Science

Our intention at Greens Norton Church of England Primary School is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, children are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. All children are encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes through investigation and in addition, using and applying process skills and thinking creatively. As a Church of England primary school, spirituality and science are not viewed as opposing forces, but rather as complementary aspects of a holistic education. Science can be a powerful tool for fostering awe and wonder, while spirituality provides a framework for exploring meaning and purpose in life, including the discoveries of science. 

Here at Greens Norton we consider carefully how spirituality and science can be integrated in a Church of England primary school:

1. Science as a Source of Wonder and Awe:

• Observing the Natural World:

Science lessons, particularly those involving observation and exploration of the natural world (e.g., plants, animals, weather), can spark a sense of wonder and curiosity about the intricate workings of the universe. 

• Hands-on Experiments:

Engaging in scientific experiments allows children to witness the beauty and complexity of scientific principles firsthand, fostering a sense of awe and appreciation for the interconnectedness of living organisms. 

• Asking Big Questions:

Science encourages children to ask "big questions" about the world, such as the origins of life or the mysteries of the universe. These questions can naturally lead to spiritual reflection and exploration of faith. 

2. Spirituality Providing a Framework for Meaning and Purpose:

• Collective Worship:

Collective Worship provides a space for the school community to come together to explore spiritual themes, including those related to science and the natural world. 

• Curriculum Integration:

Schools can integrate spiritual themes throughout the curriculum, including science, by encouraging reflection on the "WOWs, NOWs, and OWs" (amazing, still, challenging events) of life. 

• Developing Values:

Spirituality helps children develop values such as respect, compassion, and empathy, which can be applied to their understanding of science and their interactions with the world. 

• Encouraging Questions:

Spirituality encourages children to ask "big questions" about life, religion, and the world around them, including those related to science and its discoveries. 

3. The Role of Teachers:

• Role Models:

Teachers in Church of England schools are encouraged to be good role models, demonstrating respect for others and promoting an attitude of curiosity and wonder. 

• Connecting Faith and Learning:

Teachers can help children connect their faith with their learning in science by encouraging them to reflect on the spiritual dimensions of scientific discoveries and the beauty of the natural world. 

• Fostering a Sense of Belonging:

By creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, teachers can help children feel a sense of belonging and connection to their school community, fostering their spiritual development. 

In essence, the integration of spirituality and science in a Church of England primary school aims to educate the whole child, nurturing their intellectual curiosity while also fostering their spiritual growth, helping them to understand their place in the world and their relationship with God. 

The National Curriculum for Science aims to ensure that children:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of earth science, 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 and implications of science, today and for the future.

How does Science at Greens Norton Church of England Primary School reflect our school’s setting?

• We believe that a broad and balanced science education is the entitlement of all children, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, class, aptitude or disability:
• Productive science teaching and learning strategies that support motivation, competence, and self-directed learning beginning with Forest School in the EYFS. These curriculum, teaching, and assessment strategies feature well-scaffolded instruction and ongoing formative assessment that support conceptual understanding, take the children's prior knowledge and experiences into account, and provide the right amount of challenge and support on relevant and engaging learning tasks.

Our Science Curriculum at Greens Norton is designed to ensure:

• Sufficient curriculum time is allocated for pupils to embed what they have learned in long-term memory through extensive practice before moving on to new content.
• The component knowledge pupils need in order to read, write, represent and talk science is identified and sequenced.
• Curriculum plans consider how component knowledge introduced at one point in time influences future learning. This ensures that knowledge builds incrementally from pupils’ prior knowledge and so pupils’ misconceptions are less likely.
• The curriculum anticipates where pupils are likely to hold misconceptions. These are explicitly addressed, and pupils learn how the misconception is different to the scientific idea.
• Pupils know when and why models and rules can be used in science, which includes knowing what they can and cannot be used for.

Subject Implementation:

How do we teach Science?

The teaching of science will be implemented through the development of the following key headings as outlined below:

• substantive and disciplinary
• conceptual and procedural
• discovery learning (enquiry-based teaching approaches and scientific enquiry in a real-world context)

Science follows the National Curriculum; objectives are delivered through either weekly lessons or as a blocked investigation, where relevant. Our disciplinary knowledge ensures skills specific to being a scientist are taught each and every year, so, our units of study always have a practical element. The curriculum makes use of prior substantive knowledge and provides clear references on how learning will be used in future enquiries. Science learning is structured around the repeated themes of chemistry, biology, physics and earth sciences. These unit studies are assigned key knowledge and vocabulary to be learnt and understood. As part of our learning journeys, we think carefully about where science can be taught as a cross curricular strength. We focus on three English link and three Maths link lessons across the year so that children have a chance to apply their skills to Science in a real world context. Where it is relevant to do so, there could be aspects of scientific teaching taught in maths lessons e.g. collection of and interpretation of data, graphing and statistics. We also study inspirational and influential people within Science from an historical and modern perspective so that the children have an understanding of where scientific ideas originate and are built upon by scientists in later times.

Discovery learning - children are given practical activities to introduce them to scientific equipment, objects and phenomena, such as air resistance, dissolving and melting, making a light bulb work, making shadows or observing living things in their habitats, BEFORE they are taught the substantive conceptual knowledge. The substantive conceptual knowledge needs to be taught explicitly and BEFORE the children undertake scientific enquiry.

Scientific enquiry - involves pupils using previously learnt substantive and disciplinary knowledge together to answer specific scientific questions using the scientific enquiry types as set out in the National Curriculum. Scientific enquiry can be scaffolded or independent.

We plan using the guidance provided from the National Curriculum and PDET, however our Science provision is enhanced by utilising other STEM websites such as ASE, PLAN, PSTT, TAPS ASSESSMENT PROJECT to vary scientific provision for all our children.

All year groups teach science twice a week with a focus being on one lesson for the investigation and the follow-up lesson for any relevant discussion or recording scientifically. Lessons are supported by science experiences offered via trips e.g. visiting the local village area, conservation parks and National Trust establishments

Opportunities for children to meet the full range of scientific investigative approaches entail pattern seeking, exploring, problem solving, fair testing and analysing secondary sources.