A1: There is an effective subject leader for science Monitoring using the ‘Science This Week’ board has meant I can be confident adequate time is now being spent teaching science as each year group provided a range of evidence every week.

A1: There is an effective subject leader for science

The ‘Science This Week’ display has also highlighted the range of science enquiry types now being used in school

Making models

Using visitors

Sorting and classifying Fair testing

Observation

Modelling processes

The profile of science has been raised and I think that it is now

taught more consistently. We have moved away from the QCA schemes of work and it is being approached

in more creative ways.

I feel like a more capable science

teacher after seeing and learning from

the good practice of my colleagues.

Teachers say…

the children don't look on science so much as 'we have to learn this' as 'this might be fun';

and they discuss more.

science is a lot more fun both for teachers to teach and children to

learn

A1: There is an effective subject leader for scienceTeachers use a range of assessment strategies - prior to, during and post topics - to inform planning, next steps and assess attainment.

Peer assessment (Yr 6 peer marking Yr 2)

Evaluating each other’s models

Questioning

Evaluating anonymous

work

Peer Assessment

Write down one thing

you’ve learnt

Asking children to apply

knowledge

Questioning

Topic tests

Initial assessment to inform planning

APP and assessment

tasks

it is in the great outdoors it is practical and based on hands on investigating and experimenting all children can be involved and engaged children have generated their own question to investigate concepts are linked to everyday life it is cross curricular children want to learn more there are appropriate resources teachers are confident resources are used effectively one question is answered but others thrown up children investigate something that interests them it is relevant to the children children are allowed to follow their own paths of enquiry teachers take risks, just to see what happens it is fun

The following statement was e-mailed to all staff at Irchester Community Primary School, teachers and support staff, and they were asked to complete it with their own views and thoughts, as many different versions as they wished: ‘Science teaching in our school is good when…’

A2: There is a clear vision for the teaching and learning of science

The thirty-six responses were analysed and similar statements amalgamated and we ended up with sixteen different ideas.

In groups, staff were asked to rank these in order of importance and eight key principles decided upon.

These principles are used to focus the monitoring of science. They will be reviewed after one year.

A2: There is a clear vision for the teaching and learning of science

Main Teaching Activity / Assessment for Learning / Key Questions

Independent ActivityDifferentiation

Main - Ask children to sort a range of objects into living and non living. How do we know? Put 3 in the middle…Which is the odd one out? Can you explain why? Plenary – Afl - What is living /non living? Give a selection of things for chn to classify.

Living things hunt: walk around school grounds to identify different things which are alive in different areas e.g. weeds in concrete cracks, trees, bushes, grass, bugs, worms, birds. Record on chart - Living /Non Living (children in mixed ability pairs – HA to support with recording, include reasons why) Let chn ask questions, decide what it is they want to know about plants/animals.

Hands on

Linked to everyday

life

Opportunities to work outside

Chances to direct their

own learning

Year 2: Staying Alive

Starter: What did you have for breakfast? Record items on board. Why do we need to eat and drink? What would happen if we didn’t? Main: Mixed ability groups, give each group a set of pictures of different foods and ask them to sort them anyway they see fit. How did you sort the foods? Why? Can you sort them any other way? (like/don’t, colour etc) What kinds of food do you eat that are good for you? Bad for you? Use PowerPoint to introduce different food groups. As class design a healthy meal. Plenary: Take/record suggestions for sorting. What foods does a healthy diet mean? What does a healthy diet look like? Does that mean you can’t eat sweet foods?

Design a healthy meal LA with support – draw meal on a plateMA – as above but independentlyHA – own choice of recording. Key words to be given/ pictures used in whole class work will also be labelled and on display.

Differentiated so all are engaged

Main: Explain that we will be doing some exercise. How do you feel now before exercise? Model how to find pulse on different parts of body (wrist, neck etc) Measure pulse/min with pulse reader before exercise

Take class outside to do some exercise. How do you feel now? What changes have happened? Measure pulse/min with pulse reader after exercise. Collect data in table.

Plenary: Discuss observations made and draw out conclusions as a class. Why is it important to exercise? What would happen if we did not?

Cross curricular

links

Our list of agreed ‘Principles for Science Teaching’ are used as a checklist when planning

These principles are incorporated into termly planning…

A2: There is a clear vision for the teaching and learning of science Year 5/6 – health

 Main Activity – What is the function of the heart? Watch ‘Science Clips’ – Heart and Circulation to introduce the heart as a pump. Using a real heart (Lamb’s heart is easily obtainable from a butcher), show the children how it is divided into four chambers/two sections and describe the roles of each part. (See Cleeaps advice re. health and safety) Why does blood need to be pumped around the body? – deliver oxygenated blood and food energy to cells around the body, then take away waste products and pick up oxygen from the lungs.If we want to describe how the heart works... What words will we need to use? Which parts of the body does the heart pump blood to?  Sc1- In small, mixed ability groups, chn to create a human model of how the heart works with narration and how blood travels around the body. HA to give explanation.  (Mini-plenary – check progress of models, one demonstration and evaluation, give extra input into models if necessary. ) Plenary – Chn to show their models and rest of class to evaluate for accuracy and use of correct terminology

 Recording (to be completed next lesson if nec)SEN – colour in pre-labelled diagram of the heart and blood circulation (blue for de-oxygenated blood/red for oxygenated blood) LA/MA – draw, label and colour a diagram of the heart and blood circulation HA /G&T – draw own diagram of heart and blood circulation. Write written explanation of how the heart works

Sc1/Main – Introduce the term ‘pulse’ - the surge of blood through the arteries each time the heart beats. Locate pulse in neck, wrist or temple. (You will find many chn are actually dead!!!) Explain that pulse is usually measured in beats per minute. Practice timing pulses (can time for 30secs and double) and take three readings – Were the readings the same? Why not/why? Revise finding the average or taking the middle reading (median). What is the lowest reading in the class? What is the highest reading in the class? How could we put this onto a frequency diagram? - discuss appropriate intervals for frequency tables and diagrams – e.g. 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, etc. Run through features of a bar chart/frequency diagram and draw up success criteria with chn.  Plenary – use visualiser to look at a good frequency diagram. Chn to assess their own against example, edit and improve.  Ask as a class.. What is the most common range for the pulse rate? What is the least common range? How many people have a pulse rate of 70 or more? Most people have a pulse rate of 80 or more. True or false? What affect do you think exercising would have on your pulse rate?

LA – construct a frequency table and frequency diagram of average pulse rates with support using prepared recording sheets  MA – construct frequency table and diagram of average pulse rate, suggest choice of scale for axes HA/G&T –own choice of recording format

Differentiated so all are engaged

Hands onCross

curricular links

Main- What could affect the pulse rate? e.g. type of exercise, length of exercise, age, gender, fitness levels, size/height.  Chn to plan an investigation into pulse rate. Their question and prediction should both contain what they are measuring/observing, and what they are changing.However ensure chn are aware of the impossibilities of controlling some factors, e.g. size and height, gender. Why is it important to investigate the effect on several children not just one? Why is it important to make several measurements of pulse rate?– best to take a range of shapes and sizes and a mix of gender and calculate the average, if testing the effect of exercise, etc, rather than trying to get all the same size/shape/gender. Plenary – Were the results what the children expected? Would they alter their method if they were to repeat the test?

LA – with support, plan and carrying out an investigation into the effect of age on pulse rate. Record on a prepared frequency table and diagram. MA – in groups, investigate the effect different exercise has on the pulse rate, plan and carry out enquiry and record results in table and graph – T to support.  HA /G&T – in groups, devise on question to investigate about pulse – e.g. pulse v temp, recovery times, etc. Plan and carrying out enquiry and record results in table and graph independently.  

Linked to everyday

life

Chances to direct their

own learning

  

UW- Show interest in different occupations

I can ask a question

I can say two ways a paramedic helps us

Ambulance crew to visit and talk about the equipment they use to make people better. What questions do the children want to ask? (Write a question to ask each) .Use knowledge from visit and language of different occupations in own role-play . Explore a range of equipment

StethoscopesSpacersBandagesThermometersSyringes

  

UW- Observe changes over time and talk about why things occur

I can say how ice changes

Discuss changes that will be happening as the season changes into winter. Colder weather, snow, no leaves on trees, hibernation (hedgehogs). Look at blocks of ice – how has this happened? (It has been frozen.) How could we get the Penguins out? (Look at different tools.) It is very cold so we need to wear rubber gloves to protect our hands. What will happen to the ice as it gets warmer in the classroom? Take photos throughout the day.Ice gloves on Wednesday (1 inside and 1 in outdoor classroom)

Ice blocks  Ice gloves

A2: There is a clear vision for the teaching and learning of science

  

UW-Find out about the environment

I can talk about plants and animals I see/hear

Wellie walk to Irchester Country park. Use all senses to explore environment. Can you find any tracks in the mud? Who might they belong to? What sort of animals might we find in the country park? How do we know – what evidence?

Wellies!

Foundation Stage

Chances to direct their

own learning

Hands on

Cross curricular

links

  

UW-recognise that a range of technology is used in school and home

I can call a telephone number

Observation – child initiated. Do they…Hold telephone correctly?Operate the buttons?Talk into the phone?Pause as if in conversation?Return the phone to holder?

PhonesOpportunities

to work outside

We’re scrubbing the ice to make

it warmer

Linked to everyday

life

During a recent Ofsted inspection, the following points were made about teaching in general at Irchester Community Primary School…

Staff do not consistently demand enough of the higher-ability pupils’

thinking

In some lessons, there is an imbalance between the time the teacher spends talking and the time for the pupils to engage in the

activityThere are some significant strengths in teaching but there is nevertheless

variability in quality.

A planning and book scrutiny revealed the following areas for development…Areas for Development

Not enough time is being spent on Science. At least an hour and a half per week should be spent on science teaching and learning. Ensure science enquiry is not always fair-testing. Differentiation still needs to be improved at planning stage and clear evidence of differentiation should be seen in books to demonstrate how

extended. All books look the same – too much differentiation by support. More able need more choice of activity and recording format, and more open-ended tasks.

A range of assessment needs to be recorded on planning - initial, self-assessment (e.g. RAG, triangles, etc) and summative assessment. New books acquired to aid summative assessment and levelling.

Jennifer should be included in each science unit taught – but taking a more able group to push them onto higher level science or investigating their own questions related to the topic, or utilising the extra adult to visit the wildlife area or grounds.

Findings shared with each individual teams – July 12

It was felt, in science there was an over-reliance on teacher-led, recipe-format fair testing, which did not engage or motivate children, or stretch the more-able. Therefore our science target was set at: To ensure a range of teaching and learning strategies are used across school.

A3: The current School Development Plan has appropriate and active targets for science

Staff training has focussed on using more open ended activities, using a range of science enquiry types and increasing the provision of child-led approaches.

A3: The current School Development Plan has appropriate and active targets for science

We are more confident with the different approaches that can be

used.

Teachers say…

What dowe want toachieve?

How are we going to do it?

Who isgoing to do this?

When are we doing this?

What do we need to do to achieve this?

How will we know we have achieved this?

How will we monitor that we are on trackto achieve this target?

What progress have wemade so far? RAG

target actions personal

timeline resources Success criteria Monitoring

Science:To ensure a range of teaching and learning strategies are used across the school

Audit planning and books  E-mail staff re. their thoughts on requirements Plan CPD and follow up accordingly CPD – staff meeting and team coaching Opportunities for Lab_13 work

TT  TT  TT and teaching staff JH

July 2012 and March 2013 Dec 2012  Staff meeting and coaching in Term 3 Throughout year

Release time and cover – TT Staff meeting sessions x 2 National Stem Centre membership

Evidence of range of teaching and learning in displays, pupil work and planning    

Display board Book audit Planning scrutiny

 Not yet completed

Ongoing

Completed

I have a greater bank of ideas to dip into when planning. I

now approach science lessons thinking about how much the

children will enjoy it rather than how wrong it could go!

Action Plan evaluation – as of beginning of Feb 2013

Staff have adapted current planning according to training…

The ‘Science This Week’ display has highlighted some of the different learning activities being used in school (also see slide 2)

Using visitors Role play

Linking with literacy

Designing posters

A3: The current School Development Plan has appropriate and active targets for science

Using the lab

Labelling

EnquiryFurther monitoring of books and planning is needed in order to gain a full picture of the teaching and learning strategies being used across school – this is timetabled for March.

A4 - science is valued as a subject – large events

School cluster RSC event, acknowledging the science used in jobs hosted by ICPS – all year 5 attended

Whole school ‘Mad Science’ assembly plus events throughout the afternoon to celebrate the Lab’s 1st birthday.

Whole school event, with invited guests from business, politics and education celebrating our enquiry based, child-led approach to science.

We organise a large science event at least every seasonal term - many involving STEM ambassadors, local businesses and the wider community.

Hand Hygiene challenge – sharing the importance of good hygiene with the whole school.

A4 - science is valued as a subject – large events…as well as a hand-hygiene challenge and ‘Science Writing Week’ last term, we also challenged each year group to create a ‘Science Sculpture’ to stand in our school grounds to demonstrate our love of science

Guided tours for parents, governors and visiting teachers were held in December and January.

This term, as part of National Science and Engineering Week, we are preparing to host the ‘Not Just for Christmas’ Lectures for the local cluster of schools and hold a ‘Science and Maths’ week.

Yr 4 – Materials feely-boxFS – Bug Hotel Yr 3 – String

Telephone Web

Yr 2 – Musical Tubes

Dad’s Club – Science Timeline(runs along the school boundary, from

Big Bang to present.

Dad’s Club – Bottle greenhouse (to be completed – typical builders!)

Yr5/6 – Alternative energy collectors

Lab_13 - ‘Bird City’

Yr 1 - Forces see-saw

A4 - science is valued as a subject – smaller events (see Events Log for full range)

Solar watch – using specialist equipment

Our girls lead a lecture for the University of Northampton’s ‘Girls into Stem’ Star watching event on site for

families.

Secondary student mentors with year 4Visit to Silverstone

Farm project with year 3Making ‘Little Sherlock’ kits to sell at the ‘Pop-up Shop’ in Nottingham.

MRC Centenary Project – Future SciencePlanting trees for National Tree Week – FS and Yr6

A4 - science is valued as a subject – displaysScience displays are always evident around school – staff, children and parents are interested to see each others’ work.

A4 - science is valued as a subject

We share our successes and love of science whenever we can.

Our students are currently featuring in the official launch of the Medical Research Council centenary celebrations on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z3BxRT4Zbg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN7XqpX5YQc

An appearance on local news.

In December, we came second in a national science song contest!

A science award is given out each week in our Gold Award assembly – parents are invited.

A4 - science is valued as a subject (A3: The current School Development Plan has appropriate and active targets for science – impact on children)

A Wordle activity revealed the children’s opinion of science in our school.

The children love science, as soon as they see it on the

timetable for the day they are excited and wondering what

they will be doing. They are also applying the skills learnt in

science to their everyday lives, questioning the things they

observe and looking for patterns.

The profile of science has been raised. I feel that children have a

better understanding of what science is.

This is what the teachers think…

The children are all keen to find out what we will be

doing as soon as I say ‘Right, time for science.’ The children have just

become much more 'into' science. The children have also become much more

inquisitive, asking lots more questions about all

subjects, not just science. A recent ‘Pupil Voice’ survey of 60 pupils across the school revealed that 83% thought it was important for everyone to learn science at school, 90% thought that school science teaches them how to take care of themselves and 77% thought that the science they are learning at school will help them in their everyday life.

A4 - science is valued as a subject

Teachers at ICPS think it is important for children to learn about science because…

…science is general knowledge about the world. It responds to the 'why' questions that children regularly ask and without this knowledge, as adults they would be asking them still. It also develops reasoning skills and ability to think through a problem or an idea in a logical/methodical way. Science knowledge and investigating is a stepping stone to a wealth of careers and needs to be introduced and fostered from a young age.

…learning about science gives an approach to learning that questions rather than just accepts. It promotes critical and logical thinking with an open mind.

…it enables children to explore new ideas.

…it encourages children to develop their thinking skills, there is often no obvious answer, and these are skills that children seem to use less as they get older.

…it gives children the chance to find out about the world. They can investigate and experiment with different concepts and find some answers that can protect

them for life (e.g. metal conducts heat)

…children need to realise that science is everywhere and that

there is an explanation as to why things happen and how

things work

…science offers children the opportunity to explore, discover and investigate things around them using all of their senses and find answers for themselves.

…it gives a greater knowledge of the world, feeds their curiosity, and they know that there is not always a definite answer

…learning about science gives an approach to learning that questions rather than just accepts. It promotes critical and logical thinking with an open mind.

…it helps to give children essential skills and knowledge that can be useful in life. Without science, where would we be today in terms of technology, exploration, and innovation?

A5 : The science subject leader knows about science teaching and learning across the school

Planning and Book Scrutiny – 6.7.12

Generic Findings:

Areas of strength

Evidence of initial assessment to inform planning, some units taught solely from a KWL activity

All worked marked and to the WALT. More work in the books – a range of evidence from post-it notes to photos,

have been used to record lessons not conducive to writing in books. Evidence of activities using a range of Sc1 skills across the school – from

sorting to labelling to fair testing, to explaining results and modelling. More WALTs are using Sc1 vocabulary such as ‘explain’, ‘draw conclusions’

Some evidence of writing in science.

Areas for Development

Not enough time is being spent on Science. At least an hour and a half per week should be spent on science teaching and learning.

Ensure science enquiry is not always fair-testing. Differentiation still needs to be improved at planning stage and clear

evidence of differentiation should be seen in books to demonstrate how extended. All books look the same – too much differentiation by support. More able need more choice of activity and recording format, and more open-ended tasks.

A range of assessment needs to be recorded on planning - initial, self-assessment (e.g. RAG, triangles, etc) and summative assessment. New books acquired to aid summative assessment and levelling.

Jennifer is being used to teach the curriculum. Jennifer should be included in each science unit taught – taking a more able group to push them onto higher level science or investigating their own questions related to the topic, or utilising the extra adult to visit the wildlife area or grounds. Findings shared with each individual teams – July 12

A monitoring board was used throughout Spring 1 and 2 to observe activities occurring, time spent on science and progression throughout the school. (see slides 11 and 2)

Planning and Book Scrutiny – 6.7.12

Generic Findings:

Areas of strength

Evidence of initial assessment to inform planning, some units taught solely from a KWL activity

All worked marked and to the WALT. More work in the books – a range of evidence from post-it notes to photos,

have been used to record lessons not conducive to writing in books. Evidence of activities using a range of Sc1 skills across the school – from

sorting to labelling to fair testing, to explaining results and modelling. More WALTs are using Sc1 vocabulary such as ‘explain’, ‘draw conclusions’

Some evidence of writing in science.

Areas for Development

Not enough time is being spent on Science. At least an hour and a half per week should be spent on science teaching and learning.

Ensure science enquiry is not always fair-testing. Differentiation still needs to be improved at planning stage and clear

evidence of differentiation should be seen in books to demonstrate how extended. All books look the same – too much differentiation by support. More able need more choice of activity and recording format, and more open-ended tasks.

A range of assessment needs to be recorded on planning - initial, self-assessment (e.g. RAG, triangles, etc) and summative assessment. New books acquired to aid summative assessment and levelling.

Jennifer is being used to teach the curriculum. Jennifer should be included in each science unit taught – taking a more able group to push them onto higher level science or investigating their own questions related to the topic, or utilising the extra adult to visit the wildlife area or grounds. Findings shared with each individual teams – July 12

A full planning and book scrutiny was completed in July 2012 and will be repeated in March 2013

Time allocated to teaching science was not adequate in many year groups. This was due to a change from stand-alone subjects to a more creative, linked curriculum - teachers were able to cover National Curriculum objectives for Sc2, 3 and 4 in a relatively short amount of time, but were neglecting many aspects of science enquiry (a focus two years ago!) and weren’t ensuring children experienced breadth of coverage. Findings were fed back to staff (see CPD log) and a minimum requirement for science teaching per term agreed.

Open-ended activities and range of enquiry types was made the focus of staff training

Focus group now trialling impact of using different Afl techniques in science.

A5 : The science subject leader knows about science teaching and learning across the school Science Planning is collected from every year group each term for a quick monitoring of coverage, time allocated, range of approaches, etc. – support and coaching has been given as necessary, mostly by informal chats or e-mail.

(Scrutiny led to general e-mail, led to action)

(Scrutiny led to year group e-mail, now needs following up)

(Scrutiny led to informal chat and demo of sensors.

A5 : The science subject leader knows about science teaching and learning across the school

Informal e-mail has been used effectively to survey staff opinion on understanding and training needs, events and aspects of school science. Staff will also ask for help and support when planning particular topics. This has proved a far more productive method than formal surveys, interviews or meetings – staff are far more truthful and forthcoming when approached indirectly, and far more willing to ask for help when not face to face.