From start to finish

Our all-through school ensures that pupils of all ages can benefit from specialist teaching, resources and facilities from Day 1.

From start to finish

Our all-through school ensures that pupils of all ages can benefit from specialist teaching, resources and facilities from Day 1.

Science

I am a scientist

Curriculum Lead: Esther Baughen

Curriculum Group:

Intent:

At Bridge Learning Campus we are committed to developing inquisitive Scientists, with secure scientific subject knowledge which they use to accurately describe and explain the physical world. Our scientists can ask questions, make predictions and test hypothesis in a variety of ways. Our science curriculum has been planned to develop the children’s interests in scientific discoveries and to engage them in exploration and questioning of the world around them. The children research famous historical scientists as well as current working scientists linked to the areas of each scientific enquiry. Our science curriculum empowers children to understand not only the impact of science around them but how this will impact future development, on a global scale.

Implementation:

Informed by Lighting Up Learning’s enquiry-led curriculum framework, our science curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that there is progression and full coverage of knowledge, concepts and skills which children can expand and build upon throughout their time at BLC.

Y2, Y5 and Y6 enjoying the Explorer Dome

In order to develop scientific language, the children are taught specific scientific vocabulary, carefully selected, linked to each enquiry and built on over time. They practise this vocabulary using word games and talk tasks. Offering experiences supports our children to become engaged with the scientific community. We regularly have visits from the Explorer Dome as well as an extensive variety of trips to museums, farms and local attractions to encounter practical science in the real world. There are seven working scientifically skills which are taught through one of five enquiry types. Children are taught the seven skills, which they repeatedly practice and gradually master as they progress through the science curriculum.

The seven skills are:

  • asking questions
  • making predictions
  • setting up tests
  • observing and measuring
  • recording data
  • interpreting and communicating results
  • evaluating

The five enquiry types are:

  • comparative / fair testing
  • research
  • observation over time
  • pattern seeking
  • identifying, grouping and classifying

Impact:

We know that we have created successful Scientists if children dare to:

  • Demonstrate a love of science work and an interest in further study and work in this field.
  • Retain knowledge that is pertinent to Science with a real life context.
  • Be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.
  • Be able to articulate their understanding of scientific concepts and be able to reason scientifically using rich language linked to science.
  • Work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.

Progression of skills for science

  • Link to curriculum enquiry overview
  • Link to Progression in Science

How we build the science curriculum:

  • Links to prior learning (year 3, 5, 6 child voice video, photo to show progression of map skills from floor book)
  • Learning Journeys (all with science as main or supporting state)
  • Knowledge Organisers (all with science as main or supporting state)
  • Explicit vocabulary teaching – EYFS and Y1 bucket time (video), learning walls (photos), definition sheets (link to documents)
  • Oracy – sentence stems (photos from classrooms), talk opportunities (videos year 3, 5, 6)
  • Experiences (screenshots from dojo)
  • Retrieval quizzes (photos from books)
  • Talk task for science
Examples of Knowledge Organisers