a scheme of work for special school science the ... · pdf filea scheme of work for science...

School Science Review, June 2002, 83(305) 29

Oswald, Brewer, Cornwell and Gant The Cambridgeshire story

A scheme of work forspecial school science: the

Cambridgeshire storyShân Oswald, Penny Brewer, Rös Cornwell, Jo Gant

Special school teachers, funded by the AstraZeneca Science TeachingTrust, produce a scheme of work to suit their particular needs

ABSTRACTThis article describes the work of a group ofscience coordinators from some of the specialschools in Cambridgeshire. Funding from theAstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust enabledthe teachers to be released from school in orderto develop this scheme and its assessment.Many teachers find it difficult to know what theyshould be looking for in the classroom when itcomes to assessing children’s progress inscience and especially when many of thechildren are working below National Curriculumlevel 1. This aspect of the project took manyhours but the teachers using the scheme havefound it invaluable.

Setting the context

During network meetings of our special school sciencecoordinators, concerns were raised about the lack ofa scheme of work for science that addressed the ageand ability range of our particular pupils. Alongsidethis there was also the need to support and improvethe assessment of science by teachers in the classroomand to enhance the scientific experiences of thesepupils. None of the published science schemesavailable was considered as really addressing theneeds of special schools. A number of Cambridge-shire special schools have pupils across the fullspectrum of special educational needs, i.e. PMLD(profound and multiple learning difficulties), SLD(severe learning difficulties), MLD (moderate learningdifficulties) and EBD (emotional and behaviouraldifficulties), as well as pupils from the autisticspectrum. This can mean that a teacher might have aclass covering a whole key stage, or more than one

key stage, where pupils are working as low asperformance level 1 (P1) or as high as NationalCurriculum (NC) level 3. (Performance descriptionsoutline early learning and attainment before NC level1 in eight levels from P1 to P8. Level 3 refers to theNational Curriculum level descriptions where theexpectation is that a pupil aged 7 will be at NC level2 and a pupil aged 11 will be at level 4.) Most havelimited literacy and numeracy skills, so thereforelessons need to be practical and sensory. In addition,the activities and contexts need to be age appropriateas well as taking into account the fact that some pupilsmay revisit a topic on several occasions whilst makinglittle, if any, progress.

The scheme

As a result of our concerns the group applied to theAstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust for funding inorder to be able to produce a scheme that wouldaddress these issues. The bid was successful andtwelve months on the scheme is almost complete.

Little did we know just how much work therewould be! One of the biggest problems was that ofteachers being released from schools. Although wecould fund supply cover it wasn’t always easy to findand some teachers could not leave their classesbecause their pupils did not respond well to theirabsence. On top of this there was a maternity leaveand a long-term illness, which meant that our initial10 teachers dropped to 5, and this obviously slowedprogress.

As the task was so huge, the teachers decided tosplit into two working groups. One group focused onthe PMLD/SLD range of pupils working below NC

The Cambridgeshire story Oswald, Brewer, Cornwell and Gant

30 School Science Review, June 2002, 83(305)

level 1 and the other group concentrated on the SLD/MLD range of pupils working across key stages 1(5–7), 2 (7–11) and 3 (11–14) between NC levels 1and 4. There is overlap between the two parts of thescheme at NC level 1 so that the two parts form acoherent whole.

The format

Each unit in the scheme has the same format, whichcomprises the following sections:

■ Title page – gives the name of the unit, the keystage(s) and aspects of the programme of study itsupports. Many units address more than one keystage.

■ Learning objectives – in the pre-level 1 part ofthe scheme these are written ‘hierarchically’.Although it is appreciated that pupils’ learningdoes not necessarily progress in this way, thegroup felt that this might help teachers with theirplanning. In the pre-level 1 part of the scheme thelast objective is always a process skill that couldfocus on:

Discussing and questioning

Planning

Predicting

Fair testing

Observing/measuring

Recording

Interpreting

Evaluating

The level 1–4 section has a larger number ofobjectives to cover the increasing breadth of thescience curriculum.

■ ICT opportunities – at least one example isincluded in each unit but it is expected that schoolswill customise this box depending on availableresources.

■ Links – suggests connections with other areas ofthe National Curriculum.

■ Vocabulary – identifies key words, bothscientific and non-scientific, that may be used inthe unit, but not necessarily learnt by pupils. Inaddition, Widgit symbols are being produced forthese words. (See Wellington and Wellington,page 81, for further Widgit symbols.)

■ Activities and Possible investigations – theseare suggested activities for teachers to use toachieve the objectives. For the less experiencedor less confident teachers they are written withmore sensory activities at the beginning,increasing in conceptual difficulty further downthe list, to again give a sense of progression whilstrecognising that this hierarchy might be artificial.

■ Own activities – this is a section for schools touse to add in their own activities.

It is envisaged that the teacher will assess a pupil’spresent level of understanding and select appropri-ate starting points from the list of activities.

■ Resources – includes suggested visits but againa school will need to add their own, relevant totheir location and local area.

■ Points to note – this section highlights health andsafety points and raises issues that might relate toindividual pupil’s needs. In some topics referenceis made to possible conceptual difficulties that ateacher might need to be aware of.

A copy of the Light unit is included here to exemplifyhow these sections are arranged (see Box 1 page 39).

The main reason for including a large number ofactivities was to address the issue of age appropriate-ness and the fact that pupils may revisit the topic manytimes, often with the same teacher. However, this

Figure 1 Ben pushing a toy tractor (Rees ThomasSchool).



could present a problem when children move to adifferent class and the teacher is not sure whichactivities have already been covered.

This could be addressed by:

■ Highlighting the activities covered by a particularclass on copies of the appropriate units – thisinformation would then be passed either to thescience coordinator or the next teacher. This partof the recording process will depend on the long-term planning procedures and organisation withinindividual schools.

■ Providing an appropriate focus each time the unitis revisited. An example of how this could beachieved is given for P1–NC1 in Table 1 (page33).

As well as being progressive, the revisited units focuson a different aspect of content. Pupils will then beable to return to areas of knowledge and skills, butusing different age-appropriate materials to broadentheir experience. This is illustrated in the photographs(Figures 1–4).

Figure 1 shows a reception child who is exper-iencing pushing and pulling the big toys outside.

Figure 2 shows a 10-year-old who is experiencingpushes and pulls with a bag of marbles.

Figure 3 shows 11–14-year-olds testing parachutecanopies of different sizes and different materials tosee which one comes down slowly and doesn’t flipover.

Figure 2 Charlotteexperiencing pulling abag of marbles (GreenHedges School)

Figure 3 Mark testing his parachute canopy(Windmill School)



science specific. As a result, we contacted the com-pany (Widgit Software, 01926 885 303) who agreedto produce symbols to accompany the scheme. Wesuggested suitable designs for many of these symbolsbut the final versions have been left in the hands ofthe company to produce. Figure 5 shows some of theexamples we suggested.

These are some of the ways that we felt thesymbols could be used:

■ as an aid to both starter and plenary sessions;

■ as cues for more able pupils, e.g. to discuss whatequipment might be needed or what to do;

■ as prompt to actually go and get the equipmentneeded or participate in the activity;

■ as labels for equipment being used in an activity;

■ as a pictorial aid for recording an activity – pupilsstick symbols on to a pre-prepared recording sheet,or print them off their computer first (Figure 6).

Assessment

One of the issues we wanted to address regarding theassessment was to help teachers to know whatoutcomes to look for in the classroom, especially withpupils where progress may be very limited. The otherconcern was to devise a method of recording that wasboth manageable and meaningful.

Each unit has outcomes that are specific to theobjectives. For the pre-level 1 units there are out-comes from P level 1 through to NC level 1. We tookthe science P levels produced by QCA (DfEE/QCA2001) and used our collective expertise to interpretthese for the particular contexts.

The outcomes take the form of a statement, plusone or two examples that are topic specific, to clarifyexactly what a pupil will be able to do to exemplifythat level. However, a teacher may need to useprofessional judgement as pupil achievement may notexactly fit the given outcomes or may be a differentbut equally valid outcome.

Many pupils will need physical help, e.g. ‘handover hand’ or ‘light touch or support’ in order toparticipate in some activities. This is NOT the supportreferred to in the P level outcomes, which is meant toindicate verbal or visual prompting.

For pupils working between NC levels 1 and 4,notional half levels or intermediate stages have beendevised to help a teacher assess progress. This wasfelt to be an important addition to the outcomes

In another lesson they are exploring the effects ofpulleys and how it feels to lift the bag of bricks (Figure4).

Claire is a 15-year-old PMLD pupil taking part inforces activities. She anticipates the arrival of the ball,pushes the ball away, watches the ball roll away, showsdelight and then turns her head to see where the ballgoes. She is able to repeat this several times duringthe same lesson and a few weeks later in a follow-uplesson.

Symbols

During the development of this scheme of work itbecame clear that although there were a large numberof Widgit symbols available, not enough of them were

Figure 4 Geraldine is pulling on the string (herfinger is through a loop) to lift the bag of bricks(Windmill School)



because so many of these pupils make small stepsthat are not recognised by the National Curriculumlevel descriptions.

As the science process skills are generic acrossall aspects of science, we also included in the schemean overall progression grid from P6 to NC level 4 toenable teachers to see the development of the skills.

In the pre-NC level 1 part of the scheme, scientificenquiry skills are beginning to develop and theseemergent skills are only assessed from P6 onwards.In these early stages of skill development teachersupport is very necessary. This progression isillustrated below for the skill of recording.

Table 1 Suggested focus for revisited topics, P1–NC1, showing progression.

Unit 1st visit 2nd visit 3rd visit

The senses – Foods Household / everyday Wider range of lessoption with humans materials familiar itemsunit for PMLD

Food and diet Exploring food Balanced dietNeed for food and water Exercise

Health Being ill and well Safety aspects of medicinesWarning labels

Life cycles – Exploring and observing Sequencing life cyclesanimals a range of life cycles

Plants Experience and explore Growing plants and seedsplant parts Requirements for lifeNaming simple plant parts Life cycle – simple

Environment Indoor environment Outdoor environment Further afield

Materials Toys Household materials Less familiar objects, e.g.– exploring building materials,– grouping packaging materials

Materials – Foods – heating and cooling Changing the shape of Heating and cooling non-changing familiar materials using foods and changing

forces, e.g. squashing and shape of less familiartwisting objects

Electricity Safety Simple circuitsExploring and identifying Grouping appliances onelectrically powered toys electrical effectsand appliances

Forces Experience pushes and Know what forces dopulls – toys Identify push and pulls –

familiar objects but not toys

Light Explore light sources ShadowsExperience light and dark Light sources for a purpose

Sound Explore making sounds with Finding purposeful ways toeveryday objects and body change sounds

Sounds for a purposeHow sounds change withdistanceMusical instruments



Figure 5 Some suggested symbols.



Recording

P6 pupils are able to:

■ Show where they found something, e.g. a mini-beast or object.

■ Show what they did.

■ Use the objects simply to record what they did,e.g. with help makes a pile of objects that sandwent through.


■ Gather things together or cut up similar thingsfrom a catalogue, e.g. make a leaf collection.

■ Use the objects to record with, e.g. make a pile ofobjects sand can go through and a pile that it can’tgo through.


■ Display their collections, e.g. stick leaves onto atree outline in groups such as size or colour.

■ Draw an object and stick onto a chart drawn bythe teacher, e.g. pictures of things that sand cango through and things it can’t go through.

NC L1 pupils are able to:

■ Draw/talk about work in everyday terms –possibly with support.

■ Record in tables drawn by the teacher – withsupport.

L1+ pupils are able to:

■ Record results in tables drawn by the teacher –independently.

■ Construct a pictogram – with support.


■ Put results in simple tables in an ordered way –headings given by teacher.

■ Use non-standard measurements in tables.

■ Use pictograms to display results.

■ Draw bar charts with help.


■ Use correct headings for the table.

■ Devise a different way to record results – withsupport.

■ Record enough results to give a pattern.

Figure 6 Recording using Widgit symbols.

We pulled a bag of marbles over different surfaces

Surface

Ea

sy/h

ard



Figure 7 Example of outcomes sheet being used to record whole-class progress.Key: A = achieved; W = working towards; E = experienced/encountered.



Figure 8 Example of a summary recording sheet.




■ Record results sequentially and accurately.

■ Construct tables that have quantitative units andsuitable headings.

■ Record observations in a variety of ways.

■ Draw bar charts.


■ Draw stick graphs/line graphs – with support.

■ Ensure that they use a sensible range of results.


■ Present results clearly using graphs and tables.

■ Decide on an appropriate method of recording.

■ Put results in stick graphs or simple line graphs.

A sample recording sheet is included with each unitin the scheme and this could be used in one of twoways. For example, it could be an individual recordingsheet that follows the pupil throughout the school.Alternatively it could be used to record the progress

of the whole class or group with pupils’ names writtenacross the top. The further comments box may be usedfor additional observations or assessments of thepupils.During the trials in school most teachers feltthat the latter was less cumbersome (see Figure 7). Italso illustrates the point that pupils may ‘miss out alevel’, either because progress is not linear or becauseof their special needs, and that a teacher will need touse their professional judgement to finally decide ona pupil’s level.

In order to reduce the amount of paperwork forindividual pupils we created a summary assessmentsheet that would follow the pupil throughout his/herschool career (see Figure 8).

These sheets are only suggestions and individualschools may have to adapt these to fit in with existingschool practice.

The scheme is available from the AstraZenecawebsite, www.azteachscience.co.uk, and anyfeedback on using or improving this scheme in schoolwould be most welcome.

ReferenceDfEE/QCA (2001) Planning, teaching and assessing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties: SCIENCE. London:

QCA.

Shân Oswald is a Senior Adviser (Science) for the Cambridgeshire Advisory Service.E-mail: [email protected] Brewer is science coordinator at the Rees Thomas School.Rös Cornwell is science coordinator at Green Hedges School.Jo Gant is science coordinator at the Windmill School.



Box 1 The unit Light from the pre-level 1 scheme.

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