Science

Science Curriculum Intent

Science Curriculum Intent Giles Junior School

“Play is the highest form of research.” Albert Einstein.

At Giles Junior School, we aim to support our children in developing their scientific knowledge through carefully planned exciting Science opportunities. All Science lessons, where appropriate, are cross-curricular and embed previous learning to deepen understanding. We aim to support our children in developing an understanding of the process and methods of Science by providing a range of scientific enquiries, investigations and questions to help them explore the world around them. We hope to develop and nurture our children’s natural curiosity by not only following the National Curriculum, but also following their questions and interests to develop a love, passion and appreciation for Science.

 We know that good science leading to mastery occurs at Giles when:

 Children are excited … there are “wow” moments.

• They want to do more.
• Children are active and engaged in their learning.
• Children ask good questions.
• Children can talk about what they have learnt and identify the next stages and steps.
• Children are involved in practical hands on activities.
• They are able to make links between the experiences and other subjects.
• They develop and extend their own learning, applying their knowledge to other situations. This will be through exploring and discovering new things.
• The four E’s are evident in every lesson: Explore, Engage, Enquire, Explain

 In the classroom:

• They have access to a range of stimulating and interesting resources.
• Children are involved in the planning and their questions become part of the plan.
• Children can explore at their own level.
• You can hear, “Ooh! Ah! Wow!” Questions start with how, what, where, and why.
• Children talk to each other with statements such as, “Come and look,” or, “I didn’t know that.”

 Teaching and Learning:

•  Approaches include opportunity in the classroom, outside and from visits and visitors.
• There are opportunities to master exploration and investigation
• There are opportunities to use scientific equipment as well as digital resources
• Book scrutiny’s will show evidence of observations, the children’s own comments as well as those of the teacher, i.e. a dialogue. Through talking the children will have shown they can predict, hypothesise, use variables within fair testing, measure accurately and evaluate with clear explanations.

” I have not failed……I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work!”

Thomas Edison