Eastcourt
Independent School
Science
In Science we focus on practical activities to explore, develop and consolidate scientific ideas, skills, knowledge and understanding.
As a result, by the time the children reach Year 5 they are ready to move from science topics into the 3 explicit areas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Intent
We seek to extend children’s natural curiosity and eagerness to ask questions about the world, enabling them to develop and evaluate explanations through experimental evidence and modelling. Teamwork, independence and inventiveness figure in our learning. We aim to provide opportunities to ensure pupils acquire knowledge which they can retain in the long term. Lessons often include the practical nature of experimenting.
Implementation
The National Curriculum is followed. Experimental techniques are developed throughout the school with reference to ‘working scientifically’.
Children are encouraged to explore and investigate practically and usually work in mixed ability groups. The understanding of younger pupils is often recorded through drawings, photographs and discussion.
Fair Test planning, doing, and evaluating sheets are used to scaffold growing independence in investigations.
Science Days encourage a love and understanding of science and raise its profile throughout the school.
Impact
Children have developed a love of science and an eagerness to observe and question the world. This has been inspired by imaginative science lessons and whole school science days.
They have learnt to communicate using appropriate scientific language. As they progress through the school they can use scientific investigations to learn about our world and increasingly use graphs and tables to show their results. They can make conclusions and discuss ways in which their experiments could be improved. Teamwork has been fostered by performing experiments in groups and increasingly they are being encouraged to formulate and carry out their own investigations.
From an early age, pupils are encouraged to make predictions and test their ideas using practical experiments. They consider how to make their tests fair and learn to make accurate measurements using a wide variety of tools and equipment, such as thermometers and Newton meters. They make simple electrical circuits.
As children progress through the school, they are expected to plan their own investigations to answer intriguing questions such as ‘Does the tallest person have the largest feet?’ or ‘How does a burglar alarm work?’ Children learn how simple scientific concepts explain everyday phenomena and the importance of science in everyday life. Science is linked to work in other areas of the curriculum at various times.
