Intent

It is our intent at Petham Primary School to ensure we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. This will be reflected in the cross curricular teaching and learning of science at Petham. We intend to prepare our children to become citizens of the world, encouraging children’s natural curiosity and developing their questioning skills.  We intend to develop science enquiry skills, knowledge and understanding, as well as an awareness of environmental and scientific issues affecting our world.   

It is our aim to: 

• Teach science at least once a week. 

• Develop a language rich environment for science in the classrooms. 

• Focus on science enquiry skills at least once a topic (including practical investigations when appropriate).  

• Expose children to science in the news (when age appropriate)  

• Cover a broad range of topics following the skills and topic progression plans. 

Our core school values are interwoven through our Science curriculum. Pupils will be developing their leadership skills; working together to develop their learning scientifically skills and leading their own research at age appropriate levels. Resilience will be developed through challenging our previously held ideas and concepts in science, challenging and addressing misconceptions.  and

Initiative is fostered through the development of enquiry skills asking questions to further cement pupils scientific understanding of knowledge and skills. Children develop their organisational skills by setting up their own enquiries, conducting their own research and noting results in a myriad of ways. Communication flourishes in science as the children learn how to communicate scientific concepts to each other and a wider audience through blogs/vlogs. 

Implementation 

Our Science curriculum has been designed to cover all of the skills, knowledge and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum states that science should ‘provide the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics’.  To ensure that pupils develop a secure knowledge that they can build on, we have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. 

Each topic, covered in our Science teaching, will have a front cover page that outlines the skills that the children have already learnt (these are highlighted as 'skills that I already have that will help me' this ensures progression across year groups and units of study. It provides focus and clarity for the teaching and pupils, ensuring the skills and knowledge the children learn are built upon and developed throughout their learning journey at Petham. 

 Impact

The impact of this curriculum design is to ensure that all pupils will be able to acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum and real life.  As they progress through the school years, the Science lessons will equip the children to progress from their starting points to develop an understanding of the world around them. 

Through various workshops, trips, outdoor learning, science week initiatives as well as interactions with Science experts, our curriculum will lead pupils to be enquiring individuals, who understand their impact on the World around them. The pupils will devlop their knowledge and understanding of key scientists, appropriate scientific vocabulary and be inspired to investigate the potential for careers in the scientific fields. 

How do we nurture our future Scientists at Petham? 

We offer so much more to our future scientists at Petham. As well as a wonderful Science curriculum taught in school, we also offer STEM trips, host visiting scientists and take part in the Kings School 'Saturday Smarties' promgramme. All of these extra opportunities aim to inspire and encourage our children at Petham to consider Science as a future career. Here are some of the things we have offered this year...

Parent testimony - Saturday Smarties! 

What was it like attending the Saturday Smarties? 

Celeste really enjoyed the Saturday Smarties programme at The King’s School. It was wonderful that in the space of 2 - 3 hours she learnt so much! It was really beneficial to her learning that she could participate in a lot of practical activities. Celeste said, “I loved using Bunsen burners and how you can make the flame different colours. The colourful explosions were amazing…!” She particularly liked the ‘Forensic Science’ topic where she printed out her fingerprints, looking at the loops, whorls and arches. Celeste was also fascinated how chromatography techniques are used to analyse ransom notes and she discovered how science plays a part in helping solve crimes.

It was great that a snack and lunch was provided as well as worksheets and lots of information about what was covered that day. A certificate of attendance along with other goodies was a bonus!

Celeste was very grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in Saturday Smarties. She still talks about it now and if there is anything she said she would change is that she wishes the time spent there was longer so that she could do even more!

Year 6 parent