Science
At St Teresa’s Primary school, the Catholic faith underpins every aspect of the curriculum and is at the centre of learning. Children are actively encouraged to ‘Build God’s Kingdom’.
All children are naturally curious, which makes science an ideal subject for them to learn. A high quality science curriculum allows our children to explore their world and discover new things. Science is an active subject, where children work practically and scientifically to perform investigations. Science is an important part of the curriculum as it gives children knowledge and understanding, science also develops children’s skills of enquiry and investigation.
Science encourages our children to reflect on the wonder of the natural world created by God. It develops the children’s awareness of the ways science and technology can affect our environment. Science fosters positive attitudes such as perseverance, confidence, respect for living things, tolerance and curiosity.
We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes.
Throughout our science curriculum, the children acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group.
The key knowledge identified by each year group is informed by the national curriculum.
Key skills are mapped for each year group and are progressive throughout the school. This ensures systematic progression of skills, which are in accordance with the Working Scientifically expectations of the national curriculum. Our curriculum is designed to ensure that children are provided with opportunities for practical experiences; using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently.
Our approach to science takes account of our school’s own context, ensuring access to people with specialist expertise and places of scientific interest. As well as learning outside the classroom and making use of our local area e.g. Our local wildlife reserve on Chat Moss.
Our aims and intentions in teaching science are to ensure all children:
- 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
The breadth of our science curriculum is designed with three goals in mind:
1 – To give pupils appropriate experiences to develop as confident, responsible citizens.
2- To provide a rich ‘cultural capital’.
3- To provide a coherent, structures academic curriculum that leads to sustained mastery for all and a greater depth of understanding for those who are capable.