Swain House Primary School

Science

“Science may set limits to knowledge, but should not set limits to imagination.” Bertrand Russell

Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent

At Swain House Primary School we aim to teach a broad and balanced curriculum for science
We want our children to think like scientists and the experiments we do aim to support this
We want children to have no limits to what their ambitions are regardless of background
Science stimulates childrens natural curiosity and at Swain House we aim to develop this through exciting and engaging hands on science
Children learn to ask scientific questions and begin to appreciate the way science will affect their future on a personal, national, and global level

Implementation

All classes study three scientists in depth each year so at the end of their primary curriculum they are inspired to look at careers in science.
We use all areas of school to develop scientific skills and knowledge the wildlife area, the raised beds, the orchard, food technology room, the sensory garden and our local area
Grow to School work in Swain House Primary School to enhance and support the science curriculum working with all year groups from Year 1 Year 6
Practical experiments form the basis of all our science themes and children develop their questioning skills, prediction skills and can plan and carry out investigations and observe conclusions
Children are supported to know more, remember more and be able to do more through revisits to previous learning at the beginning of each lesson, with regular opportunities to revisit past learning in the form of quizzes
Visits and visitors into school (explorers, gardeners, VR experiences) all enhance the science curriculum at Swain House Primary School, making it memorable for all children
Each year, we celebrate British Science Week in March where children link their learning to the theme for the year. This creates memorable learning through dressing up as scientists, completing exciting experiments and taking part in a whole school investigation
Children often explain their learning verbally through the use of talk and QR codes
Children will develop an understanding of the life processes of living things; know and understand the physical processes of materials, electricity, light, sound and natural forces and know about the nature of the solar system, including the earth
Children in Early Years learn about the life cycle of different animals through having them in their classroom the life cycle of a frog in Great Oak Nursery, the life cycle of a butterfly and the life cycle of a chicken are learn about in Reception through physically observing these animals in the classroom
Knowledge organisers provide children with the objectives, key vocabulary and progression of the lessons
Some science themes link to the overarching history or geography theme for the term to enable children to make connections in their learning

Impact

Outcomes in science show evidence of a broad and balanced science curriculum
Children are encouraged to self-evaluate learning at the end of every session and are actively encouraged to identify their own target areas, with support from their teachers
Children will have the appropriate knowledge for next stage of learning
Children show their learning through the end of theme quizzes or a non-chronological report

Here is what we have been getting up to as scientists...

Autumn 1

Early Years- The Glitter Germ Experiment:

The children in Reception have learned all about germs and how soap washes them away to make sure we stay fit and healthy. They learnt that we can't see germs so we used glitter instead to show how soap repels the germs away!