Science
At Cheadle Heath Primary School we strive to provide the children with an exciting, rich and varied Science curriculum that includes a balance of knowledge and skills in working scientifically. We follow the National Curriculum ensuring all pupils develop their scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
In the files you will find our 2022 - 23 Curriculum Map for Science which details the topics covered by each year group at each point in the year. As we have mixed year groups across KS1 and KS2 we operate a two year rolling cycle for our Science curriculum.
We provide opportunities for children to work both independently and co-operatively with others to foster curiosity and develop their learning through experiments and investigations. Science is 'hands on' where possible and pupils are given the opportunities to experience science in the real world. The children are active participants in all aspects of enquiry and throughout their time with us, children will become familiar with the five different types of enquiry:
- Observation over time
- Pattern Seeking
- Identifying, Classifying and grouping
- Comparative and Fair Testing (controlled investigation)
- Research using secondary sources
At Cheadle Heath Primary we aim to develop children who can communicate scientifically and have the ability to use and apply science across the curriculum and real life as a high-quality science education provides foundations for understanding the world.
We are fortunate to have an on site forest school area which is available to all year groups. Forest School ensures that the children have a real world setting on which to base their investigations. We have secured links with the secondary science department at a local independent school, using labs, teaching expertise and resources enhancing teaching and learning for our Year 5 pupils in science.
INTENT
Cheadle Heath Primary School understands the need for all pupils to develop their Scientific ability as an essential component of all subjects and as a subject in its own right. A good understanding of scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding helps to support pupils work across the curriculum.
Science teaching at Cheadle Heath Primary School aims to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future. Scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic the children study and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. Topics, such as Plants, are first introduced in EYFS, then taught in Key Stage One and studied again in further detail throughout Key Stage Two. This allows children to build upon their prior knowledge and increases their enthusiasm for the topics whilst embedding this knowledge into the long-term memory.
All children are encouraged to develop and use a range of skills including observations, planning and investigations, as well as being encouraged to question the world around them and become independent learners in exploring possible answers for their scientific based questions. The staff at Cheadle Heath Primary School ensure that all children are exposed to high quality teaching and learning experiences, which allow children to explore their outdoor environment and locality, thus developing their scientific enquiry and investigative skills. They are immersed in scientific vocabulary, which aids children’s knowledge and understanding not only of the topic they are studying, but of the world around them. Concepts taught should be reinforced by focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. We intend to provide all children regardless of ethnic origin, gender, class, aptitude or disability, with a broad and balanced science curriculum.
At Cheadle Heath Primary School we believe that a high quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.|
IMPLEMENTATION
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Planning for Science is a process in which all teachers are involved to ensure that the school gives full coverage of, ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science 2014’ and Understanding of the World and the ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Science teaching at Cheadle Heath Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. Where appropriate, Science is linked to class topics. Science is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage. Teachers plan to suit their children’s interests, current events, their own teaching style, the use of any support staff and the resources available.
We ensure that all children are provided with rich learning experiences that aim to:
- Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.
- Help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.
- Help develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.
- Build on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
- Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the skills of investigation – including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
- Develop the use of scientific language, recording and techniques.
- Develop the use of computing in investigating and recording.
- Make links between science and other subjects.
IMPACT
Cheadle Heath Primary School understands the need for all pupils to develop their Scientific ability as an essential component of all subjects and as a subject in its own right. A good understanding of scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding helps to support pupils work across the curriculum.
The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives.
By the end of their time at CHPS all children will have:
- A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills
- A richer vocabulary which will enable to articulate their understanding of taught concepts
- High aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life