Science

Curriculum Team: STEM
Subject Name : Science

The Pinkwell WHY for Science (The Intent - Vision) 
At Pinkwell Primary School our vision is to give children a Science curriculum which enables them to explore and discover the world around them, confidently, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We aim to provide all pupils with the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.

The Pinkwell WHAT for Science(The Intent - BIG IDEAS)

At Pinkwell Primary School, we believe that high quality Science learning occurs when, through the curriculum, children have the opportunity to: 

• To develop a substantial body of scientific knowledge, conceptual understanding and skills across biology, chemistry and physics. 
• To develop a secure understanding of and ability to independently apply the scientific enquiry process, including the full range of enquiry types.
• To collaboratively carry out authentic enquiries asking and answering questions about science in their lives and the wider global world.
• To make accurate and confident oral and written use of the language of science.
• To know and understand the uses and implications of science in our world today and for the future.

The Pinkwell HOW for Science (The Implementation)
Within Project Based Learning, Science links to other subjects. We encourage this as Science is an integrated and integral part of modern life. We promote extended writing opportunities within Science and look at scientific discoveries and inventions from the past and how the world of science is continuously changing.

Within Project Based Learning, Science can form a crucial part of the final public product which is presented to an authentic audience. Parental and the wider community participation within public product events is a highlight and celebration of the learning. These events provide opportunities for the children to display and present the learning that has taken place. Science learning is also evidenced in children’s PBL exercise books, and our class PBL Celebration Book. 

Science is all around us. Our overarching themes within PBL have an active Science element. Our overarching half termly whole school themes are:

i) Me and My World. 
ii) What a Wonderful World
iii) Building Today’s World
iv) Connecting our World
v) Citizens of the World
vi) Guardians of the Globe

The Pinkwell SO WHAT for Science 
We provide rich experiences for all our children; the Science curriculum is highly inclusive, embedding opportunities for disadvantaged children to build cultural capital within the context of Science, and to gain powerful knowledge and skills. Children learn about scientists from a wide variety of times and cultures and how they have contributed towards discoveries, and new ways of thinking and have changed or influenced our world. We also build cultural capital in Science through trips and STEM events. Additionally, these opportunities help the children to think about potential future careers in the world of science.

An example of a STEM lesson.

As the National Curriculum states, “A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.” At Pinkwell Primary School, we provide children with opportunities to explore the world in a scientific way, and stimulate their curiosity both in science lessons and throughout the curriculum.

The national curriculum for science 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.

The national curriculum for science reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum. 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. Teachers support this with the direct teaching of scientific language and the accurate use of technical terminology. The vocabulary relevant to each science topic is on display in the classroom during the lessons.

We encourage the children to ‘work scientifically’ and help them to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions through discussions and debate. Children are taught to observe over time; identify patterns; identify, classify and group; plan and undertake investigations and research using secondary sources. They are taught to find answers to questions through collecting, analysing and presenting data.

Because of the range of approaches, work is recorded in a number of ways, including reports, tables and graphs, scientific diagrams and photographic evidence of investigations.