Science
With God All Things Are Possible
At Benedict Biscop we want our children to know that with God all things are possible. We want our children to aspire and to achieve highly. We want all children to have a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific disciplinary skills and substantive knowledge to help them to live and think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. We want our children to grown as scientists.
AIMS
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 an implication of science, today and for the future.
We believe that science should develop children with the following essential characteristics to help them become scientists:
- the ability to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings
- confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out scientific investigations
- excellent scientific knowledge and understanding which is demonstrated in written and verbal explanations, solving challenging problems and reporting scientific finding
- high levels of originality, imagination or innovation in the application of skill
- the ability to undertake practical work in a variety of context
- a passion for science and its application in past, present and future technologies
We want all children to have a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific disciplinary skills and substantive knowledge to help them to live and think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
Where does it start?
- Our early years curriculum is the starting point for all subjects within the Curriculum.
- It ensures that all 7 areas of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are covered within each National Curriculum subject area and the Early Learning Goals within each of these areas are able to be achieved.
- Development Matters – Non-statutory curriculum guidance has been used to support the development of progression within our curriculum. Staff are able to use the observation checkpoints to help identify any child who is at risk of falling behind, so they can plan effectively to ensure they reach age-related expectations and end of EYFS.
- In the curriculum below learning objectives have been identified to support the development of key knowledge to ensure our children are school ready for Year 1.
- In order to challenge our pupils, we aim to provide a language rich environment, therefore subject specific vocabulary has been identified to support the development of communication and language across our full curriculum. Within EYFS we use the EEF recommended tiered vocabulary approach.
- Key texts have been identified through our reading spine and story cycle as a method for supporting our pupils to learn through stories.
Within Key Stage 1 we want the pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They will then develop this into Key Stage 2 to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. This is done through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. This is then deepened in Upper Key Stage 2 by pupils further developing an understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas, beginning to use scientific evidence to support or refute ideas and arguments.
Working Scientifically is a key thread that comes from Early Years all the way through the curriculum until they leave in Year 6. This is always taught through the substantive science content in the curriculum allowing the children to develop their skills with purpose.
The pillars of Science
Curriculum overview
Awards
We proud to have been awarded the PSQM Outreach status in September 2022 in recognition of the outstanding science teaching and leanring within the school and a commitment to working alongside scientists and science organisations. It is also a recognition of the work done at Benedict Biscop to support other schools within and beyond the Northen Lights Trust in developing science.
2022 CIEC Cultural Capital Award- Achieved July 2022
SEND
Benedict Biscop promotes a curriculum that puts all pupils, regardless of their needs, at the heart of what we do. By building mutual respect, we accept others for their differences believing that everyone is special and everyone has something to offer. Our inclusive and enriching curriculum, written for all children, provides pupils with meaningful and aspirational experiences as well as promoting personal growth for life-long learning. When the curriculum needs adapting, to suit the needs of individual children, appropriate modifications are made by the class teacher with support of the SENDCo and the Curriculum Subject Lead.
Children challenging industry
Careers Fair – Science led industries
STEM club
Our weekly after-school STEM club is well attended by pupils from Y1 to Y6.
Reading in Science
Reading underpins all our curriculum. Key texts have been identified as part of our reading spine to help pupils learn about key knowledge in Science through stories.
Useful links to further learning
OAK National Academy – Oak Academy – https://www.thenational.academy/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgIvqk7PE-gIVFOvtCh0yigEXEAAYASAAEgJNe_D_BwE
Stemettes (Girls in Science) – https://stemettes.org/
BBC Bitesize Science – https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7nygk7
Science Boot Camp for Upper Key Stage 2 https://www.yearsix.co.uk/science-boot-camp/
Science Museum – https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/home
Science Experiments you can try at home- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g32176446/science-experiments-for-kids/
British Space Agency – https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency
Interested in finding out more?
If you would like to find out more about our curriculum. Please contact the school office by emailing BBinfo@nllt.co.uk and we will ask a member of staff to get back in touch a.s.a.p.
