Science Policy

RATIONALE

Science should be taught through skills based investigative work, which stimulates children’s curiosity. It should open the doorway to their questioning and understanding of the world around them.

AIMS

To develop a positive attitude to Science and an awareness of its uses in the world beyond the classroom.
To foster/develop a sense of awe and wonder, a respect for all living things, their immediate environment and an appreciation of wider environmental issues.
To ensure that scientific activities are appropriate and accessible to all children.
To develop and practise the skills and processes of Science so that the children are actively involved and can initiate and pursue investigations related to the content of the National Curriculum.
To provide the children with conceptual understanding of scientific knowledge as described in the National Curriculum A.T.'s. 2 - 4.
To provide continuity and progression throughout the whole school, by ongoing tracking of pupils attainment using the Wiltshire Scheme of Work.
To give children the opportunity to work independently and co-operatively.
To create an atmosphere where each child knows that his/her ideas will be valued.
To link Science with other areas of the National Curriculum.
To foster a regard for the safety of themselves and others whilst pursuing scientific activities.
To ensure that parents and governors are kept informed.
To develop creative thought.
To provide children with the skills, which enables them to develop their own hypothesis and to investigate them.
To pursue the questioning and curiosity of the children through their thoughts and ideas.
To develop and evaluate explanations through speaking and listening.
To obtain experimental evidence to form explanations.
To develop an awareness of how science impacts on industry, medicine and business to improve quality of life.

Guidelines

A variety of teaching methods should be used to ensure Science is pursued appropriately.

Science should be differentiated to meet the children's needs. It is essential to identify previous experiences and current understanding. Tasks should be extended to challenge the more able children.
Recording, where relevant, should be appropriate to the task. It can be diagrammatic, pictorial, written by teacher/child, verbal, recorded with the support of ICT.
Assessment should be formed from ongoing tracking of pupils throughout the year using the Wiltshire Scheme of Work as a working document.
Summative levels of knowledge and understanding and strengths and weaknesses for each unit should be recognised on the system for each cohort.
The resources should be appropriate, readily accessible, constantly monitored and updated.
Each child should be taught to use equipment safely and should be made aware of any dangers involved in its misuse.

National Curriculum will be covered in a two year cycle for Key Stage 2 using the QCA Scheme of Work as a basis for planning.

Children may practise and develop their skills through involvement in a range of different types of practical work. This may consist of:-

Exploration activities that may lead to child centred investigations.
Teacher directed investigations.
Speaking and listening.
Discussion.
Illustrative activities, planned by teacher carried out by children.
Teacher demonstrations.
Focused practical skills to practise skills.
Observation activities.
Research using first hand and secondary sources.

Reference should be made to our Health & Safety and Equal Opportunity Policies.