‘It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree – make sure you understand the fundamental principles, i.e. the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to.’ Elon Musk
At St John’s Church of England Academy, we wholly embrace our local community and environment and have enhanced our curriculum through ‘Foresters’ Forest’ led enquiries to ensure that our children have a better appreciation and understanding of the uniqueness of The Forest of Dean.
At St John’s Church of England School, we believe that through the study of science children make sense of their world, as well as their place in it and enrich their understanding of it. Science provides the foundation for understanding the world around us. It can not only teach pupils about the world they live in, but also how to study it and make sense of various phenomena. As such, it is a fundamental aspect of all children’s learning.
Through adherence to this policy, St John’s Church of England Academy will not only ensure statutory compliance with the national curriculum, but also that all pupils have a solid grounding in science and a positive attitude towards scientific knowledge and experimental processes.
To be equipped with a breadth of scientific knowledge that will form the bedrock of understanding in biology, chemistry and physics.
To facilitate pupil knowledge, skills and understanding to be through exciting contexts for learning that ignite interest, foster ambition and advance knowledge which will influence and inform choices our pupils face as they consider their future pathways.
- Develop pupils’ interest in, and enjoyment of, science. By building on children’s curiosity, the science curriculum will help to instill a positive attitude towards science in pupils.
- Deliver all the requirements of the national curriculum in relation to science and covering major scientific concepts within biology, chemistry and physics.
- Ensure science lessons are purposeful, accurate and imaginative.
- Ensure pupils have sufficient scientific knowledge to understand both the uses and implications of science, today and in the future. This will also give pupils an appreciation of the changing nature of scientific knowledge.
- Develop pupils’ abilities to pose questions, investigate these using correct techniques, accurately record their findings using appropriate scientific language and analyse their results.
- Help pupils develop the skills of prediction, hypothesising, experimentation, investigation, observation, measurement, interpretation and communication.
- Make pupils aware of and alert to links between science and other school subjects, as well as their lives more generally.
The impact and measure of our science curriculum is to ensure that children at St John’s Church of England Academy are equipped with the skills and knowledge that will enable them to be ready for the curriculum at Key Stage 3 and for life as an adult in the wider world.