Head of Science: Mrs K Tall (ktall@swr.gloucs.sch.uk)

Second in charge of Science: Mr N Radcliffe (nradcliffe@swr.gloucs.sch.uk)

Intent:

Sir William Romney’s Science Faculty aims to stimulate curiosity, interest, and enjoyment of science in all our students regardless of their starting point or background.

To achieve this, we will:

• provide engaging, inclusive and enriching science lessons which allow students to understand a body of scientific knowledge which will serve them in their future lives.

• deliver an effectively sequenced curriculum to allow students to develop a mastery of the relevant substantive and disciplinary scientific knowledge and offer opportunities to revisit concepts so students become fluent and confident in this knowledge.

• ensure that practical work is integral to all students’ experience of science.
• maintain varied extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities so students can experience scientific learning outside the classroom.
• expose students to a broad variety of potential STEM career options and introduce scientists from diverse backgrounds.

• use science education as a medium to develop wider skills needed for life, work and further education including the ability to work as part of a team, be tolerant of other people’s views, be confident self-managers and resilient learners.
• support students to become scientifically literate citizens that can critically analyse questions or claims made in the press.

Implementation:

The curriculum from years 7-11 is designed in three main blocks:

• In years 7 and 8 (Key stage 3) students are introduced to the world of science and scientists by a sequence of bespoke topics based on the National Curriculum. Starting with a lab skills unit, students then study a range of topics covering basic scientific concepts in biology, chemistry and physics. Lessons are based around concrete ideas and observable phenomena such as properties of solids, liquids and gases, effects of forces on objects and healthy and balanced diets. Key themes, such a cells and living organisms, are revisited through the 2 years e.g. Life processes in the autumn term of year 7 leads onto Food and Digestion in the spring term and then onto Fit and Healthy and Plants for Food in year 8. This builds the students’ mastery of the subject and promotes fluency early on. Practical skills are developed through a range of experiments and investigations drawing on their earlier experiences in the lab skills unit. The wider world of science is introduced through enrichment activities such as science club and students are encouraged to look at the role of STEM in the jobs people do. Formative assessments happen once in all topics and summative assessments take place 3 times in each year testing the students’ progress in both their substantive and disciplinary knowledge. By the end of this key stage, students are ready to start the transition to GCSE study. To enrich learning, all students take part in extracurricular activities as part of Forensics Week.

Faculty staff work collaboratively to develop and sequence the curriculum but freedom is given within the classroom to allow teachers to develop their own style and to adapt the lessons to meet the needs of all of their students. The general guidelines below however outline some features of outstanding lessons in the science faculty:

• Learning outcomes are shared and explained.  These are referred to and developed during the lesson. Students understand what they are learning, why they are learning it, how it relates to what they already know and how they may use this learning in the future.
• Lessons start with a short starter, or ‘do now’ activity the purpose of which can either be to provide a stimulus for new work or as retrieval practice from previous learning.
• Tasks are knowledge rich with staff modelling good practice and worked examples. Opportunities are given to stretch learning beyond the curriculum when appropriate.
• Discussion work extends beyond closed questions. Pupils are encouraged to justify and explain their scientific thinking. Students are asked questions during cold calling to engage everyone.
• Practical work is meaningful and impactful. It is important that new knowledge or skills are developed and that tasks are intellectually challenging.
• Students have regular opportunities for reflection and improvement (DIRT work) through peer and self-assessment. Following assessments, time is given to reflect and set targets based on their outcomes.
• Pupils’ interest is stimulated by teaching scientific concepts in familiar contexts and related to everyday applications. As pupils become more confident, they are challenged to solve problems in more unfamiliar contexts.  All lesson tasks are matched to the ability of the pupils. Such tasks are stimulating and challenging with consideration given to the range of cognitive ability within the group. Challenge is appropriately set just beyond the students’ comfort zone to help promote progress.
• Lessons end with a plenary. This is used to recap learning, revisit objectives or to assess students’ learning to help inform planning of future lessons.