National Curriculum and the Science curriculum progression model - our aims:
- At Keeble Gateway Academy, we offer a carefully designed, rich and inclusive science curriculum based on the National Curriculum and the Elevate curriculum progression model for Science. Its aims and purposes are outlined in the National Curriculum and has fidelity to the academic discipline of science across biology, physics and chemistry.
- Our aim is to foster our school values ‘self-belief and aspiration’ in our children, in safe and happy learning environments, to achieve excellent standards in science. This includes all aspects of the national curriculum objectives and scientific enquiry. Through our school’s core values we equip children with the understanding of key scientific principles within biology, chemistry and physics.
- We aim to equip children with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary of scientific processes and cycles, as well as nature and the world around them. We aim to help children make connections between scientific knowledge, scientific enquiry skills and an understanding of the world around them. We do this by providing purposeful, practical opportunities to apply their learning. We provide opportunities where possible through the five types of scientific enquiry skills:
- Observation over time
- Comparative and fair testing
- Identifying, classifying and grouping
- Pattern seeking
- Research from secondary sources
- We aim to develop children as confident scientists by developing their ability to articulate knowledge learned but also develop a love of the subject by engaging in regular, exciting practical learning opportunities to investigate and record findings. We inspire a passion for learning in our children and build confidence to ask and answer scientific questions, by providing children with additional opportunities from our school ‘opportunities pledge’ such as meeting inspirational figures and going out on trips linked to science themes.
- We aim to develop a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own, and other children’s safety by providing opportunities to use science equipment in controlled, supportive and safe environments.
- Science is taught as a discrete subject weekly, for the expected two-hour teaching time, allowing sufficient time for effective teaching and learning.
- We have high expectations of all pupils and ensure that we inspire and challenge children through an ambitious curriculum. We have a carefully designed a knowledge rich curriculum, underpinned by a progression of skills. The knowledge and skills build incrementally so that by the end of Key Stage 2 children know, understand and apply the subject content specified in the National Curriculum Programme of study for science.
- We aim to develop a love of reading, thus we use high quality texts to compliment the teaching of science. These are selected from a list of high-quality texts (fiction and non-fiction), which were compiled Elevate Trust’s curriculum specialists.
- Formative assessment takes place during every Science lesson to ensure a high level of rigor. Teachers assesses the children’s knowledge, skills and vocabulary based on the science curriculum progression model.
- Best practise is regularly communicated between the teaching team at Keeble to instil a high level of thoroughness and reflectiveness in the teaching of geography. Monitoring takes place to ensure high quality outcomes are evident and quality assurance takes place through moderation across the teaching team and the trust.
- Curriculum design and adaptation is also informed by Keeble’s rigorous formative assessment policy ‘Keep up – not catch up’ and the sharing of best practise - as mentioned above.
How are science units mapped out across the year?
- Some year groups have 4 geography units to teach across the year while other year groups may have 3. We affirm that the teaching of geography units should be considered over a quantity of ‘weeks’ to ensure effective coverage of knowledge and skills objectives. Some units may take more weeks to teach than others; therefore, it’s important to recognise this in order to give fidelity to the geography content that we teach. We are strategic in our curriculum design and delivery; every decision has been carefully thought out to ensure excellent standards in the teaching of geography.
What does our global offer look like? How do we see geography as a real-time, dynamic, current and relevant subject?
- Throughout the teaching of science, teachers provide opportunities for children to practise skills and knowledges through practical experiments. This incorporates scientific enquiry skills.
- Teachers also find opportunities for children to speak to real scientists or go on trips to experience things first hand e.g Year 2 when studying plants, visited the local nature area to see plants in real life and identify plants in the local area.
Staff entered STEM competition to excite children and give them opportunity to speak to real scientists.
What is the relationship between science and other subjects?
- We have carefully designed a knowledge rich curriculum alongside a clear progression of skills. Although we teach all our foundation subjects discretely, the science knowledge – wherever possible – has been linked to other areas of the curriculum, for example maths when collecting an interpreting data or use of observation skills linked to geography fieldwork skills. The knowledge and skills build incrementally so that, by the end of Key Stage 2, children know, understand and apply the subject content specified in the Programme of Study for science and are fully prepared for the next stage of their learning.
How do we mitigate the geographical concepts that are trickier to teach?
- We ensure to be mindful of implied competencies when planning sequences of science learning. We understand that there are a range of learners and thus provide opportunities to meet the needs of these children, e.g. use of visuals and practical opportunities for these types of learners.
- Teachers support children by breaking learning down into smaller chunks, providing addition resources and visuals to support children. Where there are barriers to learning teachers ensure barriers are removed to allow all children to access learning as well as obtain consistently high expectations of all pupils. For example, scribes and readers may be used for children with barriers to literacy.
