Science
At St James we aim to:
stimulate and excite pupils’ curiosity about changes and events in the world;
engage pupils as learners at many levels through linking ideas with practical experience;
develop children’s scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through biology, chemistry and physics;
help pupils to learn to question and discuss scientific issues that may affect their own lives;
help pupils develop, model and evaluate explanations through scientific methods of collecting evidence using critical and creative thought;
show pupils how major scientific ideas contribute to technological change and how this impacts on improving the quality of our everyday lives;
help pupils recognise the cultural significance of science and trace its development;
develop pupils' use of ICT and Computing to aid and enhance their scientific studies.
Working scientifically is inextricably linked to all learning in Science. This objective embeds the knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics, focussing on the key features of scientific enquiry:
Observing over time
Pattern Seeking
Identifying, classifying and grouping
Comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations)
This is implicit in all units and will be linked to wider areas of the curriculum to ensure consolidation of all ideas. Children will be assisted in making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others, and build secure foundations by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions.
“A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes ”