All pupils at Springdale First School are entitled to be taught the key knowledge and skills in the scientific disciplines to develop understanding of the world around them at an age-appropriate level and in line with the National Curriculum. We know that as pupils build upon prior learning, they are developing connections in their conceptual understanding. We believe that it is essential to make these scientific concepts explicit to our pupils so that clear connections are made in their minds. It is our intent, therefore, that our curriculum is well-sequenced and progressive from year group to year group and provides opportunities to recall and retrieve prior learning before building upon this.
Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” We want to ignite the spark of curiosity in our children, and harness their natural enthusiasm and inquisitiveness to pursue scientific enquiry. As pupils develop their scientific understanding, they will develop a range of scientific skills, including but not limited to: asking questions, carrying out enquiries and drawing conclusions. We aim to develop their ability to rationally explain natural phenomena using age-appropriate scientific vocabulary.
At Springdale, through our science curriculum and beyond, we aim to nurture a love for the natural world, heighten awareness of environmental matters and ensure that our pupils leave us as responsible stewards of the environment.
In an ever-changing world, where our children’s future jobs may not even exist yet, it is vital that our children understand why Science matters in the world and how Science has already changed their lives. Through our wider curriculum based on chronology, pupils in each year group are inspired by significant scientists in history. As children move through the school, they learn about scientists and their achievements from their focus century and how those achievements impact our lives today. Additionally, our pupils’ enthusiasm for Science is piqued by people who use Science in their everyday lives and careers. We know that developing Science Capital in the primary years is important in inspiring pupils to continue Science in further education. In creating an excitement and a curiosity in our pupils regarding Science, as well as for future possibilities in science, we hope to have developed aspirational pupils who may one day be the scientists of their generation.
What is a knowledge organiser?
A knowledge organiser is a unit of learning, containing key knowledge and information that children need to know to have developing understanding of a concept in a subject. We refer to the knowledge as being “Sticky knowledge” as the children are expected to remember and recall key facts in all areas of the curriculum as they continue their learning journey through school.
Our knowledge organisers will include:
- Essential knowledge about a concept, usually laid out in easily digestible chunks.
- What the children will have learnt in the previous year linked to this concept (prior learning).
- Key vocabulary or technical terms.
- An enquiry question to support the learning of Sticky knowledge.
- Cultural capital opportunities for every unit. (Identifying how this learning fits into wider opportunities).