Science

Children show a fascination and curiosity in their surroundings, taking a delight in finding ways to investigate their environment. At Danson Primary School, we believe that by encouraging this natural inquisitiveness we will help the children make sense of the world around them. As teachers, we seek to develop in the children an awareness of how science permeates almost every aspect of our lives.

Aims:

We aim to:

• Develop in each child a knowledge and understanding of, and an ability to use, the scientific process which will encourage them to acquire scientific skills and relate these to everyday experiences.
• Develop in each child the skill of working scientifically.
• Learn about the ways of thinking, finding out about and communicating ideas.
• Explore values and attitudes through science.

Teaching and Learning

At Danson, we use a variety of teaching and learning styles in our science lessons. Our principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. This can be done through whole class teaching and group work, while at other times we engage the children in an enquiry-based research activity. We encourage the children to ask, as well as answer, scientific questions. Wherever possible, children are involved in ‘real’ scientific activities, for example, carrying out practical experiments and analysing the results or using the grounds of our school to study the environment and the animals living within it. (See Teaching and Learning policy).

National Curriculum Coverage

The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:

• 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.

Danson Primary School uses the Kent Scheme of work for planning, investigative science and assessment. The scheme is adapted for the needs of the children and to ensure that there is clear progression within the science curriculum.

Learning objectives are mostly investigative led and will be ‘open’ for the children to explore throughout the lesson, rather than be ‘told’ what is going to happen in order to develop their curiosity for learning scientifically. 

2021-2022 Science Overview

Assessment

The assessment of science is an integral part of teaching. It allows teachers to identify what the children already know, as well as what has been learnt, which they assess through various factors within science. 

At the beginning of each science topic, children complete a pre-task. This is to assess what they already know about the topic they are going to be learning about. Then, once the science unit has been completed, they complete a post task which demonstrates the learning that has taken place from the start of the topic to its completion. 

Furthermore, during each topic of learning, pupils are exposed to a high level of scientific language and they are assessed on their understanding and application of this. At the end of each topic pupils will self-reflect on their learning which enables teachers to assess their understanding and ability to apply their scientific understanding.

Pupils are continually encouraged to discuss new concepts by applying their previous knowledge whenever possible. In Key Stage 2, pupils complete a mini- assessment at the end of most lessons, again as a tool for reflection which shows the progress that they have made in both scientific knowledge and understanding during that lesson.

A further form of assessment that is used at Danson Primary School are science banding sheets, which detail all of the objectives for that particular science topic from the National Curriculum. These objectives are used as an assessment tool and marked off for each child once they have demonstrated a clear understanding and there is evidence of this for that particular objective.

Written work in books is marked positively, making it clear where the work is successful and also setting challenging next steps in learning, therefore continually striving for rapid and sustained progress in science.

Science Lab

Here at Danson, we are very fortunate to have an extensively stocked science lab in which pupils can have their science lessons. The children love using the room for both their science lesson as well as deepening their general scientific knowledge and awareness, through accessing the resources and displays.

Nursery

Reception

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 5 Elizabeth

Year 5 Henry

Year 5 Victoria