge ( Sticky bits), use scientific vocabulary and have developed scientific skills detailed in our SOW.

The impact can be assessed in a variety of ways through formal assessment, tests, marking, discussion with children and staff, pupil voice, collection and annotation of photographs of work inside and outside school. This is led and coordinated by the Science coordinator with the support of staff and headteacher.

Further monitoring for evidence of impact will take place through monitoring planning, lesson observations, learning walks and staff discussion/CPD over time, to assess the implementation and impact of the science curriculum delivered with a view to improving curriculum delivery and coverage in an ongoing cycle of improvement.

For this to happen, the Science coordinator and the Head take responsibility for the monitoring of the Science curriculum and the standards achieved by the children. The impact findings will be shared with Governors.

Detailed documents showing progression of skills and vocabulary for each year group can be found: Progression in working scientifically and Science overview.