Our vision at Ratby Primary School is to instil a lifelong love of Science within our pupils. We want our children to be curious, inquisitive and enthusiastic learners. We aim to enable them to suggest and use different lines of enquiry in order to answer their own questions. We offer a broad, rich and progressive Science curriculum that covers all areas of the national curriculum. We are a well- resourced school with a range of scientific equipment, we offer a high quality science curriculum that engages and inspires our pupils.
Science Capital
Our Science capital is high as we have lots of sharing opportunities within our school and alongside other schools. We have specially selected Science Ambassadors in Key Stage 2, who help to deliver assemblies, lead playground Science activities, interview pupils and write articles for our newsletters and local magazines.
We also subscribe to the Whizz, Pop Bang magazine and this goes home with pupils alongside a book to record their experiments and home learning. We teach Science weekly and also offer a range of Science trips to further enhance the love of Science such as visiting the National Space Centre and The Think Tank Museum. In the summer term, we offer playground Science activities which are engaging, fun and encourage the children think scientifically.
Whole School events and celebrations.
We celebrate ‘British Science Week every year and invite Scientists into our school to deliver assemblies alongside our Science Coordinator and our Science ambassadors. This allows the children to ask questions and meet real life Scientists. Additionally, we provide Science assemblies throughout the year on many other themes for example: World Space Week, British Science Week and to learn about a diverse range of Scientists.
We also set whole school Science and STEM challenges and have celebration assemblies to share the work of the children who participate. We enter national competitions too and reward the children selected to represent our school with Science book prizes. We also regularly share our Science work with parents too via Twitter. As part of the Bradgate Education Trust, Ratby is fortunate to have strong links with other schools, allowing us to share good practice and to discuss progression and attainment.
Assessment
We start every unit with a reflection of what the children already know. We share photos and pictures of Science learning from previous years and also vocabulary to encourage our children to make links between topics. We also introduce new scientific vocabulary and discuss the meaning of the words at the start of a unit and during each lesson. We plan clear and comprehensive lesson plans in line with the National Curriculum where teaching and learning should show progression across all key stages within the strands of Science. Our pupils are provided with opportunities to develop their questioning, predicting/hypothesising, recording and explanation skills. Teachers use assessment for learning to tailor their lessons and to cater for the abilities of their current class. We assess continuously throughout a unit using mini retrieval quizzes, targeted questioning and reflection opportunities. Our books show both written recording and photographs of Science investigations.
EYFS
Ratby Primary School have a great variety of scientific learning in our EYFS setting. Examples of the foundation stage’s wide variety of learning include: Forest School sessions, role play linked to various settings, small world play (bugs and materials), cooking opportunities, a selection of observational experiments and the opportunity to look after and care for small animals.
Leesa Thomas
Science Lead
