Science at The Royal School
At the Royal School our science curriculum aims to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena and an understanding of how the scientific community contributes to our past, present and future.
We want pupils to develop a complex knowledge of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, but also adopt a broad range of skills in working scientifically and beyond. Our science curriculum is inclusive and meaningful, so all pupils may experience the joy of science and make associations between their science learning and their lives outside the classroom.
Studying science allows pupils to appreciate how new knowledge and skills can be fundamental to solving arising global challenges.
Our curriculum aims to encourage critical thinking and empower pupils to question the hows and whys of the world around them.
Outdoor learning in our extensive grounds, including the use of our own forest area, keeping sheep at the school and engaging in special activities such as hatching out chicks all help bring our science curriculum to life.
Through our curriculum we encourage:
● A strong focus on developing knowledge alongside scientific skills across Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
● Curiosity and excitement about familiar and unknown observations.
● Challenging misconceptions and demystifying truths.
● Continuous progression by building on practical and investigative skills across all units.
● Critical thinking, with the ability to ask perceptive questions and explain and analyse evidence.
● Development of scientific literacy using wide-ranging, specialist vocabulary.
We use Kapow Primary’s Science scheme of work as the basis of our science curriculum which aligns with the national curriculum and identifies the following key strands:
● Scientific knowledge and understanding of:
○ Biology - living organisms and vital processes.
○ Chemistry - matter and its properties.
○ Physics - how the world we live in ‘works’.
● Working scientifically - processes and methods of science to answer questions about the world around us.
● Science in action - uses and implications of science in the past, present and for the future.
Our science is taught as a spiral curriculum, with essential knowledge and skills revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. A range of engaging recall activities promote frequent pupil reflection on prior learning, ensuring new learning is approached with confidence.
The science in action strand is interwoven throughout the curriculum to make the concepts and skills relevant to pupils and inspiring for future application. Cross-curricular links are included throughout each unit, allowing children to make connections and apply their science skills to other areas of learning.
Each unit is based upon one of the key science disciplines; Biology, Chemistry and Physics and to show progression throughout the school we have grouped the National curriculum content into six key areas of science:
Plants
Animals, including humans
Living things and habitats
Materials
Energy
Forces, Earth and space.
Pupils explore knowledge and conceptual understanding through engaging activities and an introduction to relevant specialist vocabulary. As suggested in Ofsted’s Science research review (April 2021), the ‘working scientifically’ skills are integrated with conceptual understanding rather than taught discretely. This provides frequent, but relevant, opportunities for developing scientific enquiry skills. We use practical activities that aid in the progression of individual skills and also provide opportunities for full investigations.
Lessons incorporate various teaching strategies from independent tasks to paired and group work, including practical, creative, computer-based and collaborative tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with different learning styles. We adapt learning for every lesson to ensure that all pupils can access it, and opportunities to
stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.
At the end of the year each year group engages in a ‘Making connections’ unit that delves beyond the essential curriculum, assimilating prior knowledge and skills to evoke excitement and to provide an additional method of assessing scientific attainment.
Lessons incorporate various teaching strategies from independent tasks to paired and group work, including practical, creative, computer-based and collaborative tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with different learning styles. We adapt learning for every lesson to ensure that all pupils can access it, and opportunities to
stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.
Knowledge organisers for each unit are used to help to identify prior and future curriculum links to make our lessons as meaningful as possible and reinforce key technical terms.
The impact of our science curriculum is constantly monitored through both formative and
summative assessment opportunities. Our teachers assess pupils against the learning objectives and any relevant scientific enquiry skills through the use of low stake quizzes and the use of resources such as knowledge and skills catchers. Opportunities for the children to communicate using scientific vocabulary will also form part of the assessment process in each unit.
summative assessment opportunities. Our teachers assess pupils against the learning objectives and any relevant scientific enquiry skills through the use of low stake quizzes and the use of resources such as knowledge and skills catchers. Opportunities for the children to communicate using scientific vocabulary will also form part of the assessment process in each unit.