Science curriculum statement

Intent

Here at Badsworth C of E Junior and Infant School, it is our intent for everyone to CARE - Prepare - Believe.

As a school we: 

Consider And Respect Everyone, as Jesus taught.

Prepare for a bright future.

Believe we can make a difference.

‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me’

Philippians 4:13

In order for all children to live out our vision, we believe in delivering an engaging, broad and balanced curriculum. Science is an important part of the children’s learning journey and a key component in holistically developing each learner. Our Science curriculum provides our children with opportunities to be inquisitive throughout their time at school and beyond, and recognise the importance of science in every aspect of daily life.

Through our carefully planned Science curriculum, we foster a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promote respect for living and nonliving things. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes and these themes underpin all of our curriculum and teaching. All children are given the opportunity to develop and use a wide range of skills including observation, planning, predicting, questioning, debating and investigating. 

We aim to enable children to become independent learners who have the opportunity to explore topics through hands-on practical experiences and discussion using correct scientific terminology that is taught progressively through the Key Stages. Concepts taught throughout the children’s learning journey are reinforced in various year groups ensuring that prior learning is consolidated and built upon.

Implementation

Science at Badsworth will help to underpin and inspire the rest of our curriculum, meaning that there is depth within all learning through a cross-curricular approach. Within our specially tailored science curriculum, and the use of our Science scheme, Pzaz,  we have ensured that there are clear and strong links to Mathematics, Computing and DT; encompassing and embedding other valuable skills such as problem solving, handling data and communication and language. 

Through the use of knowledge organisers, children will be able to convey what they already know about a topic and what they would like to find out, meaning we place pupil voice at the centre of all planning and encourage independent and creative thinking. All classes will have a science display working wall, on which children’s work, relevant vocabulary and overall progress can be displayed. Our main focus of this display will cover these 7 areas of scientific enquiry:

• Asking questions
• Making predictions
• Setting up investigations
• Observing and measuring
• Recording data
• Interpreting and communicating results
• Evaluation 

Pupil voice will also be used to further develop the Science curriculum, through questioning of pupil’s views and attitudes to Science to support the children’s enjoyment of science and to motivate learners.

Impact

Badsworth School’s approach to the science curriculum results in a fun, engaging, high-quality science education that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world and opportunities to flourish. Our engagement with the local environment ensures that children learn through varied and first-hand experiences of the world around them, including the use of mathematics, DT and computing. So much of science lends itself to outdoor learning and so we provide children with opportunities to experience this. Through various workshops, educational visits and interactions with experts and partner schools, children will have the understanding that science has and will continue to change our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity.  All children will feel they are scientists and capable of achieving.  They will have knowledge of the possibilities for future careers as a result of a meaningful and impactful science teaching.