Intent
At Consett Infant School we believe that our Science provision develops learning and enables children to become enquiry-based learners. During Science lessons they should develop a fascination and a love of learning about Science and acquire knowledge whilst also developing the ability to be resilient, take risks, be independent and show determination and self-confidence, all of which are fundamental to learning at Consett Infant School. We will provide lots of opportunities for children to ask questions, make predictions, experiment, investigate and talk about what they have found out. We intend that children will expand and broaden their use and understanding of scientific and questioning vocabulary to enable them to become effective communicators both orally and in written form. We intend to provide opportunities for all our children to challenge themselves through a well-planned and resourced Science curriculum. We will offer a range of fun, engaging and intellectually stimulating activities and experiences to extend those accessed by children out of school through lessons, trips into the outside environment, Forest School and visitors such as Professor Brainstorm. Children will have regular opportunities to consider big questions such as “what if every material was transparent?” or “what if humans hibernated?”
Implementation
Our curriculum is implemented in a way we feel will give all children the best opportunity to ensure changes are made to their long-term memory. Not only do we want to delivery intellectually stimulating learning, we want all learning to remain with the children as they progress through our school. Science, as a core subject, is taught in half termly/termly blocks and may stand alone from the topics being taught that term. Science will be taught weekly and skills will be developed and extended week by week and then topics will be revisited and extended further in the next year group. We have worked as a whole staff team to plan each subject area to ensure the sequential progression of skills and vocabulary from Reception through to Year 2 based on the National Curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and we build on the learning and skill development of the previous years. This is shown clearly in our medium-term planning progression grids which staff follow when planning their lessons. We have a clear assessment document that shows a build on of skills.
Our Reception curriculum is skills-based and our approach focuses on key skills rather than concepts, which are revisited frequently throughout the year in line with the children’s needs. Input may be through whole class teaching, group work, work with individuals, through adult supporting within the continuous provision or enhancements made to the continuous provision through our “curiosity cube”.
Impact
In Science all children will be exposed to high quality teaching and learning that contributes to deep learning and changes being made to their long-term memory.
As a school, we understand that deep learning takes place when subjects are revisited regularly. The children will be given the opportunity to apply their existing knowledge and skills in new and non-routine ways. New learning will be taught all the time whilst revisiting existing learning. In this way, learning will take place over an entire year enabling the children to revisit learning regularly whilst adding new ideas, knowledge and skills. Our clear, progressive planning will ensure that the children then build on what they have learnt in the following years. Our ongoing assessment and knowledge of the children in our classes will ensure that we are fully aware of the children’s progress in Science. We use an end of year data collection point for science.
Please see attached the Progression Maps for Science.
