Science
Intent
Science at Sevenoaks Primary School has a playful, enquiry-based approach which clearly relates to real life and children’s naturally inquisitive minds and desire to find the answer to big questions. Chances to investigate and explore, using high quality resources and real experiences when available and recording and sharing in fun ways, are embedded in lessons so that the children are always working practically to expand their awareness of the world around them and develop a life-long love of science. Opportunities to use scientific language are constantly encouraged, as are the chances for the children to reflect on the importance of science to both their current and future lives.
This intent is shared with all our pupils in a child-friendly format and is displayed in all our classrooms. Most importantly, it is reflected on in lessons to ensure that we are achieving what we set out to do.
Click on the units below to view the attached Knowledge Organiser for that subject.
science curriculum overview.pdf
Sevenoaks Primary Skills Progression in Science
Implementation
At Sevenoaks Primary School, we approach the teaching and learning of science as the core subject that it is. Firstly, lessons are closely linked to knowledge organisers so that the vital curriculum knowledge is always present. Secondly, the different methods of scientific enquiry and ways of working scientifically are carefully sequenced into lessons. They are also shared and discussed with the children as part of science lessons, which ensures that both the knowledge and practices of science are being learned.
Above all, science is about being inquisitive and practically solving big questions, as the gallery below illustrates!
Can dirty pond water be successfully filtered?
Which parts of flowering plants help with reproduction?
What roles do our different teeth have?
Which material provides the best friction?
How strong is the force of gravity pulling on different objects?
Which forces can propel a vehicle forward?
Which shape of structure is the strongest?
Impact
How will we know that the children have learnt? In the simplest sense, by ensuring that they are able to both explain the science knowledge that they have gained and the scientific ways that they have discovered this. These two aspects of learning are found first and foremost in the children’s science books but also via the children’s ability to orally explain their learning through ‘pupil voice’ opportunities. Teachers gain further evidence of the impact of learning through targeted online quizzes which the children complete.
As the children progress through the school, the impact of the learning should also be felt in a more fundamental way. This will be in that they are intrigued more and more by science and inquisitive to engage with it as a way of discovering more. Finally, the children begin to link their learning in class with the science all around them in their daily lives and in the way our modern world depends on the discoveries of science.
