Science
Our Sandlings ethos “Sandlings is a unique, nurturing school where everyone belongs and thrives” can be seen throughout our Science curriculum and provision.
At Sandlings we want children to be successful through learning through real experience, for example: seeing real life examples of science in their lives and the world around them; gathering and recording data and presenting their findings; understanding their learning i.e. the need for careful observation, patience and accuracy; and to be creative in their in their learning i.e. finding different ways to solve a problem and answering questions by conducting their own experimental research.
The characteristics we aim to foster in our children are:
- The ability to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings.
- Confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out scientific investigations.
- Excellent scientific knowledge and understanding which is demonstrated in written and verbal explanations, solving challenging problems and reporting scientific findings.
- High levels of originality, imagination or innovation in the application of skills.
- The ability to undertake practical work in a variety of contexts, including fieldwork.
- A passion for science and its application in past, present and future technologies
The 3 thresholds concepts that drive our Science curriculum are:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
There are 11 main subject topics:
- Understanding Plants
- Understanding Animals and Humans
- Investigating Living Things
- Understanding Evolution and Inheritance
- Investigating Materials
- Understanding Movement, Forces and Magnets
- Understanding Light and Seeing
- Investigating Sound and Hearing
- Understanding Electrical Circuits
- Understanding The Earth’s Movement in Space
The eleventh topic, working scientifically, is embedded into all other topics. Across all year groups scientific knowledge and skills should be learned by working scientifically.
Enriching Our Curriculum
• Science Week Science week is the highlight of the year for Science involving visits and visitors, Science Showcase assembly and afternoon and a House Science Day.
• B.T.KS2 have many STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, days at B.T. sharing their knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm.
• Competitions Each year in preparation for Science Week we have a competition to produce a Science Project for our Science Showcase. The winning contributions are showcased in an assembly but parents and children all share their projects during the Science Open Afternoon.
• Visits and visitors i.e. Colchester zoo to learn about Darwin, DNA Detectives