Introduction:

As the shadow of the global Covid-19 pandemic disappears, education has returned to its pre-pandemic state, the science department has used the opportunity to embed the wide variety of unique learning opportunities that science provides our students.

The science department continues with our aim for all students to remember, know and do more. During this academic year, GL assessments will continue at key points across the school. Students will do a baseline GL in Year 5, and a final GL assessment at the end of Year 8, so that progress can be measured from entry to exit of St John’s CofE Middle School Academy.

‘Century’, is the embedded online education resource that is utilised by all year groups throughout the academic year, complementing the Wave 1 Interventions that are evident in lessons. This resource provides bespoke individualised learning pathways for students across the three pillars of science: Biology, Chemistry and Physics and across the key stages.

Intent:

St John's CofE Middle School Academy Science Department is committed to helping pupils become confident in challenging ideas and scientific theories that they are presented with within their daily lives.

 

Our mission is for all pupils to be challenged within lessons; be able to link their prior learning with new situations they encounter; engage in public discussions; appreciate the awe and wonder of science; developing a life-long love of science and have the skills of a scientifically literate person. This is all underpinned by our vision, which provides the foundation for our determination to ensure all our pupils have the opportunity to develop holistically: academically personally and spiritually so every individual in our community is valued and enabled to flourish as a child of God.

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

In upper Key Stage 2 the principal focus is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. This is done through specialist teachers facilitating discussion with pupils, allowing them to explore and talk about their ideas; creating their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships, and interactions more systematically. They will encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates, whilst recognising that they are valued as children of God.

In Key Stage 3 the focus is to develop a deeper understanding of a range of scientific ideas in biology, chemistry and physics. We aim to enable pupils to interconnect the three subject areas, but also across the curriculum by developing their use of scientific vocabulary, including the use of scientific terminology, units, and mathematical representations. This will also support their spiritual development, ensuring that individuals can flourish as a child of God.

Implementation:

The science department has created a bespoke curriculum incorporating aspects of Snap Science, TAPS (Teacher Assessment in Primary Science), Explorify and Outstanding Science for KS2, which is taught as discreet lessons twice a week. There is an investigative aspect to most lessons, which helps to develop their scientific thinking in preparation for Key Stage 3. Pupils are periodically assessed on the topics that they have been taught, enabling teachers to focus wave 1 intervention on areas that the pupils have found most challenging. However, we always ensure that any questions posed within the lesson stretch and challenge the more able thereby challenging them to achieve exceeding/greater depth by the end of Year 6.

In Key Stage 3, pupils follow the Smart Activate course, which is taught exclusively by specialist science teachers. This is an updated version of Activate, which has been adjusted to incorporate more metacognitive strategies, aligning with the current teaching and learning initiatives.

Both Years 7 & 8 have a top set for science; with the remaining classes being taught as mixed ability groups. The creation of the top set is to stretch and challenge pupils, preparing them for the separate science pathways available at High School. There are assessments at the end of every topic, which test the knowledge, understanding and applications of science; and incorporate low level questions through to higher order thinking skills. Alongside this, the science department has been working closely with the local High Schools to ensure that the mathematical and investigative skills required for GCSE science are taught at St Johns CofE Middle School Academy, thereby supporting their transition in Year 9.

Autumn Term

Key Stage 2:

Pupils in Year 5 study the units of Materials (their properties, hardness, viscosity and uses.) and Forces (including air and water resistance, friction, levers, gears and pulleys.) Whereas in Year 6 pupils’ study the units of The Body (circulation, the heart, blood, water, diet & exercise and the dangers of drugs, alcohol and smoking.) The Nature Library (including vertebrates & invertebrates, animal and plant adaptations, dichotomous keys and microbes) and Electricity (functioning circuits, circuit symbol and resistance.) Finally, the Launchpad pupils study The Nature Library.

Key Stage 3:

Pupils in Year 7 study the units of Working Scientifically (Lab safety and scientific skills.) Cells (including the microscope, cell structure, specialised cells, diffusion and unicellular organisms.) Particles and their behaviour (the particle model, states of matter and diffusion) and Elements, atoms and compounds (including chemical formulae.) Whereas pupils in Year 8 study the units of Health & Lifestyle (diet, digestion and drugs, alcohol and smoking effects.) The Periodic Table (including Groups and Periods and the properties of Groups 1, 7 & 0.) and finally Electricity & Magnetism (static electricity, circuits and resistance, magnetism and electromagnets.)

Spring Term

Key Stage 2:

Pupils in Year 5 study the units of Lifecycles & Plants (soils, propagation, plant reproduction and life cycles of animal groups) and the Earth & Beyond (day & night, moon cycles, formation of the solar system and the planets). In Year 6, pupils study the units of Marvellous Mixtures (separating techniques and more reversible/irreversible reactions) and Everything Changes (inheritance, environmental changes, natural selection, selective breeding, extinction and fossils). Whereas the Launchpad pupils study Plants.

Key Stage 3:

Pupils in Year 7 study the units of Structure and Functions of Body Systems (organisation, breathing & gas exchange, skeleton and movement); Reactions (chemical reactions, oxidation & decomposition reactions, conservation of mass and exo/endothermic reactions); Sound (waves, loudness & pitch, the ear, echoes and ultrasound) and finally Forces (squashing & stretching, drag forces, mass & weight and balanced/unbalanced forces). Pupils will also complete a mini project on the unit of Space (the Universe and solar system, the Earth and moon), which will be completed as homework. Whereas Year 8 study the units of Biological Processes (photosynthesis, minerals, and respiration); Separating Techniques (mixtures, solutions, solubility, filtration, evaporation, distillation and chromatography) and finally Energy (Food, conservation of energy, energy transfers and calculation power). Likewise, pupils in Year 8 will also complete a mini project for homework on the topic of The Earth (The Earth and atmosphere, rock cycle, carbon cycle, global warming and climate change).

Summer Term

Key Stage 2:

Pupils in Year 5 study Reproduction (reproduction of animals and human life cycle) and All Change (reversible/irreversible reactions, rusting and burning), with pupils in Year 6 studying Light (waves, reflection, refraction, the eye, colour and shadows). This is a transition unit incorporating both KS2 and KS3 aspects of the topic. The Launchpad pupils will study Forces.

Key Stage3:

Pupils in Year 7 study Reproduction (puberty, human reproduction, menstruation and plant reproduction) and Acids & Alkalis (indicators, pH, neutralisation and making salts). Whereas pupils in Year 8 study Ecosystems & Adaptations (Food chains, ecosystems and competition), Inheritance (variation, inheritance, natural selection and extinction), Metals & their properties (acids, oxygen, reactivity series, displacement, extraction, ceramics, polymers & composites) and finally Motion & Pressure (speed, pressure in solid, liquids & gases and moments).

The Launchpad, which supports the learning of a select number of pupils, also offers a bespoke curriculum designed to be taught over two years covering topics on Plants, Earth & Beyond, Materials, Forces, Lifecycles, The Body, Nature Library, Electricity, Marvellous Mixtures and Everything Changes. Those pupils in Years 7 & 8 will have differentiated lessons linked to the topics being delivered on the above topics. They will also have practical sessions delivered throughout the year in the laboratory, thereby ensuring that they experience science to its fullest extent.

Impact:

The curriculum offer for science has now created a rich and stimulating environment that will all both our pupils and department to engage in the process of scientific discovery. During the last academic year, science continued to offer blended learning for those pupils that required it. Our enrichment programme included STEM Club and the Primary Science STEM Challenge. The cultural capital of the pupils is paramount and can be seen through the excellent work produced within their books, and the many different career opportunities highlighted through the variety of starter activities in lessons.

The results for the end of the academic year 2024-25 showed 92% of Year 5 were on track and meeting their target grade. In Year 6, 95% were ‘On Track’ and meeting their target grade. In KS3 Year 7, 88% of pupils were on track and met their target grade and finally in Year 8, 91% were on track and met their target grade.

Once again, the results achieved by the pupils is a testament to the outstanding efforts of both them and the science department, of which I remain immensely proud.

 

Curriculum

Knowledge Organisers

Key Performance Indicators