Intent

At Merrylands Primary School and Nursery, we believe that a high-quality Science education is fundamental to developing a child’s understanding of the world through the key disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Scientific advancements are happening every day and are key to the world’s future so it is vital for our children to understand essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of Science. We aim to provide children with a solid understanding of key foundational knowledge and concepts, immersing them in a vocabulary-rich environment that allows them to build their understanding of the topic being studied as well as the diverse planet we live on. The staff here at Merrylands Primary School ensure that all children are exposed to high-quality teaching and learning experiences that provide them with opportunities to develop their scientific knowledge, raise questions, explain their findings and draw conclusions whilst developing their investigative skills. Our children are encouraged to understand the range of variables within an enquiry or investigation, explore how they can be overcome which will also build upon their knowledge of fair testing.

Implementation

Our teaching staff plan for teaching and learning of Science by following our bespoke Science Long Term Plan which covers all aspects of the Science National Curriculum and the EYFS Statutory Framework. Our Science Curriculum begins at Nursery and progresses all the way through to Year 6. It is separated into each year group, demonstrating what topics are taught, when they are taught and the intended end points for our pupils to reach. We encourage our pupils to learn actively through meaningful experimentation and enquiry, alongside the systematic teaching of the skills and knowledge specific to the subject, and the vocabulary needed to communicate understanding accurately. As a school, we recognise our responsibility to promote Science as a subject and potential career for all which, alongside Science lessons, is highlighted in our work during Science Week. Each year, we also participate in Science competitions alongside our other schools within the Berlesduna Academy Trust to encourage the children to use their skills, knowledge and understanding in unknown and unplanned scenarios.

Impact

Our pupils are excited, enthusiastic and positive about their learning and are active participants in their learning. With our bespoke curriculum in place, they make good progress within the three disciplines of Science and engage in a range of enquiries and investigations to further embed their knowledge and demonstrate their understanding. The pupils acquire a secure level of scientific skills, knowledge and understanding which is built upon year after year, resulting in almost all children achieving age related expectations or above and preparing our pupils well for the next phase of their education.  Science knowledge goals are assessed throughout each unit of work using the Merrylands assessment grid and this information is used to inform future planning.  The subject is monitored regularly to measure the impact of the Science curriculum content, design and delivery and the outcomes of this monitoring are used to drive forward next steps within the subject.