Subject Leader - Mr. P. Hoodless

Intent, Implementation, Impact

Intent

At Haslam Park, science is designed as a coherent, ambitious and inclusive curriculum that enables all pupils — including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils — to develop secure substantive knowledge and strong disciplinary understanding. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure that key scientific concepts, including forces, materials, living things, energy, and Earth and space, build progressively from the Early Years to the end of Key Stage 2. Knowledge is deliberately organised and revisited so that pupils strengthen prior learning, make meaningful connections and understand how scientific ideas develop and evolve over time. Alongside substantive knowledge, pupils develop disciplinary knowledge through working scientifically. They learn to ask precise questions, select appropriate enquiry types, use equipment accurately and safely, interpret data, recognise patterns and draw evidence-based conclusions. We also aim to develop pupils’ understanding of the scientists who have shaped our understanding of the world. Through planned study of significant individuals, pupils recognise the contribution of science to society and appreciate how scientific thinking has influenced world views. The curriculum fosters curiosity, resilience, critical thinking and respect for the natural world. It prepares pupils for the next stage of education by equipping them with secure knowledge, analytical thinking skills and confidence in scientific reasoning.

Implementation

Science is delivered through a carefully sequenced curriculum that ensures clear progression in both substantive knowledge and working scientifically skills. Lessons are structured to:

• Activate and review prior learning through daily retrieval practice
• Explicitly teach and reinforce scientific vocabulary 
• Address misconceptions through targeted questioning and discussion
• Provide practical and investigative opportunities across a range of enquiry types
• Gradually increase pupil independence in planning, conducting and evaluating enquiries

Pupils engage in observing over time, pattern seeking, identifying and classifying, comparative testing and research using secondary sources. These approaches are mapped across year groups to ensure disciplinary progression. Assessment is purposeful and designed to strengthen long-term retention. In addition to ongoing formative assessment, pupils complete an annual Mastermind Quiz, assessing cumulative substantive knowledge from across the year. Science leaders analyse Mastermind Quiz outcomes to identify whole-class, group and cohort-level misconceptions. This analysis is shared with receiving teachers to inform transition planning.

Identified gaps are systematically revisited through daily reviews at the start of lessons, ensuring misconceptions are addressed early and knowledge is securely embedded. Adaptive teaching strategies, scaffolded support and precise questioning ensure that pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils access the full curriculum without reducing ambition. The school recognises and celebrates British Science Week annually. During this week, pupils participate in workshops, live virtual events and collaborative investigations. Each year group studies a significant scientist, enabling pupils to deepen their understanding of individuals who have shaped scientific thought and influenced our understanding of the world. This whole-school focus strengthens cultural capital, broadens aspirations and reinforces the relevance of science beyond the classroom. Additional enrichment opportunities, including Forest School and educational visits, provide purposeful contexts for applying and deepening scientific understanding.

Impact

As a result of the coherent and progressive science curriculum:

• Pupils demonstrate secure understanding of key scientific concepts and can explain how knowledge builds over time.
• Pupils select appropriate enquiry approaches and justify their choices.
• Scientific vocabulary is used accurately and confidently in discussion and written work.
• Pupils interpret data, identify patterns and draw reasoned, evidence-based conclusions.
• Misconceptions diminish over time due to systematic retrieval and responsive teaching.

Impact is measured via our approach to foundation subject assessment which is designed to measure retention. Assessment follows a clear cycle of curriculum coverage, daily reviews, end-of year ‘Mastermind’ quizzes, targeted teaching and retesting. Daily reviews support knowledge retention, while Mastermind quizzes identify gaps and misconceptions. Teachers address these through targeted teaching in the following autumn term, with spring retests used to evaluate the impact of this approach and check longer-term retention. Ongoing pupil voice, with targeted participation from SEND and disadvantaged pupils, provides further quality assurance of teaching, understanding and retention. Through participation in British Science Week, pupils develop an understanding of the scientists who have shaped our world view, recognising the impact of scientific discovery on society past and present. Work scrutiny, pupil discussions and assessment evidence demonstrate that knowledge is retained and applied across topics and over time. Pupils leave Haslam Park with secure scientific knowledge, strong enquiry skills, intellectual curiosity and the confidence required for success in secondary education.

Intent

At Haslam Park , it is our intention to recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. We give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires. The Scientific area of learning is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. It will develop the natural curiosity of the child, encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment and provide opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence. We intend to build a Science curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and build a Science curriculum which, enables  all children  (particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND) to become enquiry based learners.

Implementation

• A clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum where teaching and learning should show progression across all key stages within the strands of Science.
• Children have access to key language and meanings in order to understand and readily apply to their written, mathematical and verbal communication of their skills.
• Children will use a range of resources to develop their knowledge and understanding that is integral to their learning and develop their understanding of working scientifically.
• Long term overviews in line with the National Curriculum where teaching and learning should plan for practical investigative opportunities within Science lessons.
• Children will reflect on previous learning and cross curricular links will be made wherever possible.
• Scientific vocabulary is taught and developed through all topics and this is reinforced using the knowledge organisers.
• Through the science curriculum children will use a range of secondary resources to help develop their knowledge and understanding For example : - digital technology, reference books, sensors, photographs.
• They will take part in relevant educational visits, Forest school to link and transfer their understanding of the importance of the world and how it should be treated.
• Children will be able to build on prior knowledge and link ideas together, enabling them to question and become enquiry based learners.
• Attainment will be assessed each half term through related topic assessment tasks. Children will complete a pre learning task before the unit and a post learn at the end of the unit.
• Where applicable links to Science will be made to develop the children’s topical learning.

Impact

• Most children will achieve age related expectations in Science at the end of their cohort year.
  · Children will retain knowledge that is pertinent to Science with a real life context.
• Children will be able to question ideas and reflect on knowledge.
• Children will work collaboratively and practically to investigate and experiment.
• Children will be able to explain the process they have taken and be able to reason scientifically.

Please find below our science curriculum overview for 2023- 2024

Please see the document below for a copy of the National Curriculum programme of study.

The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific
  disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
• develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through
  different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about
  the world around them
• are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and
  implications of science, today and for the future. 

At Haslam Park Science is taught in every year group for an afternoon a week throughout the school year.

Below you can see the different units we will be covering this year in Science across school.

Knowledge Organisers

We are continuing using knowledge organisers to help support the children in their learning.

A knowledge organiser is a document,  that contains key facts and information that children need to have a basic knowledge and understanding of a topic.

Most knowledge organisers will include:

• the essential facts about the topic
• key vocabulary or technical terms and their meanings
• images such as  diagrams

Knowledge Organiser can be found  Haslam Park Primary School - Science (haslam-park.bolton.sch.uk)

Working Scientifically

At Haslam Park we value the importance of children applying their scientific knowledge through investigations. We explore the 5 different types of enquiry with the children through completing experiments and investigations.

Comparative and Fair Testing

Which materials are the most absorbent?

Which parachute will slow a person down the most?

Identifying and Classifying

Which offspring belongs to which animal?

 Which materials are magnetic?

Observations Over Time

How does a tadpole change over time?

How does a bean change as it germinates?

Pattern Seeking

Do bigger seeds grow into bigger plants?

Is there a relationship between a mammal’s size and gestation period?

Research

What are the different ways that seeds disperse?

What happened when Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos islands?

Here we introduce seven science skills which children develop 

• asking questions
• making predictions
• setting up tests
• observing and measuring
• recording data
• interpreting and communicating results

• evaluating

The theme for Science week this year is 'TIME'.

We will be thinking about time, how it affects our lives and to explore science in the world around us. 

Have a look at some of the fantastic science learning the children have done through working scientifically!