Curriculum Intent

At Istead Rise, we encourage children to become confident and inquisitive learners in science lessons. We aim for the children to develop an understanding of science at an age appropriate level through various scientific enquiries which require children to work collaboratively, to ask questions and as a result, help them gain the skills they need to answer those questions. Through a mixture of theory and practical work, our children are able to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. 

We recognise how important science is in the context of the wider world and therefore deliver engaging and thought-provoking science lessons which will inspire children to try to discover more about the world around them. We aim for our children to approach their scientific enquiries with an open-minded attitude and to seek evidence for their hypothesis with the support of their teachers. We feel it is essential to develop skills such as: observation, prediction, experimentation, communication and self-assessment. Children are encouraged to use scientific terminology to clearly explain what they see is happening and analyse the reasons why.

We work hard to inspire children’s natural curiosity and aim to gain the confidence and motivation to maintain a passion for science into the next stage of their education and beyond. 

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.

Curriculum Implementation

At Istead Rise, science is taught weekly in every year group. Our school has worked collaboratively with other Swale Academies Trust schools to provide a rigorous scheme of work in accordance with the National Curriculum.  Teachers provide all children with engaging, practical and theoretical sessions which give every child the opportunity to engage in scientific theory and gain deeper knowledge and skills at all stages. We provide children with Knowledge Organisers for each unit, to give children an overview of the whole topic.  The Knowledge Organiser has clear diagrams, explanations and key terms that can be beneficial for students to refer to during lessons to support their understanding.  

We use the information on the Knowledge Organiser and lessons taught to inform planning and assessment.  Children complete an end of unit quiz which is stored electronically.  This information supports the teacher to complete a class review sheet. The teacher can then report to parents accurately in a report at the end of the year.

During the year, we offer children the opportunity to attend STEM clubs.  We offer a Lego lunchtime club and an after school STEM club which is run in a termly block. This offers children the chance to experience learning in an alternative way. With the focus being on practical and experimental based learning, our Lego and STEM club aims to excite and inspire the children to take their learning beyond the classroom, back into their homes or out to the wider school and local community.

Many units taught in Key Stage 1 are studied again in a more in depth approach as the children progress through Key Stage 2. All lessons are taught in a sequential manner in order to allow children to build upon prior learning and to further enhance their knowledge and enthusiasm for key scientific areas. The children’s progress is regularly assessed by the class teacher to ensure the children receive a thorough understanding of each unit of science throughout their time at school.

Science Units taught at Istead Rise:

Year 1:  Animals including Humans, Seasons, Materials, Plants.

Year 2: Materials, Animals including Humans, Living things and their Habitats, Plants.

Key stage 2 science is planned over a two year rotation: 

Rotation 1:  Year 3&4: Forces, Electricity, Animals including Humans, Plants.

                    Year 5&6: Light, Electricity, Earth and Space, Animals including
                    Humans.

Rotation 2:  Year 3&4: Materials, States of Matter, Living Things and their
                    Habitats, Light, Sound.

                    Year 5&6: Materials, Evolution and Inheritance, Living Things
                    and Their Habitats, Forces.