Science

The Science subject leader, Mrs Tyler, is responsible for the curriculum design, delivery and impact in this subject. This includes regular meetings with Governors to review and quality assure the subject areas.

What?

At Holy Trinity, our vision is to provide a Science Curriculum that enables our children to explore and discover the world around them confidently, so they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We aim to foster inquiring minds, logical reasoning, and collaboration to prepare them for a world where skills in science, technology, engineering and maths are increasingly important. To achieve this we deliver stimulating and challenging experiences to enable all children to extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary. We provide a wealth of opportunities for them to engage in practical investigation making links between science, maths, technology and developing engineering skills. Our staff and children developed a set of science principles that underpin our teaching and learning; our science work is practical, challenging, purposeful and relates to real life. Children choose and use different types of enquiry and are leaders of their learning.

How?

The curriculum in Science is carefully mapped out to ensure that our children acquire, apply and deepen their knowledge, vocabulary and working scientifically skills in a well-thought out and progressive manner. Teaching subject specific vocabulary is also a key part of our science curriculum. The vocabulary children will need for each topic is identified which builds upon the vocabulary they have learnt in earlier years. The key vocabulary is displayed on the Science display in each class. Science provides excellent opportunities to enhance the learning of pupils through planning lines of enquiry, asking opened ended problems, analysing results and drawing conclusions based on scientific findings. In Key Stage One and Two Science is taught in discrete lessons for at least 2 hours. In the Early Years, our children are encouraged to be explorers of their worlds, through a range of activities and through our forest school setting. It is here where they start to gain the science knowledge that they will build on throughout their primary years; observation, critical thinking and discussion. At Holy Trinity, we provide a variety of opportunities for science learning inside and outside the classroom. Visits are planned throughout the year, many specifically linked to Science, where our children have opportunities to explore and apply learning and skills. It is essential children observe and immerse themselves in their local environment to apply their learning practically to real-life situations. Through interactions with experts, children have an understanding of ‘science capital’ and how science is vital to the world’s future prosperity. We also believe it is important that parents are involved in their children’s science learning in an ever-evolving world. Science homework tasks are planned so that families can work with pupils on real life tasks. British Science Week is celebrated annually, incorporating a ‘Dress as a Scientist’ day.

So?

We have been recognised for our achievements in Science teaching at Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School by being awarded the Primary Science Gilt Quality Mark. This is a prestigious award, which shows that the standard of science teaching and learning and the enrichment opportunities offered to the children is very high. Within science, we strive to create a supportive and collaborative ethos for learning by providing opportunities for children to question and investigate, to discover answers for themselves and take their learning in a direction they are interested in. Our approach results in an engaging, high-quality science education, that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world where pupils learn the possibilities for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.