"Every brilliant experiment, like every great work of art, starts with an act of imagination"

- Jonah Lehrer 

Intent

In order to provide a range of opportunities for our children to develop as independent, successful learners with high aspirations, our Science curriculum is also intrinsically linked to our whole school curriculum drivers:

· Gospel Values

· Cultural Capital

· Diversity

· Independence

· High expectations

Gospel Values

As a joint denominational school, Christian values are at the forefront of daily school life at Emmaus. The values of ‘Hope’, ‘Trust’, ‘Friendship’ and ‘Love’ are actively promoted throughout our Science curriculum. Through scientific investigations, children will develop informed, critical and scientific perspectives that acknowledge the importance of making judgements on a respect for facts, accuracy and reason. As a result, the children will acquire knowledge, skills and responsible attitudes and an appreciation of the world in accordance with beliefs and values.

Cultural Capital

At Emmaus, we believe that a rich and broad curriculum builds cultural capital and we thus provide our children with a vast range of experiences and opportunities to help them progress and achieve success. Throughout our Science curriculum, we promote

social, environmental and scientific education providing opportunities for our children to explore, investigate and develop an understanding of the natural, human, social and cultural dimensions of local and wider environments; to learn and practise a wide range of skills; and to acquire open, critical and responsible attitudes.

Diversity

At Emmaus, we understand the importance of developing a curriculum that is diverse, allowing the children to expand their knowledge and understanding of many different identities in a manner appropriate to the subject matter being taught. Our Science curriculum maintains a culture that encourages and promotes diversity and inclusion as we promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations in a manner that values, preserves and responds to diversity.

Independence

Our Science curriculum heavily promotes independent learning, through opportunities for children to build on the ideas which they bring to lessons, through their sensory experiences and social interactions of communication and collaboration. Pupils are supported to retain and retrieve knowledge through lessons which are planned around a coherent sequence, starting with background knowledge and recap of relevant, previously taught ideas. Through our well planned practical investigations children’s natural curiosity is channelled and they are equipped with the strategies and processes to develop scientific ideas and concepts.

High Expectations

In line with all areas of our school curriculum, we have high expectations for all children to achieve their potential in Science - regardless of their starting points. The Science curriculum and assessment system at Emmaus is developed to ensure that we motivate pupils, monitor progress and achieve consistently high standards as they

discover new things. There are high expectations for children to use appropriate scientific vocabulary to articulate their thoughts and ideas.

There is a clear and ambitious progression of vocabulary from Early Years to Year 6. (See Science progression of Vocabulary document.)

Implementation

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Planning for science is a process in which all teachers are involved to ensure that the school gives full coverage of, ‘The National Curriculum programmes of study for Science 2014’ and, ‘Understanding of the World’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Science teaching at Emmaus Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. Where possible, Science is linked to class topics. Science is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage.

We have also developed scientific vocabulary tasks, which are completed both at the beginning (pre-learning task) and end (post-learning task) of a topic in order to show clear progression and children’s new found knowledge and understanding. These tasks also enable the children to articulate scientific concepts clearly and precisely, assisting them in making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others.

Teachers plan to suit their children’s interests, current events, their own teaching style, the use of any support staff and the resources available. We ensure that all children are provided with rich learning experiences that aim to:

· Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.

· Help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.

· Help develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.

· Build on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.

· Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the skills of investigation – including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.

· Develop the use of scientific language, recording and techniques

· Develop the use of computing in investigating and recording. Children will access resources to acquire learning through Science equipment, digital technology, practical experiences and photographs.

· Make links between science and other subjects through cross curricular links.

· Build on prior knowledge and link ideas together, enabling them to question and become enquiry based learners. 

· Clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. With teaching and Learning showing  progression across all key stages within the strands of Science. 

· Develop the children’s topical learning through Educational Visits were applicable.

· Learn and revisit the British Values and PSHE for the importance of our world and how it should be treated.

SEND - Adaptive teaching will take place to ensure that all pupils can access the planned lessons. 

Impact

The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives.

All children will have:

· A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills.

· Children will be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.

· Children will be able to explain the process they have taken and be able to reason scientifically.

· Children will work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment

· A richer vocabulary which will enable to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.

· High aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life.

We have also developed scientific vocabulary tasks, which are completed both at the beginning (pre-learning task) and end (post-learning task) of a topic in order to show clear progression and children’s new found knowledge and understanding. These tasks also enable the children to articulate scientific concepts clearly and precisely, assisting them in making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others.