Intent

In science, we aim to nurture curious minds by providing children with the opportunity to explore and grow through a blend of: knowledge-based learning, and skills based learning. We intend to provide children with opportunities to develop their working scientifically skills through engagement with a multitude of practical tasks, which incorporate the 5 types of scientific enquiry: observing over time; comparative and fair testing; pattern and relationship seeking; identifying and classifying; researching using secondary sources. Our school science curriculum encompasses the aims of the national curriculum programme of study, ensuring it is progressive to develop each individual’s knowledge, skills and understanding throughout their four years with us. The learning within each year group builds upon learning from previous years to systematically develop knowledge and skills suitably. We aim for our children to leave Hallam Fields Junior School feeling excited, enthusiastic and elevated by science as we believe this subject is a platform to build a healthy, happy and wholesome appreciation of the world and the impact we can have.

 

Implementation

We use Clickview, Grammarsaurus, Explorify, BBC bitesize, BBC teach, and STEM learning to provide a well-rounded curriculum that meets the needs of our learners and the aims of the National Curriculum Science Programme of Study. The scheme, resource collection and documents were selected as they provide teachers with the content and foundations to deliver lessons which are both knowledge and skill rich. Our children are supported to thrive by the implementation of a long-term plan which enables a systematic progression of the knowledge, skills and understanding required to meet our aims.

 

Impact

In science, we will assess against the ‘Weaving Knowledge, Skills and Understanding into the new National Curriculum’ framework as well as monitoring the processes children undertake when they encounter science learning, and their attitude and confidence in this core subject. We will support all children to progress at their individual optimal rate by: setting clear targets; keeping centrally stored assessment records, and building on prior learning. This will allow us to monitor individual progress; pass on information to future teachers for tailored provision, and fill in any gaps in learning or use existing understanding to support new content. Our learners will confidently ask questions, formulate hypotheses, and they will show a passion, curiosity and interest towards discovering more about our world and their role within it.

 

HFJS Science Week and British Science Week

Each year, we celebrate ‘Hallam Fields Junior School Science Week’ and ‘British Science Week’. The purpose of these events is to spark curiosity, embrace inclusivity, challenge stereotypes, and celebrate science. Throughout these weeks, we immerse the children in a range of practical investigations and provide the children with opportunities to challenge and progress their existing understanding of science and the world around us. British Science Week is an international programme organised annually by The British Science Association. The British Science Week website states that “the idea behind the programme is to raise awareness, spark enthusiasm and celebrate science, engineering, technology and maths with people of all ages from all walks of life.” British Science Week chooses a different theme for each year, which we aim to explore within our celebration of these weeks in school.

 

 

World Space Week

“World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10. These dates commemorate two events: October 4, 1957: Launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration October 10, 1967: The signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activites of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.” (worldspaceweek.org)

 

World Space Week is an event that we celebrate annually and use as an opportunity to explore the magic of our incredible Solar System and beyond. We find that our children are always extremely enthusiastic and curious around this topic. The aim of World Space Week, at Hallam Fields Junior School: To educate our children around the importance of space. To excite our children about science, technology, engineering and maths. To help our children understand the benefits that we receive from space. Our learning for the week is centred around the theme chosen by World Space Week annually. Science Playground Kits We provide the children with additional opportunities to explore science independently and creatively through our science playground kits, which contain: activity cards, magnifying glasses, magnets, stopwatches, UV beads, binoculars. These are available for the children to use at lunchtimes every day.