Science teaching at North Crescent Primary School aims to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. 

It is our aim that Science nurtures children’s natural enthusiasm and curiosity, helps them to develop enquiring minds which in turn helps them to explain and understand how the world works. 

Children will understand how scientific discoveries have affected the world and how they continue to play an important part in every-day life, including sustainable science, which teaches children the important interaction between human activity and the environment and how we can make a positive impact. 

We believe that learning in science develops through the experience and development of scientific concepts in incremental steps in each phase. For this reason, we chose the Dimensions Curriculum, who have made the following changes to the Programme of Study within the Science National Curriculum to support children’s learning. Exploratory units of Light, Electricity, Sound and Forces have been included in Key Stage 1 to ensure that children gain initial experience of a range of ‘Physical’ science before Key Stage 2. The overall changes to the science curriculum structure enable children to build on their learning through a spiral model, encouraging the development of concepts as they visit each area of science over time.

The subject leader monitors coverage, progression, planning, learning and outcomes. To ensure consistency across the Science curriculum, the following are requirements:

• Vocabulary for each science unit expected to be taught as per Dimensions Key vocabulary lists. 
• Progression of key skills and knowledge document followed to ensure these skills are built upon across year groups and key stages. 
• A cycle of lessons for each unit, which carefully plans for progression. 
• Catalyst questions for pupils to apply their learning in a philosophical/ open manner. 
• Plan an investigation, alongside whole school, half termly. 
• A means to display, showcase and celebrate the pupils’ science work in their classroom area. 
• Local visit trips and visiting experts who will enhance the learning experience. 
• Assessment and monitoring on a pupil, class and subject level. 
• Any CPD needs for teachers.

Our Science curriculum is high quality and planned to demonstrate progression. Progress and attainment are recorded by teachers and monitored by the subject Coordinator using the Juniper Sonar tracking assessment tool.  Assessment is used for consolidation, addressing misconceptions, determining next steps and celebrating success and achievements. 

Children develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of:

Biology – Living things / Habitats / Animals including humans / Plants/ Evolution and inheritance

Physics – Electricity / forces and magnets / earth, moon and space / light / sound/ seasonal changes

Chemistry – materials / changing materials / rocks / states of matter

In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through:

• Reflecting on standards achieved against the planned outcomes
• Teacher feedback at the end of each Dimensions unit. 
• Pupil discussions with Science Coordinator.