Science at Holy Trinity

Welcome to the Holy Trinity CE Primary School Science page. Here you will find key information and details about how Science is taught at our school.

Science Curriculum Intent (school vision)

At Holy Trinity Primary our school vision is to enable all children to access the primary Science curriculum. It is to be engaging and educational offering the children hands on experience and understanding to extend their scientific vocabulary and knowledge. Our aim is to create confident young Scientists and encourage them to explore and discover the world around them, so that they develop a deeper understanding of the world we live in.

A wide range of scientific vocabulary is taught throughout key stage one and two, this vocabulary is built upon throughout the primary school journey encouraging children to apply it to ensure effective questioning.

At Holy Trinity, scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic the children study and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. Topics, such as light, are taught in Year 3 and studied again, in further detail, in Year 6. This allows children to consolidate and build upon their prior knowledge of the topics whilst embedding this procedural knowledge into the long-term memory. This encourages children to develop and use a range of observational, planning and investigational skills.

At Holy Trinity Primary School, we recognise how science impacts every aspect of daily life, and without science humankind would not have made progress throughout history. As one of the core subjects taught at primary level, we give the teaching and learning of science the prominence it deserves.

How is the Science curriculum implemented in our school?

Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children can achieve high standards in science. Teaching is set out thus:

• Science will be taught as set out by the year group requirements of the National Curriculum. This is a strategy to enable the accumulation of knowledge and allows progress in repeated topics through the years.
• Through our planning, we involve problem solving opportunities, allowing children to find out for themselves how to answer questions in a variety of practical means. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given appropriate equipment to use their scientific skills to discover the answers.
• Engaging lessons are created with each lesson having both practical and knowledge elements which support the development of scientific vocabulary. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills and children are regularly assessed to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.
• We build upon the learning and skill development of previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting and using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.
• Cross curriculum links (year 6 topic of blood heart links to animals including humans’ objectives, year 3 topic volcanos links to rocks)
• Effective planning using a range of resources, teachers currently have access topic plans written by the Science Coordinator.
• A variety of resources available to support with the teaching of practical investigations.
• precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.

How do we measure the impact of our Science Curriculum?

At Holy Trinity primary School Science is engaging for all children, it is well structure, clearly thought out and encourages children to strive to achieve. Not only are we setting high standards we are ensuring that they are met, through the implementation of progression of skills documents. We measure the impact of our science curriculum through: tracking children’s knowledge and carrying out gap analyses to enable teachers to identify children who may require extra support, allowing opportunities for quizzing and questioning to support teachers’ judgments and giving children the opportunity to discuss their learning. Pupil voice is also used to further develop the Science curriculum, through questioning of pupil’s views and attitudes to Science to support the children’s enjoyment of science and to motivate learners.

As a school, we provide the best opportunities for development in Science and make the curriculum accessible to all children.

See below for an outline of the areas covered in each year group.

Science Coverage

Useful website links

• National Geographic kids
• Oxford Owl - Science at primary schools
• Bitesize - KS1 Science
• Bitesize - KS2 Science