Science Curriculum Statement 

Bishop Chavasse Church of England Primary School  

Our School Vision:  

Bishop Chavasse Church of England School Policies are all underpinned by respect and our school parable 'The Wise and the Foolish Builder', which forms the basis of our whole school vision, highlighting the importance of wisdom, compassion and honesty.  

Bishop Chavasse School values every wonderfully and uniquely created child and adult; inspiring everyone to fulfil their potential, as we achieve excellence together. As Jesus teaches through the parable of the house on the rock: we grow in wisdom, supported by the compassion of God to establish firm, honest foundations on which every child can build.  

Science Intent 

At Bishop Chavasse, we aspire for all of our children to become accomplished scientists. Teachers strive to plan and deliver engaging, hands-on lessons which enable children to discover, explore and understand scientific principles and ask questions to further understand the world around them. Our intent is to give every child a broad and balanced Science curriculum which encourages them to confidently question, explore and discover their environment, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We want the passion and wisdom of our teachers to inspire each child to love Science and develop a true sense of awe and wonder at the world around them. 

We want our children to look forward to their science lessons in our school, to enjoy these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities they are presented with. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging learning experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the science National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life, furthering their problem solving skills and enabling them to relate and use what they learn in science lessons within their everyday life. 

Science Implementation 

At Bishop Chavasse, we have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which has been designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. Our topics are taught within each year group in accordance with the National Curriculum and the Kent Primary Science Scheme. 

• Topics are chunked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth. 

• During each topic, children learn and consolidate their scientific working, developing their practical scientific methods, processes and skills. 

• Throughout their time at Bishop Chavasse, children will build upon the learning from prior year groups, therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills. 

• Children explore, question, predict, plan, and carry out investigations and observations as well as conclude their findings. 

• Children present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations and diagrams. 

• There are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. 

• To support teaching, teachers access a range of resources and planning from the Kent Primary Science Scheme of Learning, using this to guide the planning of their lesson, ensuring they are suitable and engaging for each class. 

• Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning objective, with misconceptions addressed within it. 

• Children are given clear learning objectives at the beginning of each lesson and teachers structure the lessons to enable every child to achieve this with differing elements of independence. 

EYFS 

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of Science predominantly through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World.’ Children find out about objects, materials and living things using all of their senses, looking at similarities, differences, patterns and change. Both the environment and practitioners foster curiosity and encourage explorative play. Children are motivated to ask questions about why things happen and how things work during adult initiated sessions as well as through their rainbow learning and planning time, and teachers take every opportunity to further their scientific understanding. Our children are encouraged to use their natural environment around them to explore, and enjoy spending time outdoors exploring mini-beasts and their habitats, observing the changing seasons, plants and animals and using the many resources available to them to do this. 

Outdoor Learning 

At Bishop Chavasse, the outdoor learning provision across all year groups allows children to have regular and focussed time to explore and learn about our natural environment. Links are made throughout the children’s outdoor learning sessions to many aspects of the Science curriculum including seasonal change, plants, living things and habitats as well as sessions using the outdoor environment to teach about sound, forces and materials. Enabling the children to learn about science in our outdoor environment, allows them to consolidate the idea of science being all around us and consider the central role the subject plays in understanding our world and ways in which we can protect it.  

Science Impact 

The impact of this curriculum design will lead to excellent progress over time, across key stages, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills as well as fostering a love of and enthusiasm for the subject. Children will therefore be expected to leave Bishop Chavasse reaching at least age related expectations for Science. Through various workshops, trips and interactions, our curriculum will lead pupils to be enthusiastic Science learners. They will learn that science has changed our lives and understand that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. We want to empower our children so they understand they have the capability to change the world. This is evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice, their work and their enjoyment for science.