Science

Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent:

At the heart of our curriculum lie our school values (respect, responsibility, honesty and pride) and these are reflected in the daily life of school. Topics are informed by the National Curriculum and are sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area. Our aim is that, through the teaching of Science, our pupils:

• Have access to a broad and balanced Science curriculum
• Can confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in
• Acquire sound scientific knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes
• Acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills 
• Develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena
• Establish respect for living organisms and the physical environment
• Will critically evaluate evidence

Implementation: 

At Goat Lees, we plan our curriculum using the Kent Primary Science Scheme. The School Curriculum incorporates the National Curriculum but extends beyond this to include the wider opportunities provided at Goat Lees Primary School.

• Units of work are designed to build upon children’s previous knowledge and skills, and we aim to create cross curricular links with other subjects
• A progression in skills map has been developed for each year group to ensure the children build on and develop their skills each year
• In order to support children in their ability to know more and remember more, there are regular opportunities to review the learning that has taken place using retrieval activities
• Children are given a knowledge organiser at the start of each unit of work which details some key information and vocabulary. This is not used as part of an assessment, but to support children with their acquisition of knowledge and is used as a reference document
• Children have access to key vocabulary which they are encouraged to use in their written and oral work. This will help children to become familiar with, and use, technical terminology accurately and precisely
• Children will use a range of resources to develop their knowledge and understanding that is integral to their learning and develop their understanding of working scientifically
• Children will be able to build on prior knowledge and link ideas together, enabling them to question the world around them
• Through enrichment activities, we promote the profile of Science and allow time for the children to explore other scientific topics that may not be part of the standard curriculum
• We make use of the outdoor learning areas when planning for the students. We try to use opportunities to observe the natural world and conduct enquiries and experiments outdoors.

Impact: 

By the time the children leave Goat Lees Primary School, they should have developed:

• Confidence in their scientific knowledge and skills that they can apply to other areas of the curriculum
• An inquisitive mindset and critical thinking which they use in our ever-changing scientific world.
• A firm foundation of knowledge and skills to see them equipped to take on further learning in Secondary School and beyond
• A richer vocabulary which will enable them to articulate their understanding of taught concepts
• Practical skills to enable them to investigateand experiment 

If you would like to see our science curriculum map, please click here.

If you would like to see our whole school science curriculum, please click here.

If you would like to see how our Early Years Curriculum links to the Science curriculum in years 1-6, please click here.