There is an effective subject leader for Science

Science coordinator leading planning session with staff from Bishop Challoner at the Lickey Hills 25/10/13 in preparation for a science/technology challenge day.

Keeping governors informed

An extract from the Bishop Challoner STEM Report written Jan 14

Science coordinator leading a team of staff members digging the plant beds during half term in preparation for gardening club

Example of posters around school to assist EAL learners in science

There is an effective subject leader for Science

Implementation of the new curriculum

Supporting staff to cater to the needs of EAL learners in Science

As our principles state, using scientific vocabulary is very important at St Chad’s

There is clear vision for the teaching and learning of science

Box where teachers and pupils placed ideas of what made a good science lesson

Mrs Farrelly leading an assembly at the beginning of our journey of PSQM to explain to the children the pupil voice questionnaires' and how they will impact on their learning

Teachers vision of the future of science at St Chad’s

There is a current School Development Plan

Experiments during Science Week and displays produced as a result in the Hall

Year 5 muffling sound experiment

Year 5’s Thomas Edison display

Year 1 creating string telephones

Year 1’s Alexander Graham Bell display

Displacing water experiment in ReceptionYR’s Archimedes display

As our principles state, using scientific enquiry i.e. investigations and experiments are very important at St Chad’s

There is a shared and demonstrated understanding of the importance and value of science to children’s learning

‘The monitoring skills of leaders in science and special education needs are rapidly improving, and the pupils are benefiting from the positive changes in those areas’ - OFSTED June 2013

There is a current School Development Plan

Year 5 children working together with Year 7 Bishop Challoner children launching a rocket at the Space Centre

Extract from Bishop Challoner’s magazine highlighting shared practice with St Chad’s

Learning opportunities based on trips are very important as our principles suggest

There is a shared and demonstrated understanding of the importance and value of science to children’s learning

Examples of science displays found around school

Year 5 displaying the experiments they have completed

Displaying Science Clubs at other schools

Year 2 Magnets display

Work completed by the KS1 Eco Club

There is a shared and demonstrated understanding of the importance and value of science to children’s learning

Key Stage 1 Eco Club building a Bug Hotel

Making our bird boxes

Key Stage 2 Eco Committee

Year 5 child voluntarily sharing her knowledge of what inspired Alexander Graham Bell during science week. Ownership of learning is very important.

An example of the Eco Committee’s daily log to help save the environment and also reduce St Chad’s electricity bill

Children can enjoy their science experiences in school

Water saving posters made by eco club members

“Pupils have many opportunities to support one another in a variety of ways. For example, the ecology and gardening groups are having an impact upon learning in those areas, and providing opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities. The school pupil council has, for example, already been involved in the development of the new science curriculum plans”. OFSTED June 2013

There is a shared and demonstrated understanding of the importance and value of science to children’s learning

Eco Club putting Flush Bags in the toilets in order to save 2.2 litres per flush

Malcolm Smith from Severn Trent talking to the Eco Committee

There is a shared and demonstrated understanding of the importance and value of science to children’s learning

Extra Curricular gardening clubExtra Curricular Forest Schools

St Chad’s children sharing their produce to Blossomfield Infant School. They taught the children the scientific process behind their growth.

Working with the children at Blossomfield School

Outdoor learning is very important as our principles state

The science subject leader knows about science teaching and learning across the school

Evidence of good practice during Learning Walks:

Working collaboratively in Year 6 investigating the length of shadows

Year 5 looking at the position of the Sun in the ‘Earth in Space’ topic

Year 1 Sound Lesson demonstrating independent learning

Investigating electricity in Year 4

As our principles state, children led activities are very important at St Chad’s

The science subject leader knows about science teaching and learning across the school

Lesson Observations

‘A well resourced and planned scientific enquiry lesson. The opening activity was engaging and well executed. Excellent use of scientific terms explored, relating to the lesson. This was displayed on the IWB and children worked in pairs to discuss and identify their meaning. Mrs Sheehan ensured that the children used the correct scientific terms. It was wonderful to see that year 2 children were able to use these words accurately. Their prior learning was apparent.’ – A quote from lesson observation

The children were given appropriate time and encouragement to communicate and explain their scientific thinking. The same high level teaching continued through the independent and group work activities. Mrs Parker had devised a worksheet which made the children consider which variables they would change, how they would take measurements and ensure it was a fair test. She was able to make quick and accurate judgements throughout the lesson about pupil progress – A quote from lesson observation

The science subject leader knows about science teaching and learning across the school

Weekly annotated planning which is on the shared area

Example of termly book scrutiny

When creating our principles of teaching science at St Chad’s, teachers felt sound planning was very important

An example of marking frame created by Year 6 teacher to channel peer marker’s thoughts and comments

The science subject leader knows about science teaching and learning across the school

Good use of peer marking and active comments

Staff continue to have opportunities for CPD within science that increases their knowledge and understanding

Subject coordinator team teaching in Year 2 to develop teacher’s scientific skills

Newly qualified teacher using Discovery Dog in Year 1 which was brought in to impact on children’s learning

Year 6 teacher using planning boards as a result of INSET training

Children observing changes during Yeast experiment after deciding which variables to change using their planning board as stated in our principles of teaching science

Staff continue to have opportunities for CPD within science that increases their knowledge and understanding

Mrs Turner team teaching with Forest School’s specialist as part of her Forest School’s training to complete her portfolio

Mrs Turner with members of the Forest School’s course. This course involved 10 days of training

There is a range of teaching and learning approaches for Science

Outdoor Science games - the children had to hunt for clues to find factors of plant growth

Practical Science lessons with Specialist gardener – planting the seeds Practical

Science lessons with Specialist gardener – making observations

Year Six tending to the garden during extra-curricular gardening club

The most important principle of teaching science at St Chad’s is that children enjoy their learning

Children can enjoy their science experiences in school

There is a range of teaching and learning approaches for Science

Year 5 children creating a human sundial using maths skills

Year 4 children creating food chains

Year 4 children at Bell Heath study centre looking for mini beasts

Year 5 children creating a dance to reflect the changes from solids to liquids and gases

All pupils are actively engaged in a scientific enquiry, using a variety of enquiry strategies, solving real problems and evaluating their work

There is a range of teaching and learning approaches for Science

Sharing Practice with other schools to develop our Scientific learning

Team work in Science led by Bishop Challoner Year 9 Pupils which was inspired us to develop our children’s leadership skills through Curriculum coaching

Use of specialist secondary teachers to develop Year 4’s knowledge of electricity

Year 5 children learning from Year 7 pupils at St John Wall

Gifted and Talented Scientists flame testing at St John Wall

Children can enjoy their science experiences in school

There is a range of up-to-date, quality resources specifically for teaching and learning Science. ICT is used both as a tool and as a resource for teaching

Reorganised science area for easy access to equipment for children and teachers

Using data loggers to record data in experiments

There is a range of up-to-date, quality resources specifically for teaching and learning Science. ICT is used both as a tool and as a resource for teaching

Year 4 class using ICT to research biographies of scientists

STEM club children on a visit to Bishop Challoner School using ICT to design scientific leaflets

Working with Bishop Challoner’s STEM club children using a laser cutter on different materials

Looking at how technology helps sports science at the Skills Show at the NEC. Interactive learning is part of principles at St Chad’s

Year 5 students presenting their company ‘Landscape Garden Designs LDG’ which makes human sundials at the Birmingham Science Park at Aston University

Our LDG Project was such a success, we were asked to present it again at New Street Station and we received a thanks from a member of the public

There is a range of up-to-date, quality resources specifically for teaching and learning Science. ICT is used both as a tool and as a resource for teaching

All pupils are actively engaged in a scientific enquiry, using a variety of enquiry strategies, solving real problems and evaluating their work

Year 5 students designing their own experiment to make different types of ice cream based on the States of Matter topic. This was a children led activity where they decided which variable to change (principles of teaching science)

Year 3 child’s rocket design to test Newton’s Law of Motion

Testing our rockets and then altering the designs to increase the velocity of the rocket

Year 3 children working together on their Plants topic at Bell Heath study centre

All pupils are actively engaged in a scientific enquiry, using a variety of enquiry strategies, solving real problems and evaluating their work

Children picking peas from our garden

Shelling the peas Making pea and mint pate

Mrs Wilkes enjoying our pea pate

Year 5 children getting ready to sell their produce to the parents

Parents purchasing our produce

As our principles state, ownership of learning and children led activites are very important at St Chad’s

The purpose of science assessment is well understood and shared by the members of the school community. Assessment approaches are designed to fit those purposes.

Concept mapping in St Chad’s encourages students to identify how one idea is linked to another and to explain those links. Its visual nature makes it easier for many students to focus on this linkage and for teachers to see, quickly and easily, the students' ideas

Active Comments (ac) are used by teachers in marking and require the chid to respond. This enables a dialogue to be established between the teacher and child. It gives a clear insight into what the child has understood and the next steps.

An example of how Year 1 children annotate photographs to show their understanding of the learning objective

The purpose of science assessment is well understood and shared by the members of the school community. Assessment approaches are designed to fit those purposes.

The purpose of science assessment is well understood and shared by the members of the school community. Assessment approaches are designed to fit those purposes. Mrs Farrelly led a whole

school science moderation where staff judged whether the assessments of selected children were accurate

Incerts is the new tracking system which allows teachers to track progress. It is updated as children make progress and is used to set targets. It is an online system which teachers can access from home

Children can enjoy their science experiences in school

Each child in the school was given a questionnaire differentiated depending on year group.

An example of questions asked in the questionnaire

This was shown to the parents at the Parent’s meeting

As our principles state, it is crucial that the children find science enjoyable

Children can enjoy their science experiences in school

An example of the monthly science newsletter created by children, clearly showing that children enjoy science at St Chad’s, which is the most important principle created by staff and pupils

Evaluating their experiences at the gifted and talented science club at St John Wall celebrating what they enjoyed and how they would like to improve

There is a shared and demonstrated understanding of the importance and value of science to children’s learning

Science supports and links with other curriculum areas and contributes to maximising whole school initiatives while retaining its unique status

Year 6 children using scientific knowledge to create their own fairground (cross curricular DT)

The cans we collected being thrown onto the pile at the nature centre

Receiving our certificate for all the cans which we have collected

An example from Year 6 science planning showing cross curricular links

All pupils are actively engaged in a scientific enquiry, using a variety of enquiry strategies, solving real problems and evaluating their work

There are clear links to other schools and outside agencies/organisations/communities to enrich science teaching and learning

Black Hole Planetarium specialist teaching Year 5

Year 4 pupils learn from the dental students

Whole school assembly learning about the water cycle and saving water with Malcolm Smith from Severn Trent

Year 6 pupils learning about forces with the Mad Scientist

As our principles of science state, Year 2 children enjoy science experiences at St Chad’s with the animal lady

There are clear links to other schools and outside agencies/organisations/communities to enrich science teaching and learning

STEM Ambassadors visit St Chad’s. Outreach visits are an important part of our principles at St Chad’s

Anna Isakova from Aston University performing a chemical experiment with Year 4 students to demonstrate how solar power is used

Doctor Aamer Sandoo (researcher for the NHS) teaching Year 5 pupils about the heart

Gary Saunders (electrical engineer) teaching Year 4 students about electrical energy

Malcolm Smith from Severn Trent teaching Year 6 pupils about microorganisms

There are clear links to other schools and outside agencies/organisations/communities to enrich science teaching and learning

Year 5 students learning about life cycles at the Nature Centre in Birmingham

Residential visit to Laches Wood study centre studying the types of organisms living in the water

Year 6 children learning about how electricity is used in industry at the Science Fair at the NEC

As our principles state, learning opportunities based on outdoor learning and trips are very important at St Chad’s