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Science

Intent

Science teaching at Hatch Warren Infant School aims to give all children a strong understand of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, to gain understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.

At Hatch Warren Infant School, Scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic the children study and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. Topics such as Plants, are taught in each year group of the school in more detail as the children progress. This model allows children to build upon their prior knowledge and increases their enthusiasm for the topics whilst embedding this procedural knowledge into long term memory.

All children are encouraged to develop and use a range of skills including observations, planning and investigations, as well as being encouraged to question the world around them. This also provides the skills in being able to explore possible answers for their scientific based questions. Specialist vocabulary for topics is taught and built up, and effective questioning to communicate ideas is encouraged. Concepts taught should be reinforced by focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions.

Implementation

At Hatch Warren Infant School we believe that a high quality Science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through a various enquiry based skills and topics. Science is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of Science. 

Science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world in which they live through investigation, as well as using and applying process skills. The staff at Hatch Warren Infant School ensures that all children are exposed to high quality teaching and learning experiences, which allow children to explore their outdoor environment. They are immersed in scientific vocabulary, which aids children’s knowledge not only for the topic they are studying, but the world around them. We make sure that the planning is adaptable to meet the needs of all of our students and that the children can thrive through practical activity and investigation. Our longitudinal study planning enables each year group to observe changes and effect over time whilst monitoring the natural changes of the world around them. This concept is developed throughout the three year groups and more precise investigations and testing is carried out in Year 2. Our termly planning is linked to the Hampshire County Council programmes of study which have clear and concise progressive skills linked to the various topics. We aim to teach Science in a holistic way and in which the activities carried out are linked to the topics the children are studying, however some sessions are standalone activities and again are adapted to fit the curriculum and outcomes linked to the learning skill.

Impact

The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their every day lives.

All children will be able to:

  • Build on their natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
  • Have a wider variety of skills linked to both scientific, knowledge and understanding and scientific enquiry/investigative skills.
  • Have a richer vocabulary which will enable children to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
  • Engage in the concepts of scientific enquiry and encourage the feeling of awe and wonder.
  • Make links between Science, the world around them and other subjects.

  • NASA Kids Club A really good website all about space and exploration

  • Science Website A good site for helping you with Science research - lots of different science topics listed.