Science at Sacred Heart fuels curiosity, develops enquiring minds, and unlocks scientific potential. 

Science plays a crucial role in our understanding of the world around us. Our science teaching helps us to prepare children for life, through experiences and exploration of the world in which they live. Children discover, explain and develop skills of enquiry through working scientifically.

This is a lesson that children look forward to and are motivated by. Science is about exploration, discovery and real life experiences so that children can feel the excitement that science can bring while learning in an active way. If children have these experiences, they will remember their learning and have a desire to learn more.

During 2022-23, we adopted a new science curriculum platform called Developing Experts. This scheme uses a broad range of strategies and resources, from expert videos that give real-life insight into the applications of science and the possible career paths to pre-assessment and end-of-unit tests that help identify prior learning and help review teaching. Each unit encourages discussion, exploration, integration of learning into possible applications and careers, as well as opportunities for investigation and further exploration.

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 and implications of science, today and for the future.

Impact of Science at Sacred Heart

• Through high quality teaching of scientific knowledge and working scientifically skills, all pupils access science through practical, age-appropriate and interesting range of activities linked to the national curriculum.
• Summative assessments demonstrate the knowledge that children are secure in and where there are gaps. Gaps are addressed through pre-teaching of vocabulary and key concepts. Key vocabulary and concepts are re-established at the start of a unit.
• Class teachers are clear on which children have learnt the required content and which children have a deeper understanding. The science subject leader is aware of where knowledge gaps are across school and if specific strands or pupil groups need more focus or support.
• There are termly opportunities for children to showcase their science experiments and learning to parents. Opportunities to share excellent work and achievements will be available in assemblies, for example sharing winning inventions from ‘Kids Invent Stuff’.
• The School Council plan and carry out interviews and work around climate, recycling and sustainability. The ideas and outcomes are shared across school.
• Linking to maths and statistics, surveys such as lunchtime and transport surveys are carried out.
• Pupil’s behaviour and attitudes towards science is seen through their sustained engagement in school initiatives such as recycling, composting and litter picking.