Our stimulating science curriculum at Sylvester Primary Academy is designed to encourage creativity, problem solving, resilience, proactive thinking and collaboration.
At Sylvester Primary Academy, we use the PLAN assessment documents to support teacher planning of science and ensure that there is clear progression in the development of key scientific knowledge, concepts and vocabulary from EYFS to Year 6 in the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
Each science topic is introduced through the use of a knowledge organiser, building on children’s prior learning. Units then include a range of activities which enable the children to develop their scientific knowledge, skills and understanding of how to do science. In all our science topics there is a focus on developing and using correct scientific vocabulary. Children engage in scientific enquiries, where children work to answer key scientific questions and develop their practical skills. In each unit of study, the emphasis is on the children learning by doing.
Our curriculum is designed to allow children to become confident, critical thinkers with the key skills and knowledge to help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
We provide a wealth of enrichment opportunities in Science to engage learners and to inspire all children to be confident, curious and passionate about Science.
Sylvester are delighted to be the lead school for the Knowsley Central Ogden Trust Schools Partnership. We are a partnership of 20 local schools who are working closely together to enhance physics teaching and learning, inspiring our pupils to become involved in STEM careers.
Across the year, we will be holding Ogden Trust events including; STEM afterschool clubs, sharing mobile libraries of books to celebrate the diversity in STEM careers and encourage our children to see themselves as scientists, and in the summer term we will be hosting a phenomenal physics showcase event where children from different schools will come together and celebrate everything they have been learning about in physics.
Our Year 5 pupils are taking part in the Edina Trust Bulb Project again this year. The Schools Spring Bulb Project is ran in collaboration with the National Museum Wales and gives pupils the opportunity to be part of a real science investigation where they will contribute to the final result. This is a live experiment where pupils plant daffodil and crocus bulbs and record the rainfall and temperature each school day from late October to the end of March. Year 5 will record when their plants flower and the height of the plants when the flowers open. The study is investigating the effect of the climate on the growth of spring bulbs, our results will be compared with results from other schools across the country.
On Friday 10th November, we will be holding our whole school science day. This year, we will be ‘smashing stereotypes’ in science and STEM careers. Children in all year groups will be learning about different careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and thinking about what it takes to be a scientist. Scientists are creative, curious problem solvers and there are so many different STEM careers that our pupils can be involved in.
This November, Sylvester will be receiving free tree saplings from Woodland Trust allowing us to create a new hedge to help wildlife stay safe on the move. Woodland Trust want to make sure everybody has the chance to plant a tree and we are delighted to be able to create a new hedgerow on our school grounds. On 30th November, we will be holding our planting event, where all children will help to plant the saplings. The saplings will be a variety of tree species including dog rose, hawthorn, hazel, crab apple and dogwood. As our new hedge grows, children will have lots of opportunities to engage in outdoor science lessons as part of our science curriculum, learning what plants need to grow and survive and how to identify different trees. Our new hedge will also support EYFS and KS1 in their seasons work, as they learn how plants change across the seasons.
Progression in Working Scientifically
National Curriculum (England) Science Programmes of Study (link)
Sylvester Primary Academy
St Johns Road
Huyton
Knowsley
L36 0UX
Tel: 0151 477 8320
Email: sylvester@knowsley.gov.uk