Shiphay statement of intent for Science

We provide a high quality, engaging and progressive science curriculum that develops pupils’ natural curiosity in the world around them by selecting examples and applications of science that inspires pupils’ curiosity about the world and natural phenomena and ensuring that all pupils can see themselves reflected in the science curriculum, by highlighting present-day role models and the contributions of scientists from a wide range of backgrounds; and considering social and cultural values around scientific ideas. 

Pupils are taught substantive knowledge that: 

• Ensures pupils master core content through the development of key concepts and timely revisiting of key knowledge
• Prevents common misconceptions that are often formed at an early age and prove problematic at the later stages of pupils’ science education
• Purposefully teaches appropriate knowledge that goes beyond the KS1 and KS2 national curriculum, to aid current and future understanding, and to smooth the transition to KS3
• Encourages pupils to apply and make connections between the disciplines of science, the wider curriculum and the wider world  

And disciplinary knowledge that:

• Sequences Working Scientifically elements so that they are explicitly taught and practised alongside the substantive knowledge, and regularly reviewed and built upon across the years and key stages
• Makes deliberate and explicit links to other curriculum areas – particularly geography and mathematics – to ensure there is a consistent approach to teaching content, and that pupils are always first taught content in the most relevant subject. For example, pupils are taught how to construct bar charts or calculate the mean in mathematics before they are applied in science
• Plans practical tasks that have a clear purpose: to demonstrate or prove substantive concepts, or to allow pupils to deliberately practice working scientifically skills in a relevant context 

The curriculum is design around these key areas:

• Working scientifically
• Earth Science & Geology
• Environmental Science
• Physics
• Chemistry  

These areas are sequenced to allow for the gradual development of vertical concepts – the big ideas in science – to provide firm foundations for Key Stage 3 and 4.