We are delighted to share with you that we have received a 'Good' rating following our Ofsted inspection in June 2023 and in February 2024 we had very successful SIAMS church inspection.
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Science

 We are Scientists! 

Why is Science important for pupils at Grampound Road? 

At Grampound Road our vision is to provide children with a science curriculum that excites and engages them, delivering opportunities to investigate and explore the world around them to develop a love of Science and STEM subjects that prepares them for the next stage of their education. We aim to give children exciting, practical experiences that challenge their knowledge, whilst also encouraging them to become confident explorers who ask questions to deepen their own understanding. We aim to develop children’s skills, through working scientifically, which can be transferred across the curriculum and into the real world. All of which is underpinned by the aim of equipping them with the knowledge and skills to understand the complex, evolving world that they are growing up in. 

The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils: 

  •         develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics 

  •         develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them 

  •         are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future

 
Implement: 
At Grampound Road we want our children to acquire the key knowledge identified within each unit of learning outlined in the curriculum and we want to build on this progressively over their time at school.

We ensure that Working Scientifically is embedded throughout each topic, and this is achieved through providing children with plenty of opportunities to develop their natural curiosity and explore in practical, hands-on ways; making observations, carrying out investigations and collecting data from a variety of different sources. We believe that no question is a wrong question, and we aim to ensure all children have a positive attitude towards scientific enquiry and are confident to ask questions to secure their own understanding of scientific concepts.

 

In EYFS children learn about the world around them. They develop their understanding of the world around them and will:

  • Describe what they see, hear and feel whilst outside. 
  • Understand the effect of changing seasons on the natural world around them.
  • Talk about members of their immediate family and community. 
  • Recognise similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries. 
  • Recognise some environments that are different to the one in which they live. 
  • Know and talk about the different factors that support their overall health and wellbeing. 

In KS1 children explore living things, material and physical phenomena through identifying, describing and comparing living and non-living things, including plants. They explore what animals and humans require to survive and the importance of exercise and nutrition. They develop a greater understanding of the world we live in through identifying and naming a variety of everyday materials and distinguishing the physical properties and uses. They explore practically through squashing, bending and twisting different materials and record data to support us when answering a question.

In KS2 children build on their learning from KS1 and explore concepts further, learning about a wider range of living things, materials and physical phenomena. Our Science curriculum is progressive and is used effectively to plan lessons that build on prior knowledge.

We aim to engage children in Science and STEM subjects so that they have a broad awareness of the role that STEM subjects have in society. We recognise the importance of science in our society and children discuss and question issues that may affect their own lives and the direction of society. We encourage children’s engagement during British Science Week in which teachers plan and deliver lessons linked to the national theme and to promote STEM across the school. We aim to have Science days at different times in the year to promote science and give children the opportunities to work in house teams across the school and develop their conceptual knowledge, working scientifically skills and team work.

We encourage children to use subject specific vocabulary and we aim to share fictional stories and non-fiction books to excite and engage them in the topic area that we are learning about. Children have access to a range of subject specific fiction and non-fiction that is displayed in the classrooms.
Teachers display and use scientific vocabulary within lessons, in the classroom and across the school to encourage children to use and retain the new knowledge that they learn. The children carry out practical investigations and through their questioning, the teachers identify misconceptions and areas of knowledge that need to be addressed.

 

Impact: 

How does studying Science help pupils to achieve? 

  • Working Scientifically is embedded throughout each topic, and this is achieved through providing children with plenty of opportunities to develop their natural curiosity and explore in practical, hands-on ways; making observations, carrying out investigations and collecting data from a variety of different sources.  

  • We encourage children to ask questions and we believe that no question is a wrong question. 

  • We aim to ensure all children have a positive attitude towards scientific enquiry and are confident to ask questions to secure their own understanding of scientific concepts. 

 

Science curriculum rolling programme
Science through stories