Science

Science at St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School

At St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School, we are committed to providing our children with a high-quality science education that ignites their curiosity and helps them develop a deep understanding of the world around them. As a Voluntary Aided school, we have recently implemented the United Learning Curriculum for Science to ensure our children receive a well-rounded and progressive science education.

Substantive Knowledge

Our science curriculum is carefully sequenced to build upon children's prior knowledge and gradually develop their understanding of key scientific concepts. We place a strong emphasis on revisiting and reinforcing crucial content, ensuring children master the core knowledge they need to succeed. By preventing common misconceptions and teaching content that goes beyond the national curriculum, we aim to provide a firm foundation for children's future science education.

St. Joseph's Curriculum for science provides all pupils, regardless of their background, with:

Substantive knowledge:

•Ensuring pupils master core content through the development of key concepts and timely revisiting of key knowledge

•Sequencing the curriculum and selecting knowledge to allow for gradual development of vertical concepts – the ‘big ideas’ in science – to provide firm foundations for KS3 and KS4

•Preventing common misconceptions that are often formed at an early age and prove problematic at the later stages of pupils’ science education

•Purposefully teaching appropriate knowledge that goes beyond the KS1 and KS2 national curriculum, to aid current and future understanding, and to smooth the transition to KS3

•Encouraging pupils to apply and make connections between the disciplines of science, the wider curriculum and the wider world

Disciplinary Knowledge

Alongside developing substantive knowledge, we prioritise the explicit teaching and regular practice of working scientifically skills. We make deliberate connections to other curriculum areas, such as mathematics and geography, to ensure children have a consistent approach to acquiring and applying scientific knowledge and skills. Our practical tasks are purposefully designed to demonstrate or prove key concepts, allowing children to engage in relevant scientific enquiry.

St. Joseph's Curriculum for science provides all pupils, regardless of their background, with:

Disciplinary knowledge

•Sequencing 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

•Making 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

•Planning 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

Curiosity and Excitement

At the heart of our science curriculum is a desire to inspire children's curiosity and excitement about the natural world. We carefully select examples and applications that capture their imagination, and we ensure that children see themselves reflected in the diverse contributions of scientists from various backgrounds. By fostering this sense of wonder and connection, we aim to nurture a lifelong love of science in our children.

St. Joseph's Curriculum for science provides all pupils, regardless of their background, with:

Curiosity and excitement about science

•Selecting examples and applications of science that inspires pupils’ curiosity about the world and natural phenomena

•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

Implementation and Impact

Our implementation of the United Learning Curriculum for Science reflects our broader teaching and learning principles, which prioritise building on prior knowledge, making connections across the curriculum, and providing ample opportunities for formative assessment and feedback. Through targeted questioning, pupil conferencing, and pre- and post-learning quizzes, we closely monitor children's progress and address any gaps or misconceptions that arise.

At St. Joseph's, we believe that science education is essential for preparing our children as confident, curious, and knowledgeable citizens.