Intent for KS1 to KS4
At Iceni Academy we aim to equip every child with a clear understanding of the world all around them and how it links with their daily lives. We believe that scientific understanding is an essential component to all subjects as well as a subject in its own right; we want our children to develop a lifelong love of science alongside the knowledge, enquiry skills and analytical thinking required to understand and succeed in their learning.
Our rationale focuses on giving children appropriate experiences in order to develop their scientific knowledge alongside introducing them to the wonder, enjoyment and thrill of the subject. Systematic investigation is gradually and appropriately introduced throughout the primary phase which is an essential skills to take further when they reach our secondary site.
In Primary we ensure children are offered exciting and practical experiences of Science throughout their scientific journey with us at Iceni. In Primary, children are taught the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the subject before moving onto more focused disciplines in secondary. In both primary and secondary phases, children use their own experiences and problem-solving skills to deepen their understanding as they move through the year groups.
Science is taught through topics from YR to Y8 and this creative and practical approach to the curriculum helps to give children a purpose for science and often a project end-result to their efforts and learning.
At GCSE, pupils can either follow the AQA Trilogy Combined course or the AQA Triple Science course. The Triple Science course is open to all pupils as it is an option choice. Pupils begin to study the GCSE course after Christmas in Year 9. For the first term of Year 9 they currently follow a series of 5 bespoke topics designed to engage pupils and allow them to start to see the links between the 3 subjects as well as how science ‘fits’ into the real world.
Through science pupils at Iceni Academy will develop respect, care and appreciation for the natural world and all its phenomena.
We intend children to:
- Be inspired by science, enjoying and appreciating it and its contributions in all aspects of their everyday lives.
- Be curious and have a sense of awe for the natural world.
- Ask questions about the world around them.
- Enquire and observe phenomenon and nature.
- Be creative thinkers making predictions.
- Be problem solvers who strive to test things out.
- Remember key facts and processes from previous learning.
- Interpret and communicate their thoughts and findings.
- Evaluate and explain to others.
- Be able to apply their knowledge to their every-day lives.
- Become greater depth scientific thinkers.
- Know how to stay safe and healthy and promote a ‘healthy lifestyle’ for themselves.
To help children to achieve this, at Iceni Academy we intend to:
- Foster an enthusiasm for science by providing an environment where we are all excited about science, nature and the world around us.
- Provide a resourceful and engaging curriculum integrating science into our topics and themes via our creative topic-based curriculum.
- Offer correctly differentiated challenges each lesson to enable every child to progress and succeed.
- To make scientific learning as practical as possible in every class offering greater understanding through practical enquiry and first-hand experience.
- Offer mastery or greater depth challenges appropriate to the age and ability of the child which allow freedom to investigate; alongside scaffolding knowledge and safer practices.
- Teach about healthy lifestyles through scientific understanding of humans.
- Use a variety of ICT to help teach, record, investigate and measure during sessions.
- Teach science both inside and outside of the classroom.
- Include science activities into each half-term’s homework schedule at Primary level.
