At St Edmund’s we aim to develop a sense of awe, wonder and curiosity about the natural world.

All ages groups have weekly science lessons (using both indoor and outdoor learning as appropriate) to foster their spirit of enquiry and encourage a questioning approach using practical investigations throughout the year. This is enriched by workshops, educational visits and an annual science week.

Science is a core subject within the National Curriculum. Our science learning is directly informed by (but not constrained to) the requirements of the National Curriculum.  

Intent

At St Edmund’s we want our children to develop:

• a strong understanding of the world around them based on key scientific foundational knowledge and concepts
• excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena leading to a positive interest in science
• the skills to support their thinking as Scientists, together with the knowledge and understanding of scientific processes to enable them to explore the natural world
• an ability to work scientifically as they explore ‘Life and Living Processes’, ‘Materials and their Properties’, and ‘Physical Properties’ through questioning and developing their own methods and ways to record and evaluate their results
• an understanding of the power of rational explanation, clear communication and key scientific vocabulary
• an awareness of the importance and relevant of scientific processes in our modern world
• a concern for the environmental and an understanding of how we can help protect it.

Implementation

Science is taught as a discrete subject each week to children in both Key Stage One and Key Stage Two with cross-curricula links made where relevant. In reception, science is delivered through the EYFS ‘Understanding the World’ area of learning.

We provide practical activities that encourage children to understand how science can be used to explain, predict and analyse the natural world. These give first-hand experience of exploring, manipulating, comparing, testing, and recording findings. The students then share their findings using a range of communication methods and discuss as a group.

These practical activities are a critical element in developing children’s passion for science. They also enable children to put into practice their learning about how to think and communicate like a scientist. This includes the use of tier 3 scientific vocabulary.

We supplement our weekly lessons with one-off workshops led by external experts and also leave the school premises for education visits. Past workshops have included, ‘the fossil man’, a stargazing workshop, a planetarium experience, and the ‘Life bus’. Past educational visits have included working with ‘Roots of the Future’ to plant hedgerows in the local environment, Winchester Science Museum, and Year 6 science visits to Charterhouse School to focus on the three main aspects of scientific learning in preparation for transition to secondary school.

Impact

The successful approach to the teaching of science at St Edmund’s leads to a strong understanding of the world which gives our children firm foundations for their secondary education to build upon. Our expectation by the end of Key Stage Two is for children to be able to develop their own questions, plan a variety of scientific enquiries to answer questions, and communicate their findings in a variety of ways. Children will also learn about some key scientists who have contributed to our understanding of the natural world, and an awareness of the role science plays in meeting challenges in the modern world.

We assess our pupils using a wide range of approaches. Formative assessment includes day-to-day observations, interactions during class discussions and practical sessions, review of written work, and analysis of results. As a result, our teachers develop a rounded picture of the knowledge and understanding of each pupil. This informs our teachers’ planning for subsequent lessons to tailor their approach to meet the specific requirements of each class and, where needed, to correct any misconceptions or gaps immediately. This helps ensure we build secure scientific foundations for every child.

We also use ‘Pupil Voice’ to measure our children’s enjoyment of science at St Edmund’s. This helps us to ensure we meet our objective of instilling a real sense of wonder and passion for science.

To monitor our students throughout their time at St Edmund’s, we record each child’s progress at the end of each topic using our own school tracking system based on the National Curriculum. This enables staff to track progress in science throughout the school and tailor future lessons based on their prior learning and achievements, which informs Xavier Book moderations. This is supplemented by the subject leader and senior leadership team through lesson observations and scrutiny of students’ books to ensure our high standards are maintained.