Science Curriculum Rationale
- Science Curriculum Rationale
At Rosebrook Primary School, our science curriculum is designed to provide all children with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of science through direct involvement in a range of practical and investigational activities. These activities are carefully sequenced to build upon children’s prior knowledge and understanding, ensuring progression in both scientific knowledge and the development of essential investigative skills.
We follow the National Curriculum for science, but we ensure that we make local links wherever possible to make the content more relevant and engaging for our pupils. Our curriculum is structured to encourage children to ask questions, plan and carry out investigations, observe, measure, sort and classify, record and interpret their findings, hypothesise, and construct ‘fair tests’. These practical skills equip our pupils with the means to explore and investigate the world of science, developing a deeper understanding of scientific concepts.
Our science curriculum is appropriate for the Rosebrook community, as it addresses the specific needs and interests of our pupils. Many of our children enter school with weaker language skills than expected, so we place a strong emphasis on broadening their scientific vocabulary and developing their oracy skills through practical, hands-on learning. We also recognise the high proportion of pupils with SEND and ensure that our curriculum is inclusive, with appropriate support and challenge for all learners.
The science curriculum at Rosebrook is aspirational, as it aims to not only develop children’s scientific knowledge and skills but also foster a lifelong love of learning and exploration. We believe that by providing engaging, practical experiences, we can inspire our pupils to become curious, inquisitive, and resilient learners, who are equipped to tackle the challenges of an ever-changing world.
- Whole School Aims
Our science curriculum is closely aligned with the school’s vision and values, as it embodies our core belief that “we can be whatever we dream.” Through science, we aim to instil a sense of ambition and determination in our pupils, encouraging them to explore the world around them and push the boundaries of their own understanding.
Our DREAM values – Determination, Respect, Enthusiasm, Ambition, and Growth Mindset – are at the heart of our science curriculum. We model and praise these characteristics in our daily interactions and teaching, empowering our pupils to become confident, resilient, and collaborative learners.
- Subject Vision
At Rosebrook, we believe that science is a fundamental subject that helps children to understand the world around them and develop essential critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Our science curriculum is designed to ignite our pupils’ natural curiosity, fostering a love of scientific exploration and discovery.
By providing a rich and engaging science curriculum, we aim to equip our pupils with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become active, inquisitive, and responsible citizens. We want our children to be able to ask meaningful questions, plan and carry out investigations, and draw conclusions based on evidence – skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Our science curriculum aligns closely with the school’s improvement priorities, particularly in the areas of reading comprehension, oracy, and writing attainment. We recognise the importance of developing strong literacy skills to support scientific learning, and we integrate these elements seamlessly throughout our lessons.
- Communication with Stakeholders
To ensure the successful implementation of our science curriculum, we will engage in regular and effective communication with all stakeholders, including parents, carers, and the wider community.
We will share our science curriculum rationale and vision through a variety of channels, such as the school website, newsletters, and parent information sessions. By clearly articulating our aims and the rationale behind our approach, we can foster a shared understanding and garner support from our school community.
Furthermore, we will actively seek feedback from parents, carers, and pupils to ensure that our science curriculum remains relevant and responsive to the needs of our school community. This will involve regular surveys, focus groups, and opportunities for stakeholders to contribute their ideas and suggestions.
- Addressing Inspection Feedback
The science curriculum rationale at Rosebrook Primary School directly addresses the feedback provided in the most recent Ofsted inspection.
Firstly, we have ensured that our schemes of work for science are planned precisely, with a clear sequence of learning that builds upon pupils’ prior knowledge and skills. This aligns with the inspector’s recommendation to “check how effectively teachers are building pupils’ knowledge and skills for all aspects of foundation subjects, so that pupils learn more and remember more.”
Furthermore, we have placed a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ scientific vocabulary and oracy skills, recognising the importance of language development for our pupils. This supports the inspector’s observation that “pupils’ speaking skills are better than their writing skills” and the need to ensure that the “scheme of work for writing is less precise.”
Finally, we have incorporated a robust personal development curriculum that equips our pupils with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe, both in the community and online. This directly addresses the inspector’s recommendation to “make sure that the very recently introduced scheme of work for pupils’ personal development is implemented across the school, so that pupils have a secure understanding of local risks, and that they are equipped with the skills needed to deal with them.”
By aligning our science curriculum rationale with the specific feedback from the Ofsted inspection, we can ensure that our approach is tailored to the unique needs and priorities of the Rosebrook community, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for all our pupils.