Science 2014…

and beyond

Agenda

Introduction – Principles

Best practice for teaching science - fundamentals

Curriculum 2014

Tea break – at some point!

Implications for science leaders – planning for change

The Principles of science teaching and learning…

Science is going well when….

Maintaining Curiosity

“Physicians take an oath that commits them to ‘first do no harm.’ The best science teachers set out to ‘first maintain curiosity’ in their pupils.”

Ofsted 2013

Key Findings (in a nutshell):

Best schools – teachers and pupils understood the ‘big ideas’ of science.

Achievement highest when pupils involved in fully planning, carrying out and evaluating investigations suggested themselves.

Schools often lacked sufficient differentiation. The quality of feedback to pupils to enhance

learning often poor. Literacy teaching with interesting and imaginative

science contexts worked well. Failure to ensure full coverage of the science NC. Outstanding when teachers and subject leaders had

received science-specific training.

A survey of 91 primary schools… The best teaching was: driven by determined subject leadership that put scientific

enquiry at the heart of science teaching and coupled it with substantial expertise in how pupils learn science

set out to sustain pupils’ natural curiosity, so that they were eager to learn the subject content as well as develop the necessary investigative skills

was informed by accurate and timely assessment of how well pupils were developing their understanding of science concepts, and their skills in analysis and interpretation so that teaching could respond to and extend pupils’ learning.

How do pupils learn science? Exploring/noticing/observing Identifying/classifying Pattern seeking Testing/experimentation/investigation Research Discussion/dialogue/argument They don’t learn much by being told

or filling in boxes!

Charles Darwin“I love fools' experiments. I am always making them.”

…I think that I am superior to the common run of men in noticing things which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully.”

Common weaknesses found: activities did not match each pupil’s

prior learning, so that some pupils wasted time or did not complete work.

pupils became disengaged from learning and more able pupils in particular were not given work that was challenging enough.

teachers failed to provide pupils with feedback that really helped them to improve their work.

How do you teach science well? Know the

subject/curriculum Understand pupil’s prior

learning –what they know and can do already

Support and challenge Questioning & feedback

that affects learning

Prior learning KWL grids Question/statement boards Documentaries/presentations Be quiet and listen!!! Mind maps

Use this to these to think ahead and PLAN opportunities

Curiosity and child led enquiry Get them wondering What are their questions? How can we find out? What did we find out? Pupil dialogue and discussion This is what scientists think

so far Does that make sense?

Support and challenge

Let those who know and can do go ahead. Support those who are new to it all –

simplify/backtrack Group by science ability (often maths, but

not always) Mixed ability/differentiation by outcome –

does it fit? Curiosity and finding out for all

The new curriculum!

Origins of new National Curriculum ASE Late 1990 research into primary

science enquiry. 2000s ASE Primary Science Committee

initiate writing on primary science enquiry.

2011 – Is it fair or not? 2012 – Redraft primary science NC

builds on ASE work from 15 years ago. Anne Goldsworthy and Brenda Keogh work on draft.

Curriculum 2014

Have you read it?

What do you know about it?

What’s the same or different?

What’s the feel of it?

Discuss! Use STEM document

An overviewYear 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Working scientifically

  

Living things & their habitats

  Living things & their habitats

Living things & their habitats

Living things & their habitats

Plants 

Plants Plants      

Animals, including humans

Animals, including humans

Animals, including humans

Animals, including humans

Animals, including humans

Animals, including humans

          Evolution and inheritance

Everyday materials

Uses of every day materials

Rocks      

    

  States of matter Properties & changes of materials

    

Light     Light

      Sound  

    Forces and magnets

   Forces  

Seasonal Changes

      Earth and Space  

      Electricity   Electricity

What’s the same

Most of the subject knowledge and understanding.

A balance of science content and skills. Many topics come up more than once, so

there is progression.

(Don’t throw away your schemes of work – they might be useful!)

What’s gone

No requirement to cover electricity in KS1 No requirement to cover light and sound in KS1 No requirement to cover forces and movement

in KS1 No requirement to cover micro-organisms in

KS2.

No requirement = not statutory. You still can!

What’s new? ‘Working scientifically’ and emphasis on different types

of enquiry. Seasonal change in Yr 1. Evolution and Inheritance in Yr 6. More naming and identifying things (especially in KS1) More on using outdoor environment. Some reference to how scientific ideas have changed

over time. Biographies

Working Scientifically

Replaces Sc1 Progression is in phase groups The non-statutory guidance illustrates how

working scientifically might apply in each topic.

Let’s compare

This is what the children ‘do’ in order to find out:

Observing over time

Pattern seeking

Identifying & classifying

Comparative & fair testing

Research

Working scientifically covers the predicting, planning, carrying out, finding and recording of results, conclusion and presentation of these types of investigations.

Working scientifically’

New Subject knowledge to consider Evolution and inheritance – no genes required,

but some understanding of ‘survival of the fittest’ and natural selection, but quite simple. Helpful link

Properties and changes of materials – new material – ‘oxidation.’ Ok? Or are we rusty?

Electricity –series circuits not parallel. Voltage introduced as a concept alongside current – potential misconception

Opportunities Fair testing and other types of enquiry

provide far more opportunities for children. Working scientifically underpins all of the

subject knowledge topics. Working scientifically in three phases – more

progressive/ depth to progression over time. Strong emphasis in guidance on effective

teaching and learning – worth reading!

Planning issues

The PoS study can be studied over two years not just year group.

Phase group skills progression. The topic of seasonal change will stretch across a year . In KS2 there are five areas in each year not six and there

are four in KS1 – spare time?

As science leader what will you suggest?

Our extra half terms! Ideas? Take longer over each topic? Make one double length topic? Use the final half term for revision,

consolidation and extension? Independent (pairs or groups) study some of

the question that came up during the year? Create your own topic? Do something adventurous – class science

newspaper/documentary/show

The Local Environment!

‘Pupils should use the local environment throughout the year to explore and answer questions about …”

“They should raise and answer questions about the local environment…’

“….including those in the local environment”

Every year group should be out and about! Local habitats near you?

Class photo diary of a habitat.

Yearly science diary – half term survey of an area.

Every year group should be outside poking around at least three times a year!!

How could you encourage every class to be outside at least every term?

Biographies – science and literacy links

Mastery more than spiralling

“While it is important pupils make progress, it is also vitally important that they develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage. Insecure, superficial understanding will not allow genuine progression…” p3

What are the implications for teachers/subject leaders?

NC 2014 Implementation!

Options: Whole School NewYear group 2014-15

Topics Year 2 and 6 should cover if opting for whole school on new NC

Year 1 New NCYear 2 New NC

Care for environment 

Year 3 New NCYear 4 New NCYear 5 New NCYear 6 New NC

Micro-organisms 

Year 2 and 6 on old

  2014-15Topics Year 2 and 6 could cover if staying with the old NC

Year 1 New NCYear 2 Old NC plus

Food chainsFood chains start with green plants

Year 3 New NCYear 4 New NCYear 5 New NCYear 6 Old NC plus

Classification of plants and animalsNutrients and water transportation in animals and humansEvolution and Inheritance – whole programme of study

RepetitionYear

GroupAreas of possible repetition with new NC

Year 1 

All new

Year 2 

All new

Year 3 All new exceptYear 1 - Light Year 2 - Forces

Year 4 All new exceptYear 1 – SoundYear 2 - Electricity

Year 5 All new exceptYear 2 – Materials

Year 6 All new – spiralling knowledge

Whole school curriculum planning

Options:Buy in new scheme.Updated existing scheme.Use QCA units with topics against new PoS- add in extras!Use Hamilton.Create your own to go with your creative curriculum – use a mixture of above.

What are you doing now? What might need to change?

Who’s doing what? Have curriculum phase meetings – which

topics link to their topics? Create whole school curriculum map.

Trust in a whole school creative curriculum – track PoS though scrutinies and science teaching!

Create whole school curriculum map then tell each year what they’re doing.

Will a ‘wait and see’ curriculum work – overload later year?

Science Curriculum across the school Agree schemes. Agree non-negotiable content for each year. Have high expectations of

expanded/deepened child led science curriculum beyond PoS.

Encourage cross curricular links, but keep integrity of the subject.

Ensure a monitoring system in place – book/planning scrutinies/ pupil conferencing.

Ways forward…

School SIP - target for curriculum implementation

Subject action plan – (another time) Inform teaching staff before Sep 2014 Ensure resources are in place Consider CPD (e.g. data loggers/evolution)

Next time?

Teaching and assessing the new curriculum?