1. SCHOOL POLICY FOR: Science

Responsible person: - Mrs Yvonne Digby

Date adopted: 22.01.01 Review by: Autumn 2002

_________________________________________________________________________________

2. HOW THE POLICY WAS DEVELOPED

Audit was made of existing practice in consultation with class teachers. The results were compared with National Curriculum 2000 documentation.

Reference was made to the OFSTED Inspection Guidance Handbook and to the QCA Curriculum Guidelines.

The draft policy was presented and discussed by staff in 2000.

The final draft was presented to the Governing Body.

_________________________________________________________________________________

3. HOW IT RELATES TO THE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The School Development Plan indicates that Science is one of a range of subjects under review during the year 2000.

Training

Training for the person responsible for Science, and other members of staff, will be organised in order for the new orders to be fully understood and implemented.

Resources

The Science resources are stored centrally. Materials are in good repair. The yearly priorities for ordering are normally consumables.

_________________________________________________________________________________

4. INTENTIONS

Windmill School will make Science a well respected element of the curriculum, regarded highly by pupils, teachers and parents, as a major component of the topics taught in school. Good practice in Science means that pupils continuously use and extend their knowledge, understanding and skills, in line with the new orders for the Science National Curriculum.

The new orders contain the following areas of study:

Scientific Enquiry

Life Processes and Living Things

Materials and their Properties

Physical Properties

_________________________________________________________________________________

5. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Windmill School aims to ensure that pupils enjoy Science and come to recognise the importance of the investigative nature of the subject.

We aim to give pupils a good grounding in skills and knowledge associated with the subject, suitable for the continuation of Science through secondary school.

In accordance with the National Curriculum 2000:

Key Stage 1 pupils will be able to:

· observe, explore and ask questions about living things, materials and phenomena;

· begin to work together to collect evidence to help them to answer questions and to link this to simple scientific ideas;

· evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or comparisons are fair;

· use reference material to find out more about scientific ideas;

· share ideas and communicate them using scientific language, drawings, charts and tables.

Key Stage 2 pupils will be able to:

· learn about a wider range of living things, materials and phenomena;

· begin to make links between ideas and to explain things using simple models and theories;

· apply their knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas to familiar phenomena, everyday things and personal health;

· begin to think about the positive and negative effects of scientific and technological developments on the environment and in other contexts;

· carry out more systematic investigations, working on their own and with others;

· use a range of reference sources in their work;

· talk about their work and its significance

· communicate ideas using a wide range of scientific language, conventional diagrams, charts and graphs.

6. PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

It is important that principles of teaching and learning are consistent with whole school policies.

Teachers will have a thorough understanding of National Curriculum Science and use a variety of teaching methods.

Pupils will be encouraged to learn through practical activities, including investigations which are open-ended in nature, as well as more structured practical tasks. These activities may be whole class, group, or individual based.

Appropriate resources are available, stored centrally.

_________________________________________________________________________________

7. EQUAL ACCESS AND OUTCOME

Children with special educational needs, whether intellectual or physical, will have full access to all aspects of the Science curriculum, through a range of activities matched to their abilities and aptitudes. Where appropriate Support Staff will be involved. Pupils with specific physical disabilities will undertake activities which most closely match those required under the programmes of study

_________________________________________________________________________________

8. HEALTH AND SAFETY

Staff at Windmill will ensure safe storage and handling of materials, as outlined in the Science and Technology Health and Safety Policy. (See Health and Safety Policy not attached here.)

_________________________________________________________________________________

9. IMPLEMENTATION

The policy provides a structure for Science Education throughout the two Key Stages and, when used in conjunction with the curriculum map based on the QCA scheme of work for Science, will ensure progression and continuity. We shall endeavour to teach Science at Key Stage 1 for 54 hours per year and for 72 hours per year in Key Stage 2.

Strong cross curricular links exist between Science, Technology, Geography and ICT in particular. Links with other curriculum areas will be apparent within the topics chosen for each year group.

The curriculum manager will arrange staff meetings and training sessions according to need, in collaboration with the INSET co-ordinator.

The curriculum manager will:

· prepare guidelines

· support all staff

· organise and order resources'

· keep abreast of current practice through INSET

· monitor Science education throughout the school on a regular basis together with the Head Teacher.

Class teachers will decide upon the objectives for their teaching and prepare their medium term plans with reference to the curriculum map for Science.

_________________________________________________________________________________

10. CONTINUITY AND PROGRESS

Assessment will be continuous and based upon the programme of study for Science. Teacher assessment will focus upon each pupil's classroom and homework, in consultation with the pupils themselves.

_________________________________________________________________________________

11. RESOURCING

The curriculum manager will be responsible for ordering resources to support the curriculum in Science and for maintaining the central resource area.

_________________________________________________________________________________

12. REPORTING

The progress of each pupil in Science will be monitored and reported to parents in the Windmill annual school report as in accordance with the school’s A.R.R. Policy.

All members of staff will have the opportunity to discuss and to review the reporting arrangements for Science.

_________________________________________________________________________________