What is our Science curriculum purpose and rationale at Ark Kings?

At Ark Kings, we aim for pupils to engage in quality scientific investigations that promote scientific enquiry skills that can be applied to other aspects of learning as well as prepare students for the world of work. We aim to show students the awe and wonder of Science and inspire them to ask questions about the world and work to investigate these in order to provide them with the knowledge and skills necessary for the next phase of their education.

How are pupils in the primary phase prepared for Science in the secondary phase?

Four broader themes of Science underpin our curricilum: Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Earth Science. Within these, there are core concepts that we aim for our pupils to understand before they embark on the secondary phase of their education.

Physics

P1: The universe follows unbreakable rules that are all about forces, matter and energy. 

P2: Forces are different kinds of pushes and pulls that act on all the matter that is in the universe. Matter is all the stuff, or mass, in the universe.

P3: Energy, which cannot be created or destroyed, comes in many different forms and tends to move away from objects that have lots of it.

Chemistry

C1: All matter (stuff) in the universe is made up of tiny building blocks. 

C2: The arrangement, movement and type of the building blocks of matter and the forces that hold them together or push them apart explain all the properties of matter (e.g. hot/cold, soft/hard, light/heavy, etc). 

C3: Matter can change if the arrangement of these building blocks changes.

Biology

B1: Living things are special collections of matter that make copies of themselves, use energy and grow. 

B2: Living things on Earth come in a huge variety of different forms that are all related because they all came from the same starting point 4.5 billion years ago. 

B3: The different kinds of life, animals, plants and microorganisms, have evolved over millions of generations into different forms in order to survive in the environments in which they live.

Earth science

E1: The Earth is one of eight planets that orbit the sun. 

E2: The Earth is tilted and spins on its axis leading to day and night, the seasons and the climate. 

E3: The Earth is made up of several layers, including a relatively thin rocky surface which is divided into tectonic plates, and the movement of these plates leads to many geologic events (such as earthquakes and volcanoes) and geographical features (such as mountains.)

Primary Phase - Further Information

Our Primary Science Curriculum Purpose and Rationale provides more phase-specific detail:

 Science Primary Curriculum Purpose and Rationale.pdf

Our Science curriculum has been planned with investigative questions at its core in order to promote scientific enquiry skills in our pupils. Each investigative question is linked to a scientific skill of observing over time, pattern seeking, research, identifying and classifying, comparative testing and fair testing. Pupils also engage in a STEM half term where their Science learning is driven by a Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics project.

Below are the topics pupils study in Key Stages 1 and 2:

A more detailed curriculum overview with investigative questions and links to scientific enquiry skills can be viewed here:

 AKAP Science Curriculum Overview.pdf

What does the Science curriculum look like in the classroom?

Pupils engage in investigations that sometimes last a lesson and sometimes last a term, or even a year! Pupils are posed a question where they hypothesise, using their existing scientific knowledge. They then conduct an experiment, focusing on a scientific skill, before making conclusions.

Secondary Phase - Further Information

Our Secondary Science Curriculum Purpose and Rationale provides more phase-specific detail:

How do we promote STEM at Ark Kings?

Nationally, there is a STEM shortfall where almost half (48%) of STEM businesses are looking abroad to find the right skills, while 7 in 10 (70%) are hiring candidates without a STEM background or simply leaving positions empty (60%). (Source: www.stem.org.uk)

We have a duty to prepare our students for the world of work. As such, we are committed to promoting STEM in our curriculum.

In the primary phase, pupils in each year group study a STEM topic for one half term in the year as part of their Science learning. Within this unit, pupils have the opportunity to apply skills learnt in mathematics as well as present a STEM showcase to peers and families.

In addition, in February, to celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we have a STEM Ambassador speaking to our primary pupils about their journey to a career in STEM and what their role entails.

Furthermore, pupils in Year 5 study ‘Discrimination in STEM’ as part of their History/Geography learning in Autumn 2 where they are inspired to consider how individuals in history have overcome barriers to pursue careers in STEM.