Langley Mill
Science at Langley Mill Academy
The Important thing is not to stop questioning....." Albert Einstein
Intent
At Langley Mill Academy we aim to ensure that all of the students that study through Developing Experts become exceptional critical thinkers and problem solvers; the essential skills that are needed in the world of work. They are never too young to start with STEM. We have addressed this by designing and implementing schemes of learning that offer breadth and depth, respect the National Curriculum and build progressively across the Key Stages; lesson-by-lesson, unit-by-unit.
We enable children to:
- Be curious and explore their world building a wealth of scientific knowledge and skills
- Become effective problem solvers using science to answer the challenges that the world is facing
- Develop excellent skills in maths to enable data handling and analysis
- Emerge as effective exponents of STEM through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- Challenge themselves to address every question with investigation, prediction, observation, data collection, synthesis, analysis, and a thorough evaluation of their findings
- Communicate their understanding and ideas with a wide technical vocabulary
We know that every child learns at their own speed, and we ensure that our delivery offers an education for all. We have built-in indicative assessment opportunities, through; Mission Assignments, quizzes, comprehensive handouts and a range of other activities that interweave with prior learning, as well as end of unit assessments. This blend of assessments grants teachers the necessary tools to ensure pupils make good or better progress in science.
Key Knowledge: Ensuring Progression
Key Knowledge Progression Documents for Science can be viewed here:
Key Knowledge Progression Document: Science
Key Science Skills Progression
Topics to be taught within science, as follows, are planned from our Key Knowledge Progression Documents for Science through Developing Experts:
Implementation
Science is taught using the ‘Developing Experts’ online learning scheme.
Each unit has a Knowledge Organiser to support learners, in line with those used for other foundation subjects in school. The overview for each unit sets out the Unit Mastery – what learners should be able to do and Assessment Opportunities, which take on different forms of assessment. These assessment opportunities can be used to inform teacher judgement when using O-Track at the end of each topic or each term.
The lessons give learners the chance to take part in a range of investigations using different scientific skills. Each lesson follows a similar format with input from real-life scientists – objectives are clearly stated, as are the scientific skills pupils will be using. A Mission Starter gives learners a chance to explore a scientific question using existing knowledge, whilst Rocket Words from previous lessons are recapped and new ones introduced, focusing on vocabulary, which our pupils need immersing in. Mission Assignments see pupils having a go and quizzes are provided to inform ongoing summative assessment.
Reading
At Langley Mill Academy we plan and teach daily linked 'Themed Reading' lessons, which cover the wider curriculum, including science. This allows teachers to pre-teach vocabulary in context with the new knowledge that will be encountered within a science unit. We have found that pupils are able to make rapid progress in science lessons as key vocabulary and wider ideas have already been explored and discussed. We encourage pupils to read around their science units and so we provide an extensive selection of non-fiction books within pupils' classrooms. Below is a recommended book list if you visit a local library or book shop:
Impact
Children will be engaged and enthusiastic about science in school – using their naturally inquisitive minds to further their own learning.
Staff and pupil voice, book looks and learning walks will gather feedback about the science curriculum at Langley Mill. These actions along with use of summative and formative data will demonstrate the impact of science teaching and inform future actions, in order to continue to develop a curriculum tailored to our children’s needs which is embedded and engaging.
Our science lead is Mrs Beighton.
