Science
Subject Leader: Miss G.Holmes
Subject Vision
At Milton Primary Academy, we are scientists! Our vision is that science will always be interesting, engaging and rich in the development of knowledge. With this at the forefront of our minds, we aim to build on pupils’ interest and stimulate their natural curiosity, facilitating a good understanding of the world around us.
We provide the opportunity for pupils to understand a range of age-appropriate scientific phenomena, whilst also encouraging them to ask questions and demonstrate a desire to find out why things happen in the way that they do. We want them to love science; to want to be astronauts, botanists, chemists, doctors and engineers; to remember their science lessons and look back on them with a sense of awe and wonder about everything they explore and discover.
Curriculum
Our bespoke science curriculum at Milton Primary is ambitious, inclusive and rich in the development of knowledge and scientific skills. It inspires future thinkers, problem solvers and stimulates curiosity, whilst fully meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and National Curriculum.
Practical elements of our curriculum are deliberately and carefully planned to ensure pupils have the prerequisite knowledge to fully understand these. This makes investigations purposeful, as pupils have the opportunity to rehearse and retrieve previously learned subject content.
Thinking 3 and Can You Still?
Every science lesson starts with an opportunity for pupils to retrieve, revisit and consolidate prior learning - this is called our ‘Thinking 3 and Can You Still?’. This selection of questions is based on:
- What children learnt last lesson;
- What children learnt during the last unit of learning;
- What children learnt the last time they covered their current unit of learning ;
- A ‘working scientifically’ skill that pupils have learnt before.
An example of ‘Thinking 3 and Can You Still?’ questions can be accessed below:
‘Thinking 3 and Can You Still?’ Examples
Science Small Steps
We use our bespoke ‘science small steps’ documents to support our planning and teaching of science from Year 1 to Year 6. These were developed by a primary science specialist who drew on best practice both locally and nationally, firm in the belief that an effective curriculum should make reality the notion that 'everyone is a scientist'.
Although this bespoke ‘small steps’ approach is the 'spine' of our science curriculum, as it sets out the essential knowledge and skills that pupils must be taught and learn, teachers have the autonomy to make their own judgement as to the best way to achieve this, and they enrich the content with a range of high-quality resources from a range of different sources.
Assessment
The purpose of our approach to assessing pupils’ learning in and across science lessons is to give appropriately timed feedback that focuses on moving learning forward. We use both formative and summative assessment tools to assess pupils' understanding, knowledge and skills and this includes the completion of ‘Thinking 3 and Can You Still?’ activities, live marking of independent activities, class discussions, and targeted questioning.
Teachers also make summative judgements relating to the children’s knowledge and understanding at the end of each unit, including their understanding of substantive knowledge, as well as their ability to work scientifically within any associated context. This is recorded on an individual ‘Pupil Progress Record’ which remains with a child throughout their time at Milton Primary, ensuring seamless tracking of progress and attainment across the school. Finally, teachers of children in Year 2 and Year 6 also make a summative ‘teacher assessment’ at the end of the respective key stage; this is then shared with parents and carers.