Science
At Westgate Primary School, we intend to deliver a high quality education to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding within Science. Throughout our Science curriculum, we intend for our children to be exposed to key scientific concepts in the areas of physics, chemistry and biology. We aim to teach specific subject knowledge, practical methods and approaches, in order to develop a knowledge of how applications of Science impact on our lives today and in the future.
We are committed to inspire children to want to learn more about natural phenomena and develop within them excitement and a curiosity that will enable them to appreciate and learn about the important role that Science plays in our lives. We aim to develop a sense of awe and wonder by enabling children to experience fun, practical investigative learning. It is our intention for children to be provided with the opportunities to follow different lines of enquiry which will develop the key skills of prediction, observation, recording, analysis, evaluation and conclusion. We aim for children to select and use appropriate equipment and acquire key scientific vocabulary to develop their knowledge and skills of the scientific world.
Implementation
To ensure a progressive and continuous science curriculum that builds on prior learning, staff use the Association for Science Education PLAN Primary Science Assessment resources along with The PSTT TAPS (Teacher Assessment in Primary Science) resources to support planning and assessment. This allows for the effective assessment of children's understanding throughout a topic and helps to adjust planning to address any misconceptions or identified gaps.
We use the PLAN Assessment resources to:
· Provide a clear framework for planning and assessment that ensures full coverage and progression across the National Curriculum's scientific knowledge and 'working scientifically' skills.
· Utilise the provided matrices and examples of expected work to develop shared understanding among staff of national standards and to support accurate teacher judgements.
· Inform our planning by identifying key learning intentions and potential knowledge gaps, allowing for responsive teaching and targeted support to build on prior learning.
We incorporate the PSTT TAPS (Teacher Assessment in Primary Science) resources to:
· Embed formative assessment within normal classroom science activities, using the 'Focused Assessment' approach to concentrate on one specific enquiry skill at a time within a whole investigation.
· Support teachers in making explicit the 'working scientifically' skills being developed, often using visual aids (such as the 'working scientifically cycle' poster) to help children understand which specific skill they are focusing on in a lesson
· Ensure a balance of enquiry types are planned for across a topic/year, enhancing the validity of our overall assessment of pupils' scientific abilities.
By integrating the detailed planning support from PLAN and the practical, focused assessment strategies from TAPS, we ensure that assessment is a meaningful part of every lesson, informing future planning and leading to improved pupil outcomes and a deeper love for science.