Science
Science Lead: Miss L Thurman
Hello, I'm Miss Laura Thurman, the science lead here at Coppice Farm Primary School, also leading history and teaching Year 6. Science has always been my passion, igniting curiosity and fostering critical thinking in young minds. At our school, I believe in the importance of teaching science well from an early age. It's not just about learning facts; it's about nurturing future scientists who can understand the world around them, ask questions, and seek answers. Science education in primary schools lays the foundation for lifelong learning and empowers students to tackle challenges with confidence and creativity. Join us on our journey of discovery and exploration!
INTENT
Our children will know how science allows us to build new technologies, solve practical problems and make informed decisions. They will learn about historic scientific theories and breakthroughs, which have had an impact on the world around them, and be able to identify that science will affect their future on different levels.
We will embed STEM activities throughout the curriculum and children will be taught to use a growth mindset to become resilient learners. Creating their own questions about particular topics and feeling empowered to explore and deal positively with errors. Children will be given opportunities to represent methods and outcomes using different communication forms and will become more reflective, understanding, giving and receiving constructive feedback. Working collaboratively, our children will be responsible and accountable learners.
Implementation
Since October 2023, our science lessons have undergone an exciting transformation. Structured into five dynamic sections, each lesson now begins with dual learning objectives, focusing on both knowledge acquisition and scientific methodology. Emphasising retention, we kick off with a retrieval exercise, tapping into prior knowledge. The main portion of the lesson features engaging activities or investigations. Following this, students tackle mastery-style questions to deepen understanding. Finally, children reflect on their scientific process, fostering a deeper understanding of scientific inquiry. Through this innovative approach, our young scientists are thriving and exploring the wonders of the world around them.
impact
Since introducing our new science lesson structure, I have conducted thorough observations and assessments across the school. The results are remarkable: science education has become more hands-on, with weekly experiments and investigations enriching learning experiences. I'm delighted to see students articulating their scientific understanding more effectively, as evidenced at the Year 3 science fair on Friday, 9th February. Moreover, our meticulously planned lessons have equipped staff with a deeper understanding of the topics they teach, ensuring a more engaging and effective learning journey for all.
upcoming events
Year 3 Science Fair - Friday 9th February
This half term, our Year 3 students have delved into the fascinating world of forces and magnets. To culminate their learning journey, they're putting their newfound knowledge into action by creating magnet-themed games for our Year 6 students. Miss Thurman and the Year 6 class eagerly anticipate visiting Year 3 to play these inventive games and hear all about the scientific principles behind them. Stay tuned for an exciting showcase of creativity and scientific discovery!
British Science Week - 8th 17th March 2024
This year, British Science Week marks its 30th anniversary. Taking place annually in March, British Science Week is a national 10-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths, marked by schools, libraries, museums, businesses and more. For this milestone, British Science Week (delivered by the British Science Association, BSA) is partnering with the Royal Observatory Greenwich – part of the Royal Museums Greenwich – to bring this year’s theme to life. The theme is ‘time’.
