Why do we study Science?

Scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding: A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. All of our children are taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.  Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena.  Pupils are also encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse the causes. 

What are our aims?

At Broughton Junior School, we aim to develop our children’s ability to:

• Extend their scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. 
• Increase their understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries.  These will enable pupils to answer scientific questions about the world around them, and equip them with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. 
• Be able to describe associated processes and key characteristics in common language, but they should also be familiar with, and use, technical terminology accurately and precisely.
• Apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data.

How is Science taught across Broughton Junior School?

• Science will be taught in planned and arranged topic blocks by the class teacher, to ensure it fits the theme of their cornerstones project. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge.

• Through our planning, we involve problem solving opportunities that allow children to apply their knowledge, and find out answers for themselves. Children are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. This curiosity is celebrated within the classroom. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons, often involving high-quality resources to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess pupils regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all pupils keep up.

• We build upon the knowledge and skill development of the previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.

• Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s school career and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching. This is developed through the years, in-keeping with the topics.

• Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and the various Working Scientifically skills in order to embed scientific understanding. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning and workshops with experts.

• Children are offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits, trips and visitors to complement and broaden the curriculum. These are purposeful and link with the knowledge being taught in class.

Working Scientifically at Broughton Junior School

The nature, processes and methods of ‘Working scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science for each year group. Pupils will learn to use a variety of approaches, in order to answer relevant scientific questions. These types of scientific enquiry will include:  observing over time;  pattern seeking;  identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations);  and researching using secondary sources. Pupils will develop their ability to answer questions through their collection, analysis and presentation of data