Grove House Primary School Staff Login

Science

Science Intent

At Grove House Primary School, our children are SCIENTISTS! Every child at Grove House receives a broad and balanced Science curriculum which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in.  Our children understand how science links to the wider world by studying local scientists and discoveries from throughout history. Where possible, our science lessons include practical hands on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. At Grove House, we have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the science National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

                                          

Science Implementation

At Grove House Primary, Science topics are taught within each year group in accordance with the National Curriculum.

  • Topics are blocked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth.
  • Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills.
  • Teachers promote enjoyment and foster interest of the scientific disciplines; Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
  • Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observations as well as conclude their findings.
  • Children present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations and diagrams.
  • In order to support children, there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons.
  • Children undertake a variety of different types of activities for each unit of work, including practical investigations and work is designed to develop their scientific vocabulary. 
  • At the start of each topic children will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know about a current topic.
  • Children in each class have access to a Science working wall which not only promotes Science in all classrooms but continually reinforces Scientific knowledge and skills. 
  • Effective CPD is available to staff to ensure high levels of confidence and knowledge are maintained.
  • Effective use of education visits and visitors are planned, to enrich and enhance the pupil’s learning experiences within the Science curriculum.
  • Teachers use highly effective assessment for learning in each lesson to ensure misconceptions are highlighted and addressed.
  • Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning intention, with misconceptions addressed within it.
  • Through using a range of assessment tools, differentiation is facilitated by teachers, to ensure that each pupil can access the Science curriculum.
  • Children are given clear success criteria in order to achieve the learning intention with differing elements of independence.
  • Pupils are regularly given the opportunity for self or peer assessment, which will then be used to inform planning, preparation, differentiation and address misconceptions within that lesson, or for the next lesson.
  • Cross-curricular links are planned for, with other subjects such as Maths, English and Computing.
  • Children are taught about the important contributions of individual scientists, including those of different nationalities, races and genders.

EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of Science through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World.’ Children find out about objects, materials and living things using all of their senses looking at similarities, differences, patterns and change. Both the environment and skilled practitioners foster curiosity and encourage explorative play, children are motivated to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. Our children are encouraged to use their natural environment around them to explore. Children enjoy spending time outdoors exploring mini-beasts and their habitats, observing the changing seasons, plants and animals. Throughout the year, children get to look at changes animals and insects go through and life cycles. They spent time looking after caterpillars, tadpoles and hatchlings.

To see the whole school Science overview, please click the link below.

Science Overview 22-23

Early Years Science
Year-1-Science-End-Points
Year-2-Science-End-Points
Year-3-Science-End-Points
Year-4-Science-End-Points
Year-5-Science-End-Points
Year-6-Science-End-Points

                                                     

Our scientist in residence: 
Prior to working at Grove House, Lyall Anderson, one of our fabulous support staff, trained as a paleontologist at the University of Manchester. He then worked at the museum in Edinburgh in charge of the Scottish fossil collection, before moving to a research post at Cambridge investigating Darwin’s rocks and fossils that he collected on the Voyage of the Beagle. This was to provide stories and background to a new permanent exhibition at the Sedgwick Museum. Mr Anderson runs a science after school club where children have the opportunity to explore other areas of science outside of the primary national curriculum.