Science at Christ Church

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood."   

Marie Curie

Science Vision

By the end of their time at Christ Church, we aim for our children to be confident, independent scientists who explore their own curiosities. Equipped with a diverse range of scientific knowledge, vocabulary and practical skills, they can apply their learning to question the world around them. As a result, children understand and respect the world and can make informed decisions about new technologies, their health and the scientific opportunities around them.

Intent

At Christ Church, Science is based on an engaging, progressive science curriculum that encourages children to build on their prior knowledge. Children hone their working scientifically skills through practical investigations that spark their curiosity and allow them to apply their scientific knowledge and skills in a real-life context. Our 3d curriculum allows children to know and remember more so that they are ready to apply and build on their prior knowledge. Topics are sequenced carefully for purpose, to provide children the opportunity to learn at the ‘best’ time. At Christ Church, vocabulary and oracy are a key focus-;vocabulary and knowledge is reinforced and built on across each year group with teachers using games and quizzes to revisit prior learning in ‘low stakes quizzes’.

Implementation

Beginning with an exploration of the natural world during the Early Years Foundation Stage, our science curriculum offers a broad range of experiences designed to provide our children with a progression of scientific understanding, skills and knowledge. The understanding of key ideas in science is revisited and progressively built upon across each year group with teachers using games and quizzes to revisit prior learning. Across the whole school, our science lessons have a clear progression of knowledge and skills that aim to encourage children to move from early observations and exploration, to considered questioning and the drawing out of ideas.

In Science at Christ Church, we use concept cartoons and 'lesson zero' assessments alongside regular elicitation exercises to assess children’s understanding and prepare them for future learning. Importance is placed on first hand experiences with children provided with access to a wide range of resources, including the local environments of our local areas. Science capital is built upon through a range of extra-curricular visits and workshops, in addition to STEM ambassadors and community visitors who inspire children to be a 'scientist like me'. Science is celebrated through the annual STEM week so science is accessible and engaging for all. 

All children have a confident grasp of scientific vocabulary across the wider curriculum through the use of knowledge organisers and engaging vocabulary games that embed taught vocabulary and revisit the vocabulary of prior learning, using targeted reading materials with a science theme.

Overall, we broaden all children’s scientific knowledge and their view of the world around them, whilst promoting their curiosity and a love for enquiry with children wanting to explore new things and ideas.

KAPLA UK STEM WORKSHOPS- 1st November 2022

KAPLA UK visited our school this week. The teacher, Jennifer was fantastic with organising the children and showing them how to use the bricks to carefully build these immense structures!

Working on different sections, the children created a huge cityscape with Reception making houses, the river and trees and Year 1 creating a huge snake. Year 2 made the Octopi in the sea section with Year 3 building the bottom layer of that huge bridge! Year 5 and 6 finished the top layer of the bridge and built the tall towers. Year 4 carefully created the train travelling on the top of the bridge.

A huge thank you to the children and families who offered to demolish the structures – which was just as fun!

STEM Week 2022

Christ Church have had a wonderful time exploring the theme of ‘growth’ for Science Week. At the start of the week, every class was treated to a workshop from ‘Diatom Dave’, where we learnt about lots of different forms of growth, from inside the body to the growth of different weather systems. The whole school have also been exploring the question: ‘Can larger hands hold more cubes?’ with some interesting results! However, the most popular growth experiment has been the challenge to stretch a curly wurly. Well done to Ceyda, Elizabeth and Ffion in Year 4, who managed to stretch their curly wurly from 15.6cm to a whopping 3m 53 cm! Well done to everyone who took part.