Science

Science 

Intent 

At Colebrook Infant Academy we recognise the importance of science in every aspect of daily life and as such, we give the teaching and learning of science the prominence it requires.  

Through science, we support pupils to deepen their understanding of the world and recognise how science influences the real world on a personal and global level.  

As an inclusive school, we aim to nurture all children’s natural curiosity to explore why things happen in the way they do. Children learn to ask scientific questions and will be taught working scientifically skills needed to be able to answer these questions.  

Implementation 

At Colebrook Infant Academy Science topics are taught in accordance with the National Curriculum. Within science lessons, teachers create a respectful, positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms, reinforcing to children that everyone is capable of achieving high standards in science.  

Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following:  

• Topics are blocked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth. 

• Science is taught in planned and arranged topic blocks by the class teacher to ensure a greater depth of knowledge.  Cross-curricular links with other subjects are planned whenever possible to make learning meaningful and purposeful.  

• Each year group will build upon the learning from previous year groups, therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of their working scientifically skills. 

• At the beginning of every new topic, teachers assess children's understanding of the key knowledge for that topic and this is revisited at the end of each topic. 

• Classes use science working walls, with learning objectives and key vocabulary for that unit displayed alongside supportive materials.  This vocabulary is re-visited continuously. 

• Every lesson begins with a science starter to revisit previous learning or address any misconceptions. 

• Teachers use their professional judgement to use scaffolds for children with SEND where appropriate.  

• Teachers will plan and stretch pupils when required and these challenges will focus on broadening the content from the year-group, giving them opportunities to use higher order thinking.  

• Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observations using their working scientifically skills as well as draw conclusions from their findings. 

• In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. 

• Children are given clear success criteria in order to achieve the learning intention with differing elements of independence. 

Impact 

Children leave Colebrook Infant Academy with a secure foundation in the scientific knowledge, skills, understanding and vocabulary needed to shape their future. They have the confidence to ask questions, plan enquiries and evaluate their findings, and show an awareness that scientific understanding is an evolving process.