IMPACT

Science is an inspiring, highly relevant, and enlightening subject that encourages pupils to think about the world around them. At St Anselm’s, our vision is that pupils develop the knowledge, understanding and enquiry skills needed to engage with and recognise and engage with scientific opportunities ambitiously. We aim, wherever possible, to link learning in this subject to other areas of the curriculum, such as mathematics, design and technology, computing and history whilst at the same time providing pupils with opportunities to develop personal as identified in our unique Rainbow Curriculum.

 ‘Inspire to Aspire’

As part of their learning within each topic, children will be exploring and celebrating the work of historical and contemporary designers from a range of genders, backgrounds and cultures.

IMPLEMENTATION

Through a variety of teaching approaches, models, practical activities, enquiries and fieldwork, we teach the knowledge, understanding and enquiry skills needed to engage in science and its wider role in the world. Although learning takes place in stand-alone quests, it is placed within relevant contexts and links are made to the wider curriculum, life, and world. Key enquiry skills, vocabulary and knowledge for science have been mapped across the school to ensure progression between year groups.

We encourage pupils to develop in the following areas through the following approaches.

Knowledge

• Use of diagrams, models, videos and research to directly teach key scientific knowledge, including vocabulary.
• Use of memory retention activities to embed key scientific knowledge, including vocabulary.
• Opportunities, including fieldwork, to use and test knowledge within meaningful contexts and explore its relevance to the wider world.

Understanding

• Discussion and opportunities to share ideas and formulate new understanding.
• Use of diagrams, models, videos, and practical activities to help children visualise and understand key principles.
• Opportunities to share understanding through presentations, including videos.

Enquiry

• Use of inspiring resources and approaches to prompt discussion and questioning
• Reflection on the enquiries that major scientific figures undertook in order to make their discoveries, including their impact on the world.
• Opportunities to question and test their knowledge, including planning their own investigations to answer questions through reflecting on their findings.
• Opportunities to embed enquiries in real life contexts, including fieldwork.

IMPACT

We ensure that pupils:

• Develop the core scientific knowledge and vocabulary that they require to further their education opportunities and make links to the world around them.
• Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and enquiry skills in order to question, explore and investigate scientific ideas and phenomena.
• Are inspired by key scientists, past and present, and see science as a key part of their life and potential careers.
• Can confidently share their knowledge and understanding of science and see enquiry as a necessary step to further scientific understanding.
• Understand the impact of scientific discoveries and the responsibilities that science has to the wider community.
• Respond to issues in the wider world, such as environmental concerns, with creative and practical solutions.
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The inspirational and bespoke Science education at St Anselm’s ensures that pupils communicate effectively, working confidently as individuals and as part of a team. They are empowered to take risks in their thinking and enquiries, becoming considerate, responsible, and inspirational citizens. It enables them to make an essential contribution to the health and well-being of humanity and the environment, as well as the enterprise and economy of the nation, now and in the future.