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INFORMED INDEPENDENT INVESTED INDIVIDUAL
Science at Ilketshall
At Ilketshall St Lawrence Primary School we provide a knowledge rich curriculum alongside purposeful and engaging Science lessons. When a child leaves Ilketshall they should be a Scientist who is curious, practical and knowledgeable about Science and the world around them. Our curriculum is underpinned by four core values.
INFORMED
As staff, we are committed to quality Science teaching which covers the topics set out in the National Curriculum. Throughout their time at Ilketshall children will learn about these areas while also developing their knowledge of famous Scientists and STEM careers. Each year, children will build upon their previous learning and be encouraged to make connections. Rich vocabulary will be key to our teaching and children will be encouraged to use this in written and practical work. Practical scientific investigations and enquiries will be interwoven with our knowledge rich curriculum.
INDEPENDENT
Children will be encouraged to explore their own questions, ideas and beliefs during Science lessons. A carefully planned curriculum will allow them to research their own questions through investigations. Safety is of the utmost importance during Science lessons and children will be aware of how to keep themselves safe and the dangers that can be involved when investigating Science. We support children to learn at a pace which is appropriate for them.
INVESTED
Children will recognise the importance of Science now and within their future. Children will be invested in lessons through access to resources, memorable experiences and a varied curriculum. They will understand how Science, now and in the future, will relate to the world they live in.
INDIVIDUAL
Every child in our school is an individual. We encourage children to share their own experiences and views. Children will come into Science lessons with their own views and ideas. We will introduce the idea that people do not always share the same views in Science and that ideas have changed over time. Children will leave Ilketshall with a knowledge of STEM jobs and believing that they are capable of these jobs in the future.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PSQM GILT Award
We currently hold a PSQM Gilt Award for the quality of our science curriculum, lessons and subject leadership.
Resources
We are constantly reviewing and adding to our resources at Ilketshall. It is important to us that Science is a hands-on subject and we aim to use resources wherever possible to give children hands-on experiences.
Outdoor Learning
We love using our outdoor learning sessions as part of our science work. We are lucky to have a large field and woodland to explore as well as a pond. This allows us to offer children firsthand experience when exploring topics such as habitats and minibeasts. In addition, the children have weekly outdoor learning sessions with Earthwake.
Additional Experiences
Sizewell C
Year 5 and Year 6 took part in a K-nex workshop in conjunction with Stemworks and Sizewell C. Children enjoyed a morning designing a new vehicle for Sizewell. Children thoroughly enjoyed the morning and were introduced to many new careers they could explore in the future.
Book Judges for the Royal Society Book Prize
We are delighted that for the second year in a row we have been selected as judges for the Royal Society’s Young Persons Book Prize. We received a box of high-quality texts and look forward to judging the texts in our reading sessions.
Fitness Instructor
As part of our circulatory system unit, we were visited by a fitness instructor who put us through our paces as well as answering questions about the career opportunities available.
Sealife Centre
Our Little Owls enjoy visiting the Sealife centre and learning more about marine life and habitats. This support their understanding of the world around them and develops their observation and classifying skills.
Garden Centre
Each year Little Owls visit the local garden centre. This supports their learning about the world around them. Learning about seasons and the different types of plants.
Dentist
Our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children receive a visit from the dental team each academic year. This helps them to learn about how to stay healthy in the future and more about the parts of their bodies. It is important to us that children learn how to stay healthy during their time at Ilketshall.
Assessment
During 2023, we made the decision to move away from end-of-unit tests in science and moved toward teacher assessment throughout the unit, alongside TAPS (Teacher Assessment in Primary Science). Each term, children work independently on a scientific skill, and we build a picture of their skills throughout the year.
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