Science
"Science is not a boy's game, it's not a girl's game. It's everyone's game. It's about where we are and where we're going." (Nichelle Nichols)
At Hillcroft, our pupils learn about many different aspects of science including the Natural World, Forces, Electricity, Changes of State and Materials. Whenever possible, we apply the children’s learning to the ‘real world’ showing them where their knowledge can be used and learning about key scientific changes in history. We teach our pupils how to think scientifically about the world around them and to question what they see.
Instilling a sense of wonder and awe is incredibly important when teaching Science lessons at Hillcroft. We adopt a child-led, enquiry based approach to science teaching. As much as possible, our pupils design and lead their own investigations and experiments. We believe passionately that our pupils learn the most about science when they are challenged to explore and discover things for themselves so we try to make each lesson as physical as possible through the use of our Phiz Lab and outdoor environment. Our Phiz Lab is funded by the Ogden Trust, who help to support us with maintaining quality equipment for investigations. It is a dedicated science room, which is used for all investigations in Key Stage 2. At Hillcroft, we are lucky enough to have a large outdoor space where the children can apply their Science learning through a variety of activities; such as senses walks, creating mini habitats and planting our own flowers and vegetables.
As part of the Chalklands cluster of schools, the Curriculum Team have come together to design and implement the Chalklands Science Curriculum. The aims and areas of this are as follows:
The Chalklands science curriculum 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
Scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding
Scientific knowledge and concepts are grouped and carefully sequenced. Iit is vitally important that pupils develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage. Insecure, superficial understanding will not allow genuine progression: pupils may struggle at key points of transition (such as between primary and secondary school), build up serious misconceptions, and/or have significant difficulties in understanding higher-order content.
Pupils should be able to describe associated processes and key characteristics in common language, but they should also be familiar with, and use, technical terminology accurately and precisely. They should build up an extended specialist vocabulary. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data. Teachers may use different contexts to maximise their pupils’ engagement with and motivation to study science.
The nature, processes and methods of science
‘Working scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science for each year group. It should not be taught as a separate strand. The notes and guidance give examples of how ‘working scientifically’ might be embedded within the content of biology, chemistry and physics, focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. These types of scientific enquiry should include: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources. Pupils should seek answers to questions through collecting, analysing and presenting data. ‘Working scientifically’ will be developed further at key stages 3 and 4, once pupils have built up sufficient understanding of science to engage meaningfully in more sophisticated discussion of experimental design and control.
Spoken language
The national curriculum for science reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are key factors in developing their scientific vocabulary and articulating scientific concepts clearly and precisely. They must be assisted in making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others, and teachers should ensure that pupils build secure foundations by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions.
Pupil Voice:
I enjoy Science because I get to learn new things. I have most enjoyed learning about electricity because I now understand how to connect wires within a circuit and also how to make the charge stronger or weaker.
Nikolas - Year 6
I enjoy Science because we get to perform experiments, in the Phiz lab, with different equipment. My favourite experiment this year was when we made potions by combining water and dye. Then we put a piece of tissue between the different cups and the coloured water went up the tissue and the colours mixed on the tissue when they met.
Hazel - Year 4
This year I have enjoyed finding out about which materials are waterproof. We did an experiment where we put a material over a bottle and kept it on with an elastic band. Then we turned the bottle over in a cup. After a bit, we checked in the cup to see if there was water. If the water went through then the material was not waterproof.
Henry - Year 2
In Science, I have learnt that an axis is a big line through the Earth and it holds the Earth still. I also learnt that the world tilts a bit as it goes around and spins and that's how we get Summer. The Earth has two hemispheres, we live on the Northern Hemisphere and Australia is on the Southern Hemisphere.
Eden - Year 1
Progression of Skills and Knowledge:
At Hillcroft Primary School, we follow the National Curriculum. From this, we ensure that skills and knowledge are taught in the appropriate year groups to ensure progression and sequencing.
Across Early Years, to ensure progression from the newly published Early Years Framework into KS1, we follow the revised and updated July 2021 version of Development Matters. In our Nursery, children are aged three and four, and so the progression maps show the objectives related to Three and Four year-old objectives. However, some children join after just turning three, therefore, with these children and following rigorous assessment of starting points, it may be deemed necessary to look at the Birth to Three objectives too. For more information on this, please see the Nursery and Reception year group pages.
Below are links to our Progression of Skills and Knowledge documents.
