Intent

 At Horsell Junior school we teach the key scientific skills alongside developing pupils' knowledge in the scientific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  The curriculum enables pupils to articulate their thinking, using increasingly sophisticated scientific vocabulary, be brave when challenging misconceptions, and work collaboratively during experiments and investigative learning.

Science at Horsell Junior School encourages:

• Curiosity and excitement about the familiar and unknown.
• Challenging misconceptions and demystifying truths.
• Continuous progression by building on practical and investigative skills.
• Critical thinking, with the ability to ask perceptive questions and explain and analyse evidence.
•  Development of scientific literacy using wide-ranging, specialist vocabulary.
• A strong focus on developing knowledge alongside scientific skills.

Implementation

The following key strands thread through the Horsell science curriculum:

Scientific knowledge and understanding of:

• Biology - living organisms and vital processes
• Chemistry - matter and its properties
• Physics - how the world we live in works

Working scientifically - processes and methods of science to answer questions about the world around us.

Each unit is based on one of the key science disciplines and shows progression throughout the school.  Pupils explore knowledge and conceptual understanding through different learning opportunities and subject-specific vocabulary.  Working scientifically skills are threaded throughout each unit.

Science is a core subject at Horsell Junior School and is taught weekly.

Impact

Teachers monitor the impact of the science curriculum through both formative and summative assessment opportunities.   Pupils complete frequent retrieval quizzes to re-enforce learning. Opportunities for children to communicate using scientific vocabulary also form part of the assessment process in each unit.  Pupils' attainment in science is communicated to parents through end of year reports.

When they leave Horsell Junior School pupils will:

• Develop a body of foundational knowledge for the topics specified in the National curriculum for Science.
• Be able to evaluate and identify the methods that scientists use to develop and answer scientific questions.
• Identify and use equipment effectively to accurately gather, measure and record data.
• Be able to display and convey data in a variety of ways, including graphs.
• Analyse data in order to identify, classify, group, and find patterns.
• Use evidence to formulate explanations and conclusions.
• Demonstrate scientific literacy through presenting concepts and communicating ideas using scientific vocabulary.
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Science.

Please click on the document below to find out about the knowledge and skills taught in Science throughout the key stage.