Science
The National Curriculum states that “Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science”.
At St. Luke’s we aim to do this through practical, engaging science lessons that are related to the children’s day to day experiences; making science relevant to their everyday lives. At the core of all of these lessons is the development of the ‘Working Scientifically’ methods, processes and skills set out in the National Curriculum.
Throughout school, the children begin all science topics with a question to enable the teachers to assess the children’s prior knowledge. The teacher then plan’s the children’s next steps in each of the programs of study:
Key Stage One
Animals including humans
Seasonal changes
Everyday materials
Plants
Living things and their habitats
Uses of everyday materials
Lower Key Stage Two
Light
Rocks
Forces and magnets
Plants
Animals including humans
Electricity
States of Matter
Sound
Living things and their Habitats
Upper Key Stage Two
Living things and their habitats
Animals including humans
Properties and changes of materials
Earth and space
Force
Evolution and inheritance
Light
Living things and their habitats
Electricity
Children are assessed against the National Curriculum primarily through teacher observations of practical work and teacher-child discussions during lessons, as well as through the children’s written work.
Early Years Foundation Stage
Science in the Early Years is covered through ‘The World’ aspect of the area of learning and development ‘Understanding the World’ Children engage in adult led sessions and child initiated activities that are practical and play based. Scientific links are made to stories and topics covered. By the end of the Early Years, children are assessed if they are emerging, expected or exceeding in the Early Learning Goal for ‘The World’:
Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.