Science

Mission Statement

At Plantation, we are committed to fostering a deep curiosity and understanding of science among our students. Our mission is to provide a dynamic and engaging science education that sparks a lifelong passion for exploration, discovery, and critical thinking.

As a primary school, we recognise the importance of inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and environmental stewards. With SnapScience, we empower students to explore, experiment, and think critically. Together, we nurture the scientists of tomorrow and inspire a love for the world around them and beyond.

Intent

At Plantation Primary School, we recognise and value the importance of science and scientific enquiry in our curriculum. Our aim is to develop a dynamic, practical, and engaging science program that inspires our students to thrive and excel in the field of science. We are fully committed to aligning with the national curriculum while fostering a deep curiosity and keen interest in the sciences among our students.

Central to our progressive science curriculum is the emphasis on scientific investigation. We strive to deliver lessons that provide opportunities for children to engage in varied and systematic investigations, equipping them with the skills necessary to ask and answer scientific questions about the world they live in. We firmly believe that science encompasses not only the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, and skills, but also positive attitudes towards scientific enquiry.

Throughout our programs of study, our students will acquire and develop key knowledge, concepts, and skills that are identified within each unit and across each year group. We place a strong emphasis on the practical application of scientific skills, enabling our students to confidently use scientific equipment; conduct experiments and investigations; construct well-reasoned arguments; and explain complex concepts using scientific terminology. Most importantly, we encourage our students to continue asking questions and nurture their curiosity about the world around them.

We are committed to the progressive development of ‘Working Scientifically’ skills throughout our students' time at our school. This empowers them to apply their scientific knowledge in real-world scenarios, encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and scientific enquiry. We believe that fostering curiosity and encouraging inquisitive thinking are crucial components of our science curriculum, instilling a lifelong passion for science and preparing our students for success in their future pursuits.

Implementation

At Plantation Primary School, we have chosen to implement the Snap Science program as our primary science curriculum. Snap Science is a comprehensive and engaging science curriculum designed specifically for primary schools in the UK. Our implementation of Snap Science follows a well-structured and systematic approach to ensure that our students receive a high-quality science education that aligns with the national curriculum and promotes scientific enquiry, critical thinking, and curiosity.

The progression of skills for working scientifically are developed through the year groups and scientific enquiry skills are of key importance within lessons.

Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following:

Curriculum Planning and Delivery

Our teachers use Snap Science to plan and deliver science lessons in a planned and arranged topic block format. This allows for a coherent and progressive curriculum that builds upon the learning and skill development of previous years. Our strategy is to enable all children to be catered for through adapted planning suited to their abilities.

Our curriculum is progressive. We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years, which is assessed prior to each topic through our ‘entry tickets’ where teachers can identify misconceptions that need addressing.

Through enrichment days, such as ‘science week’, we promote the profile of Science and allow time for the children to freely explore scientific topics.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Our teachers utilise a variety of teaching and learning strategies provided by Snap Science to create a positive attitude towards science learning within our classrooms. We promote a hands-on and enquiry-based approach to science, where children are encouraged to ask their own questions; design and conduct experiments; and find answers through scientific enquiry. Snap Science provides numerous practical activities, investigations, and experiments that allow our students to actively engage with scientific concepts and develop their scientific skills, such as observing, predicting, measuring, and analysing data.

Assessment and Feedback

Although Snap Science includes built-in assessment tools, we use our own assessment and monitoring system (Arbor). This allows us to regularly assess our students' understanding of scientific concepts and skills, and provide timely feedback to guide their learning. Furthermore, it allows leaders to conduct more accurate monitoring and evaluation procedures. Our teachers also use formative assessment strategies, such as questioning and observation, to assess our students' understanding during lessons and provide immediate feedback.

Continued Professional Development

To ensure the successful implementation of Snap Science, our teachers engage in continuous professional development. Snap Science provides comprehensive training resources, including teacher guides, videos, and online support, to help our teachers become familiar with the curriculum and its pedagogical approach. Our teachers also participate in professional development opportunities including training sessions through staff meetings, to further enhance their knowledge and skills in teaching science using Snap Science.

Monitoring and Evaluation

We regularly monitor and evaluate the implementation of Snap Science at our school to ensure its effectiveness in promoting high-quality science education. This includes reviewing student performance data; observing lessons; collecting feedback from teachers and students; and conducting regular reviews of the curriculum and its resources. Based on these evaluations, we make necessary adjustments and improvements to our implementation of Snap Science to continually enhance the quality of science education at Plantation Primary School.

Impact

The successful approach to the teaching of science at Plantation results in a fun, engaging, high quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can take with them once they complete their primary education.

Snap Science has transformed science education in our school, resulting in improved student engagement; enhanced science achievement; increased teacher confidence; promoted enquiry-based learning; and created an enriched learning environment. This cutting-edge curriculum has nurtured curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for science among our students, empowering them to become lifelong learners.

So much of science lends itself to outdoor learning, and so we provide children with opportunities toexperience this. Pupil voice is used to further develop the Science curriculum, through questioning of pupils’ views and attitudes towards Science, to assess the children’s enjoyment of science, and to motivate learners.