Science
At Stepgates Community School, we value science as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Science provides the children with the opportunities to develop their knowledge and extend scientific skills which are vital for learning.
A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Aims
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.
The teaching and implementation of the Science Curriculum at Stepgates Community School is based on the National Curriculum and is taught purely as a subject on its own and is also linked to topics to ensure a well-structured approach to this STEM subject.
Ongoing monitoring takes place throughout the year. Teachers use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately. This information is analysed on a termly basis to inform and address any trends or gaps in attainment.
STEM Week at Stepgates: Engineering
Can we build it? STEM we can!
Stepgates Community School STEM Week: Engineering, was launched with a very informative assembly.
During the week, the children took part in an array of activities where they explored the roles and importance of engineers.
Butterflies Class had lots of fun learning about engineering and even tried to build a bridge with pasta.
Falcons Class investigated magnets and how they can move through the forces of repel and attract.
Hawks Class explored the roles and importance of engineers and felt inspired to become one themselves. In their Science lessons they learnt about sound and were excited to put their knowledge to the test by taking part in an acoustic engineering project.
Owls Class linked their science topic 'Reversible and Irreversible changes' and investigated how some foods are engineered to change.
Our Sunbeams Nursery children linked their topic to ‘Fairy tales’ and engineered a carriage for Cinderella.
We hope you enjoy looking through the attached Powerpoints, as much as the children enjoyed their topic.