Welcome to Science at The Trinity Catholic Primary School
Mr Sinnott is our science lead.
On this page, you will find information about how the subject is taught at our school. Mr Sinnott is the science subject lead and will be able to answer any science-related queries that you may have. Our school science intent document is a starting point to find out more (find this further down this page).
Find us on Twitter at #trinityscience via our school webpage: https://twitter.com/TheTrinityL5
Our science intent
The intent of our science curriculum at The Trinity is:
To encourage a love of learning through curiosity, by developing the confidence to ask questions, and to find out through reasoned, systematic working. We aim to develop learners who are capable of finding the answers to important scientific questions for the future benefit of all of God's wonderful creation.
What this means in reality
The best learning in science provides our children with the foundations for understanding the world through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Embedded within and across these disciplines is the concept of working scientifically. Only by 'trying it out' can our pupils progress. Thomas Edison's successes are mentioned far more than his 'failures'. He is quoted as saying, “I have not failed 10,000 times...I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” What a fantastic attitude!
With this in mind, science at The Trinity is taught through practical investigation, where possible. Lessons are planned with the aim of building on prior knowledge. Vocabulary is emphasised in all sessions. This is important in all subjects but particularly important to science. Think about 'light', for example. What does 'light' mean? A mass may be described as feeling light or heavy, a room may be described as being light or dark. Therefore, at the heart of our teaching and learning, scientific vocabulary is emphasised in each session. Pupils are exposed to it through the use of a ‘word bank’ and high-quality teaching emphasising the importance of vocabulary.
Due to this need for clarity with scientific language, children at The Trinity have access to a range of age-appropriate vocabulary, suitable for working scientifically and particular topics studied by the children. Vocabulary has been carefully embedded in the curriculum at The Trinity. Progression of vocabulary in topics and year groups are available in the document below. Vocabulary lists for individual year groups are available upon request.
The 'Big Ideas' of Science
The following 10 statements, first described by Wynne Harlen (2010) are taught through our science curriculum at The Trinity:
All matter in the Universe is made of very small particles.
Objects can affect other objects at a distance.
Changing the movement of an object requires a net force to be acting on it.
The total amount of energy in the Universe is always the same but can be transferred from one energy store to another during an event.
The composition of the Earth and its atmosphere and the processes occurring within them shape the Earth’s surface and its climate.
Our solar system is a very small part of one of billions of galaxies in the Universe.
Organisms are organised on a cellular basis and have a finite life span.
Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they often depend on, or compete with, other organisms.
The diversity of organisms, living and extinct, is the result of evolution.
Science during periods of school closure
We recognise the importance of science and this is reflected in the curriculum we provide at our school (see our intent document below). During this period of disruption caused by Coronavirus, The Trinity is committed to providing an engaging, exciting and purposeful curriculum designed to meet the National Curriculum. Lessons have been adapted to accommodate the requirements for remote learning; we are and always will be ambitious in providing science education to all pupils.
Welcome to Science at The Trinity!
We are delighted to welcome pupils back to school in September 2020. From this term, pupils will be introduced to a new unique and bespoke whole-school curriculum written for The Trinity by the science subject leader, Mr Sinnott. This curriculum has been carefully designed to ensure consistency and the revision of prior learning across the whole school. The specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics are taught through session planning designed to maximise opportunities for working scientifically. Pupils will revisit prior learning in each lesson and they will revisit prior learning from previous years during their time at The Trinity. In this way, pupils will receive a science education that is consistent, with carefully mapped progression at its heart.
We intend to provide the best for our pupils as they deserve no less. Each half term, you will be able to access overviews on one sheet that provide you with information about what your child will be learning. Additionally, this page will be updated with relevant documents relating to science at our school. If you have any further questions about the subject, please contact Mr Sinnott via the school office.
As a result of adaptation necessary to cover the curriculum in full, during autumn 1 (September to October half term), children in year groups 2-6 will be covering work originally planned to be delivered during the previous summer term.
Year 1 will begin with their first topic, Seasonal Changes (autumn to winter) as planned.
Year 2 will study Plants (Year 1 curriculum expectations).
Year 3 will study Plants (Year 2 curriculum expectations).
Year 4 will study Plants (Year 3 curriculum expectations).
Year 5 will study Sound (Year 4 curriculum expectations).
Year 6 will study a combination of Animals, Including Humans and Living Things and Their Habitats (Year 5 curriculum expectations).
September 2020