Intent  Implementation Impact

Intent: The layout of our curriculum, the units, and WHY they are taught in a particular order. What we expect the children to learn at St George’s and why.

Implementation: How we get the children to accomplish what we set out for them – what kinds of resources will we use. What sorts of tasks they will complete. How we assess the children and ensure they make progress.

Impact: Using assessment to look at how each year group will move on and develop. Looking at the impact of each unit and how it links to previous learning and future learning. What will a Year Two Scientist look like at the end of their St George’s journey?

Intent

At St George’s Infant School, we foster a hands-on curiosity for exploration of the world. We strive for the children to develop their ideas and ways of working that will enable them to make sense of the world in which they live, through practical investigation. We develop pupils’ enjoyment and interest in science and build on their enthusiasm, encouraging children to ask questions about what they notice and to treat the living and non-living environment with respect and sensitivity.

Through our science topics we encourage the children to develop their understanding by engaging with them about what they have observed, express their opinions and make links with other areas of learning.

Supporting these aims is our vision “Inspire, Believe, Achieve. With God all things are possible”. This shared vision underpins everything we do at St George’s; enabling our children to become successful learners and caring, thoughtful individuals.  

Implementation

At St George’s Infant School, Science is taught following the aims and content of the National Curriculum. Our Science teaching provides children with first-hand experiences and opportunities to work scientifically in order to develop their scientific understanding. The children are encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They are helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by; observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things and carrying out simple comparative tests. 

We strive to ensure children believe in their own abilities and achieve success.

Teachers think carefully about the different types of resources they will use and plan tasks carefully, based on prior learning and an understanding of the children’s future learning.

 At St George’s we promote independence for all students to take responsibility in their own learning, therefore we have implemented self-assessment KWHL grids, which the children use as a working document to track their achievements and progress at the

beginning, during and at the end of a topic.

In KS1, Science is taught consistently in standalone lessons, once a week for up to two

hours, but is discretely taught in many different contexts throughout all areas of the curriculum.

Early Years teachers carefully observe their pupils and create learning opportunities to suit their pupils’ interests and current events. Through continuous provision, children are able to access activities linked to ‘Understanding the World’.

Impact

The National Curriculum purpose of study for Science reads:

A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and 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. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

At St George’s, our aim for science is to increase the skills needed for children to navigate an ever-changing world of science and technology by immersing our pupils with scientific enquiry skills, key scientific knowledge and investigative skills.