At Battling Brook, we aim to deliver a science curriculum that:

BUILDS KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Builds upon prior knowledge and a progression of skills to ensure all children have a secure understanding and knowledge of key science concepts.

ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY & PROVIDES CHALLENGE

Encourages creativity and challenges all of our learners through excellent teaching practice.

INSPIRES & EXCITES

Inspires and excites our pupils through engaging, purposeful practical lessons and a curriculum which is enriched with visits and visitors.

CONTEXTUALISES SCIENCE LEARNING AND ENCOURAGES STEM CAREERS

Builds an awareness of the key role that science plays within the world and the opportunities that this creates for future careers.

GIVES OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP IMPORTANT LEARNING POWERS

Encourages our children to be self-motivated, independent, curious and resilient learners by developing enquiry-based skills and lessons (linked to the LPA approach).

MAKES USE OF THE OUTDOORS

Encompasses outdoor learning to create meaningful experiences within the natural environment

‘How do we investigate in science?’

Science lessons at Battling Brook are based around investigative work wherever possible. Children are encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

As a part of this, they will be introduced to, and develop their understanding of, the 5 types of scientific enquiry:

‘What are the skills we use when we investigate in science?’

As well as learning about types of scientific enquiry, another important aspect of science involves the ‘skills’ children need to develop as budding scientists. Children will be introduced to, and develop, these important ‘Working Scientifically’ skills as they move through the school via a range of practical investigations:

‘How do we ensure progression and check on progress in Science?’

Formative Assessment

• Staff use a range of strategies to assess understanding before, during and at the end of lessons/units, including Concept Cartoons, PMI grids (Plus, Minus, Interesting), odd-one-out tasks, What if…? scenarios, retrieval starters (last year, last topic, last lesson).

Summative Assessment

• Staff update their science assessment sheets termly based on their assessments within lessons as they talk with the children and from outcomes in books.  The assessment sheets track the NC objectives for each science unit and ask staff to record only the children who are not working at age related expectations.  Therefore, the assumption is that the rest of the class are working at the age related expectation for their year group.  Teachers use the tracking grids to aid in reporting their final judgements at the end of KS1 and KS2.