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Melbourne Primary School

Melbourne Primary School Melbourne Primary School

SCIENCE

THE SCIENCE SUBJECT LEADER IS GILL EATE

Discover the Universe through Science

Intent

At Melbourne Community Primary School, we recognise the importance of science in every aspect of daily life.  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. Through a practical and enjoyable curriculum we strive to inspire and excite our children, feeding their thirst for knowledge.  Science at our school promotes and develops transferable skills; such as observation, communication, collaboration and enquiry through real life contexts.

Our children are encouraged to have an enquiring mind, ask questions and to be questioned.  In science, we will inspire our children by providing them with opportunities to pursue a natural curiosity.  At Melbourne Community Primary School we encourage our children to take risks, experiment, make and learn from misconceptions.  This is achieved in a safe environment where our children can acquire and apply core skills to equip them for an ever-changing world.

 

Implementation

Children have weekly lessons in science throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, using various programmes of study and resources.  Lessons are often for one hour and are linked to our current school topics.  They are delivered in a multitude of ways to suit a variety of learning styles.  We have a two-year-long term plan in both key stages and work is assessed at the end of each half-term. This helps with the future planning of lessons to ensure the needs of all our children are met.  In Early Years, science is taught by the children learning about the world around them through play.  Activities in EYFS are both adult led and child initiated.

How to use scientific equipment and the various working scientifically skills are often initially modelled to the children by staff to ensure concepts are grasped and scientific understanding becomes embedded.  In contrast, we promote child led learning to actively take place too when it is appropriate.

At Melbourne Community Primary School, teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning in and around our school grounds as much as possible.

At Melbourne Community Primary School, we are keen to offer science trips and welcome visitors into school who will compliment, enhance and broaden our science curriculum. These are purposeful and link with the knowledge being taught in class.  Recently we have enjoyed British Science Week as a whole school.  This included a visit from The Yorkshire Planetarium which was ‘out of this world’.  In Early Years the children have experienced a visit from a local hedgehog rescue centre and a local nurse.  The children are also looking forward to a visit from a local garden centre, when they will be helping plant seeds and nurture them.

We offer a weekly science club on a club rotate basis and it has proved very popular.  Activities have included: making slime, creating air powered rockets, exploring with magic milk and making air powered hover crafts.  Safety glasses and overcoats are optional but most fun when worn!

In order to achieve our aims, we will:

  • Make sure the subject leader closely monitors the quality of teaching and learning within the school.
  • Provide staff with opportunities for continued professional development in order to develop their subject knowledge and build on their own science capital.
  • Ensure that there are well-organised and varied resources available to use in practical investigations.  The subject leader should audit resources yearly.
  • Allow adequate lesson time for discussion and practical-based teaching and learning.

     

 

 

Science Knowledge and Skills Progression Map and Science Policy

Please click below to be directed to our Science Knowledge and Skills Progression Map and our Science Policy.

 

Melbourne Primary School
Melbourne, York, East Riding of Yorkshire
YO42 4QE
01759 318369
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