Our Lady of the Rosary

Science

At Our Lady of the Rosary School, our vision is to transform the lives of our pupils within a Catholic environment by nurturing the wellbeing of each child, promoting the highest academic achievement and instilling a lifelong love of learning. We aim to fulfil our school strap line ‘Faith, Love, Learning’ by igniting a thirst for knowledge and a desire to achieve through an engaging and creative curriculum that promotes the highest academic achievements and prepares our pupils to be successful in their adult life.

Our Vision…

At Our Lady of the Rosary, we want all our pupils to know that the teaching of science is about understanding the world around them and to think scientifically. Pupils study the body of scientific knowledge and skills as outlined in the primary National Curriculum. Pupils learn to think scientifically and to gain an understanding of scientific processes and of the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. We, at Our Lady of the Rosary, believe that the teaching of science develops in pupils an interest and curiosity about the world in which they live and fosters in them a respect for the environment. 

Intent

At Our Lady of the Rosary, we intend to foster a curiosity to for pupils to ask and answer scientific questions about the world around them. We have a spiral curriculum where key concepts and strands are taught and revisited year on year. In Science, pupils are taught key knowledge, specialist vocabulary and how to work scientifically.  Pupils are encouraged to use prior knowledge and make links.  

Pupils at Our Lady of the Rosary learn to use different investigative approaches. These include: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations) and researching using secondary sources in order to answer relevant scientific questions. Scientific enquiry is taught within the lessons and children will learn about the different types of investigation they are undertaking.

We aim, through our teaching, for our children to develop an interest and enthusiasm for science.

As a school, we share and celebrate our science work with pride and express that every child is an Our Lady of the Rosary Scientist.

EYFS

The Early Learning Goals for science comes from Knowledge and Understanding of the World.

Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.

In the EYFS children use a range of ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ in their independent learning. These can be seen as complementing ‘Working Scientifically’

  • Playing and exploring – engagement
  • Finding out and exploring; playing with what they know; being willing to ‘have a go’
  • Active learning – motivation.
  • Being involved and concentrating; keeping trying; enjoying achieving what they set out to do
  • Creating and thinking critically – thinking
  • Having their own ideas; making links; choosing ways to do things.

 Key Stage 1

Working scientifically pupils are expected to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

  • asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways observing closely, using simple equipment
  • performing simple tests
  • identifying and classifying
  • using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.

 Lower Key Stage 2

 Pupil will be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

  • asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
  • setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
  • making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
  • recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables
  • reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions
  • using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions
  • identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes
  • using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

Upper Key Stage 2

 Pupils will be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

  • planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
  • taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
  • recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs
  • using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
  • reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
  • identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

 

Implementation

 

  • Science is taught discretely and weekly throughout the school.
  • At the start of each Unit of Work pupils will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know.
  • Each Science lesson begins with an enquiry question. 
  • Substantive knowledge is taught through individual lessons, the disciplinary knowledge and concepts develop as the unit progresses.  
  • Every year group will build upon the learning from the previous year therefore developing depth of scientific understanding and progression of skills.
  • Retrieval is done at the start of each lesson to give pupils the opportunity to retrieve scientific knowledge from their long term memory.  In order to support pupils 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.
  • Pupils are assessed against a series of endpoints, showing whether they have accurately understood and retained key knowledge.
  • Each class has a Science display within their classrooms linked to the different scientific enquiry approaches. Relevant questions and vocabulary are included to help children use in their lessons.
  • Pupils will have access to a range practical resources which enable them to carry out a range of investigations.
  • Pupils will plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary.
  • Consideration is given to how greater depth will be taught, learnt and demonstrated within each lesson, as well as how learners will be supported in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion.
  • Evidence of pupil work is recorded in pupils Science book.
  • Outcomes of work are regularly monitored to ensure that they reflect a sound understanding of the key identified knowledge.
  • Assessment is informed by observations during lessons, verbal feedback, pupil voice and work scrutiny.
  • Summative judgements (Working Towards/Working At/Working Above age-related Expectations) are recorded for Science at the end of each term (KS1 and KS2).
  • An end of year overall summative judgement is made in end of year reports for all KS1 and KS2 pupils (EYFS profile assessment - ELG Understanding the World).  
  • Effective use of educational visits and visitors are planned to enrich and provide first-hand learning experiences for pupils.
  • Enrichment activities are carefully planned for to stimulate pupils’ curiosity and love of learning. Every year the school has a ‘Science Week’ linked to British Science Week and all year groups take part in workshops linked to that year’s theme.
  • Cross-curricular links are planned for and allow children to deepen their understanding across the curriculum.

 

Impact

 

Pupils will become increasingly critical and analytical with their thinking, developing the skills to become a successful scientist. Pupils will have a sound understanding of scientific enquiry and will be able to carry out a variety of different scientific investigations, record their findings and include scientific vocabulary within their written and oral presentations.

 Pupils will begin to encounter more abstract ideas and recognise how ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. Pupils will understand that scientific ideas change and develop over time. They will select appropriate ways to answer scientific questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information. Pupils will be able to draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.

We have high aspirations for all pupils, which will see them through to further study, work and be successful in their adult life.

Science overview 2024