Science

Intent

At Elmwood, we aim to teach science in a practical and stimulating way in order to encourage children’s natural curiosity and fascination with the world around them.  We want all our children to be inquisitive, reflective and confident young scientists.

As a Rights Respecting School, we also encourage children to link their learning in science to their rights, for example making links between their science learning and their rights to healthy food, clean water and a safe environment.

Implementation

Using the Plymouth Science Scheme of Work and PLAN resources, we aim to deliver a progressive science curriculum that broadens and deepens our pupil’s scientific knowledge.  Scientific enquiry, which includes making observations and identifying patterns, is embedded in our lessons.

At regular science focused staff meetings, staff are kept up to date and have time to discuss and adapt the curriculum where needed. This ensures high standards of teaching and learning in science by implementing a curriculum that is suited to our children as they move from Nursery through to Year 2. 

Science teaching involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. All children have full access to the curriculum.  Where required, appropriate adaptations are made to suit the needs of individual pupils, such as recording children’s oral responses, smaller group activities or pre-teaching key vocabulary and concepts.

Where possible, science is linked to class topics although it is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage.  In Key Stage One, Science units are taught in blocks with each year group having a carefully balanced set of units to cover throughout the year.  This ensures progression between year groups and guarantees all topics are covered.  In Early Years, teachers plan by linking science learning to their termly topics and also the children’s interests, planning carefully to ensure coverage. 

The children across the school are further encouraged to use their ‘superskills’ to embed them in their approach to learning: to be confident, to collaborate, to be independent, to be organised and to persevere and use their communication skills.

Impact

The children at Elmwood Infants enjoy and are enthusiastic about science.  By the end of year 2 they will ready to progress to KS2 as they will be knowledgeable about the world around them, be confident to carry out scientific enquiries and be able to use scientific vocabulary to show their understanding.