Inspire Science 

Intent

During their time at Larkrise, we aim to give children wide and varied opportunities to investigate and learn about the world around them through our Inspire Science curriculum. We have adapted our Science curriculum using PLAN Planning for Assessment. This is based on the Science Programmes of Study in the National Curriculum. 

The Science Curriculum also covers key aspects of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, where Science is covered within Communication and Language and Literacy is mainly incorporated into three areas of learning: Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Understanding the World. 

Our Science units are incorporated into our Inspire Curriculum by inking with the Big Questions and Core Texts as appropriate. 

Inspire Knowledge and Skills: Children gain knowledge and deepen their scientific skills as they move through the school by experiencing different types of enquiry and a cross-curricular approach to Science.

Inspire Creativity and Adventure: We encourage children to be inquisitive and direct their own learning by suggesting approaches to investigations and further areas of exploration. Staff are encouraged to organise visits outside of school (e.g. visiting the Science Oxford Centre) and bring visitors into the school to widen children’s experience and exposure to Science. 

Inspire Kindness: Children learn about environments and cultures outside of their own experiences through a varied curriculum. Our Big Questions promote enquiries which engage with real issues within today’s world, and we use science lessons to enable children to engage with them directly and consider what they can do to change the world. 

Our Schemes of Work for Science are structured across the following areas of learning which can be found in our Science Progression Grids. 

• Animals, including humans, 
• Plants. 
• Everyday Materials, 
• Living Things and their Habitats,
• Light, 
• Forces and Magnets,
• Sound, 
• Seasonal Changes
• Electricity.  

Many of the units for key stages 1 and 2 are based on a spiral curriculum. This means that each theme is revisited regularly (at least once in each year group), and pupils revisit each theme through a new unit that consolidates and builds on prior learning within that theme.

Alongside the key knowledge and skills, each science unit incorporates investigative work, with opportunities for the five enquiry types (Identifying, Classifying and Grouping, Pattern Seeking, Research Using Secondary Sources, Observing Over Time, and Fair Testing).

This curriculum design style reduces the amount of knowledge lost through forgetting, as topics are revisited yearly. It also ensures that connections are made even if different teachers teach the units within a theme in consecutive years.

Implementation 

As well as our usual Science lessons (which may be weekly or blocked as appropriate, depending on the learning journey), children at Larkrise have opportunities to engage with Science through special events such as British Science Week, trips to outside institutions or visitor scientists and workshops. Many of these are detailed in our Enrichment LTP.

Staff are supported in their planning by using the PLAN Knowledge Matrices and Examples of Work which ensure coverage of all Science topics. The Knowledge Matrices also highlight prior and future knowledge for each unit which helps assess prior knowledge and adjust planning to fill any misconceptions the children may have. 

Like all areas of our Inspire Curriculum, we have used research evidence to develop our teaching and learning pedagogy. For more information, please see our Inclusive Quality First Teaching Key Principles.

Impact

By the time children in Year 6 leave us, we want them to have the following experiences and understanding: 

Inspire Knowledge and Skills:  Children will have the knowledge and skills detailed in the Science Progression Grids.

Inspire Creativity & Adventure: Discovered how science has enabled humans to explore and make sense of the Earth and beyond

Inspire Kindness: Engage with real-life problems and consider how science can help to find answers to them.

More information on the impact of the Curriculum can be seen in our celebration Magazine, ‘Larkrise Look’.