Science

At St Saviour’s Academy, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. As one of the core subjects taught in primary schools, we aim to give our children the specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically and to gain an understanding of the world around them that is well informed with current research.

Our curriculum is structured to allow pupils to explore science through practical work-whilst understanding the five key areas of scientific enquiry; research, fair testing, pattern seeking, observation over time and identifying and classifying. Through weekly lessons, all children are encouraged to develop a sense of excitement around investigation and nurtures their scientific questioning skills, exploring possible answers and testing theories. Children are given the opportunity to explore key scientific areas of knowledge from the National Curriculum, through links to real-life scenarios, reinforcing and embedding prior knowledge in the long-term memory. Using dual objectives children have a focus for both knowledge and a specific skill – such as planning, conducting, recording, concluding and evaluating their investigations – in each session. They are immersed in scientific vocabulary, which aid’s children’s knowledge and understanding not only of the topic they are studying, but of the world around them.

Additional opportunities for children to develop their scientific knowledge and skills are achieved through links with a local high school, Science Week, The Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize and educational visits. Links are made across other areas of the curriculum; Maths, English, Geography and History to name but a few, to ensure the enrichment of Science whilst encouraging the transference of skills.

Children experience Science through

· Class discussions

· Practical activities – investigations, scientific enquiry

· Visits/visitors

· Links with the High School

· Online research/learning

· Real life contexts

· Science week

· Focus scientists

· Cross curricular links

· Science club

Science is assessed by

· Children’s work in books

· Pupil interviews

· Age related expectations

· Focused assessments

· Science literacy/talk

Science