Science

My role as science coordinator at Moston Lane Primary School enables me to work with children as they question, explore and investigate the world in which they live. I have a particular interest in nature and I love being outdoors looking at all the wonderful plants and animals that inhabit our environment. We have wonderful grounds at Moston Lane Primary School and I like to be outside with the children, planting seeds, gardening and observing the many colourful birds and insects that are around us every day.  The environment is constantly changing as the seasons come and go and there is always something new to explore.

As a school we have recently been involved with Nature Friendly Schools in a project that promoted outdoor learning. Our children love learning outdoors and connecting with nature and this benefits everyone’s health and well-being.

Intent

At Moston Lane we aim to provide children with an exciting and challenging science curriculum. We strive to nurture children’s natural curiosity by allowing them to question, explore, investigate and experiment. This ensures our children, as they progress through school, become equipped with a developing scientific knowledge that will ultimately enable them to understand the world around them today and in the future.

Implementation

The National Curriculum for Science 2014 provides the structure for our science curriculum in school at KS1 and KS2.  Lessons are taught on a weekly basis and each year group follows the programmes of study for their year group. The programmes of study describe a sequence of knowledge and concepts that children are taught within their year group and it is vital that these are understood before progressing to the next stage.  Working scientifically is at the heart of our science teaching. It specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science for each year group.  Pupils are encouraged to observe over time, look for patterns, identify, classify and group according to different characteristics. They are encouraged to research using secondary sources and through controlled investigations, children are involved in comparative and fair testing.

The teachers choose the order that the topics are taught to ensure it fits in with other curriculum areas or specific times of year and provides a more meaningful learning experience. Children are taught to use the correct scientific vocabulary and how to use it clearly and precisely.

Impact

Science at Moston Lane aims to nurture children’s natural curiosity and excitement about the world around them. We want children to question and develop the skills needed to answer those questions.

We are currently involved in a Nature Friendly School’s project led by The Wildlife Trust, for the school year 2019 to 2020 The school is supported by a Nature Friendly Schools Education Officer and the aim is to promote positive mental health and wellbeing in children through their engagement with nature. This has involved staff training on outdoor learning and working with classes at the school.  The science garden is also being transformed into an area that classes will be able to access and use for planting and other outdoor learning activities.

Moston Lane has rigorous systems of assessment in place.  Children are tracked on termly trackers that record whether children have acquired the key concepts covered during the topic. This enables teachers to support children who might need more reinforcement on a topic and continue to maintain the school’s high standards.

Early Years

Early years practitioners always take into account the three characteristics of effective teaching and learning when planning science investigations.

- Playing and Exploring – children investigate and experience things.

- Active Learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties.

- Creating and thinking Critically: Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things.

Through the area of Understanding the World, children are encouraged to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

The World teaches children about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They are encouraged to talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes.

In Nursery and Reception, the children learn about the world around them through topics. They change weekly in Nursery and fortnightly in Reception. Both classes have a science rich curriculum, which encourages and promotes both indoor and outdoor learning.

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Below is the ‘Curriculum Map’ and Knowledge of Skills & Progression, which outlines the activities and skills that will be taught throughout the year across the school. We also have a special 'Science Week' every year where science is celebrated for a full week across the school! 

Science Curriculum Overview

Progression of Skills &  Knowledge

Science Policy

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Here you can find the 'Age Related Expectations' for each year group, which outlines what skills a child should be able to do at the end of each year. Children will be assessed against these expectations to see what they have achieved, and what they need to work on next.

Please follow the links to find out more about the expectations for your child:

Nursery

Reception

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Knowledge Organisers

Please find the 'Knowledge Organiser' for your child's year group and topic below. They contain key words and information that the children will be learning throughout their topic this half term. 

Science around our school

STEM day 2023

Year 3 - Science Week 2022

Year 3 studied lifecycles as part of the 'Growth' theme in Science Week. In particular, they focused on the life cycle of a frog and made some fantastic 3D rings.

Year 3 - Moving Muscles 2022

Year 3 have been learning all about skeletons, bones and muscles. Following a lesson on how muscles work, they completed a STEM project making these amazing moving hands. It shows how the muscles allow the fingers to move.

Year 6

Last week, Year 6 took part in a series of science workshops, which involved investigating organisms, looking at fossils and rocks under microscopes and learning all about creatures that live in moss! The sessions took place with the Science team from Findel and the children really enjoyed the experience! Take a look at our photographs and read what the children really thought about the sessions!