What does Science at Frogwell offer our children?

At Frogwell school it is our intention to provide a high-quality Science curriculum, which will provide our pupils with the foundations they need to recognise the importance of Science in everyday life. Preparing them for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences in later life. Our broad and balanced curriculum will enable them to confidently explore and discover what is around them and to develop a deeper understanding of the world we live in. It is our intention to develop a community of scientists, with a love for Science. Through our curriculum, all pupils will be supported and guided to develop skills in asking questions about the world around them, developing a rich scientific vocabulary, work scientifically to further develop their conceptual understanding and scientific knowledge.

What are the main aims of our Science curriculum?

Our broad science curriculum covers seven strands: Plants, Living things and their habitats, Animals including humans, Materials, Light and sound, Electricity and Forces, and Changes. Each strand has working scientifically opportunities embedded within the learning.

The National Curriculum for Science aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through 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

Beyond teaching science discretely, we aim to give our children the opportunities to apply and embed their knowledge and skills in order to support and enhance learning across the wider curriculum.

How is the teaching of Science organised?

In EYFS, Science is not taught as a discrete subject but through the strand, Understanding of the World within the EYFS curriculum; children will learn skills that prepare them for the Year 1 curriculum. They will have the opportunity to explore the natural world through play and develop their scientific vocabulary.

In the Year 1-6 mainstream classes, the National Curriculum is the basis for all science strands taught. The strands have been placed into 5 blocked units of work over the year, linked to topics that enable knowledge and skills to be developed and embedded in context across the curriculum. The scientific knowledge is taught prior to meaningful links being made to the wider curriculum topic providing a context for learning. The curriculum progression overview identifies essential knowledge required for each strand, which supports children acquiring knowledge and scientific skills and vocabulary. Every year group will build upon the knowledge from prior year groups, developing depth and understanding and enabling the progression of skills and closing any gaps of knowledge. Knowledge organisers are used to support knowledge and key vocabulary acquisition.

In the Complex Needs Resource Base, children will develop their scientific skills and knowledge through a topic-based approach and attainment is measured in small steps.