Science
Science at St. Thomas'
Our Vision and Principles for Science at St Thomas’ CE Primary School
(Created with input from Staff and Pupils)
At St Thomas’ we strive to create and provide a purposeful and practical Science curriculum, which includes rich scientific vocabulary, helps to develop life skills and inspires curiosity. We believe that our Science curriculum contributes to society through the development of problem solving skills, enquiring minds, innovation and increasing fundamental knowledge. We learn Science through hands-on experiences that are relevant to real life and are engaging. We encourage pupils to raise their own questions and take responsibility for their learning. We aim to promote whole-school enthusiasm and passion for scientific enquiry and investigation. We aim to engage children, make them inquisitive about the world around them and instill the confidence to raise questions and find answers.
Our Science Scheme is called ‘Developing Experts’
Developing Experts science scheme is an interactive, online platform that is aligned with the National Curriculum for ages 4-16 years.
The scheme itself provides clearly-sequenced and progressive units with week-by-week lesson support for each year group. It combines elements of understanding vocabulary, questioning, discussing and working scientifically which are accompanied by specialist videos from experts and people in industry to provide that link from the classroom to specialised careers. Teachers at St Thomas’ are encouraged to adapt activities, tasks and lessons to meet the needs of all its pupils.
The scheme provides many opportunities for teachers to assess the children’s learning throughout. This can be done through interactive quizzes within or at the end of lessons, written outcomes on worksheets that are provided or the before and after unit tests. There are also suggestions for further learning opportunities for the pupils who have progressed well as well as home learning.
Impact
Through Developing Experts, our Science curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression in knowledge, working scientifically, skills and enquiry types. The impact of our Science curriculum is that the majority of children, in our school, are able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and scientific vocabulary in the core areas of science taught each year.
- Recall, make links to and build upon previously taught science vocabulary and knowledge.
- Use scientific vocabulary and skills to help them to work scientifically when planning, conducting, recording, reporting and understanding scientific enquiries.
- Know about science and scientists in real life.
Early Years
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, science is taught through the Understanding the World area of learning, where children are encouraged to explore, observe and make sense of the world around them. Learning is rooted in first-hand experiences, practical activities and high-quality interactions that build curiosity and a sense of wonder.