Science
"When you don’t know about science the world can be very confusing but after learning lots of things, it all starts to make more sense."
Egglescliffe Pupil
Why we teach Science
At Egglescliffe Primary school we give children a high-quality science education that provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science constantly changes our understanding of 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. At the heart of our progressive science curriculum is scientific investigation. Wherever possible we intend to deliver lessons where children learn through varied systematic investigations, leading to them being equipped for life to ask and answer scientific questions about the world around them.
How we teach Science
The acquisition of key scientific knowledge and skill is an integral part of our science lessons. Bespoke planning enables children to learn and retain the important, useful and powerful vocabulary and knowledge contained within each unit. The progression of skills for working scientifically are developed through the year groups and scientific enquiry skills are of key importance within lessons.
Our curriculum is progressive. We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years, which is tested through our ‘concept maps’ where teachers can identify misconceptions that need addressing as well as reinforcing knowledge of prior scientific vocabulary.
Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career, and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. This is developed through the years, in keeping with the topics. •Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various working scientifically skills to embed scientific understanding.
The successful approach to the teaching of science at Egglescliffe Primary will result in a fun, engaging, high quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them once they complete their primary education.
Children at Egglescliffe Primary will:
- Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
- Are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
- Are continuously offered enrichment activities for science throughout the year to give children a range of engaging opportunities to embed learning further.
Exceptionality of Science
At Egglescliffe Primary we actively seek opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and workshops with experts. We thrive in immersing the children into enrichment days, such as: science week, STEM week, ADA love lace day, where we promote the profile of science and allow time for the children to freely explore scientific topics and careers. All previous STEM weeks have created a buzz around school and excitement around the curriculum areas including science. We have had visitors such as Lush where the children were able to explore the creation of bath bombs and an attempt at beating the cube where they faced multiple challenges. KS1 also experienced a virtual planetarium. STEM week is brilliant for promoting how science is threaded through so many other aspects of our curriculum.
We also make links through our community where we have parents, with scientific background. from the school come into do workshops assemblies with the children. Some examples that we have had are Mr Garfitt (architect), Mr Shipley (renal consultant), Beverly (human science interaction- has worked for cancer research), Jose (vet). We are hugely grateful of the time they take out of their busy working lives to come and enrich our curriculum further. It is hugely impactful for the children to see where their learning could take them.
Science cafés are scheduled in throughout the school year so that parents able to drop in and learn more about science at Egglescliffe Primary. Previous led session included parents exploring how our curriculum encourages curiosity about our world. Curiosity that then prompts questioning and exploration. As a school we are keen promotion of how learning links to relevant real-world contexts.
Where possible we will make links with local business for the children to take part in immersive experiences. So far, we have had KS2 children Cummins and Hartlepool Power Station. This included tours/ STEM workshop where children got to design their own pylon. These visits allow the children to have a hands-on experience of seeing local career pathways in Teesside. This links well with our upcoming work with Mammoet as they also do a lot of work with Egglescliffe Secondary and are known for providing apprenticeships for local children. To be exposed to this company and to have involvement with employees from Mammoet is a brilliant opportunity for our children.
Books used in Science
- Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers
- Somebody Swallowed Stanley by Sarah Roberts
- The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
- Moth: An Evolution Story by Isabel Thomas
- The Fossil Hunter by Kate Winter
Home Learning Recommendations
STEM LEARNING - https://www.stem.org.uk/primary/resources/collections/home-learning-support
Primary Science Teaching Trust - https://www.stem.org.uk/primary/resources/collections/home-learning-support
Explore - https://explorify.uk/
Science Museum Group - https://learning.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/resourcetype/at-home/
BBC Bitesize Learning - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7nygk7
BBC Bitesize Games - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zyktfdm#zfcwp9q
NASA Kids' Club - https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-kids-club/
National Geographic Kids - https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/teacher-category/science/
