Creativity in Science

It is important to look at the curriculum from the perspective of pupils, in terms of what they might learn, when they might learn it and what expectations of them that implies.

Too often, we underestimate pupils......

Our starting point in Science was to carry out a full curriculum review.  We looked in detail at each discreet unit of Science teaching throughout the school and considered:

• synthesis and application - where this knowledge and understanding might fit within wider curriculum contexts and where children might test, hypothesise about, experiment and apply knowledge gained;
• development of skills and knowledge.

We found that, from a pupil's perspective, some aspects of Science teaching were without context.  That there was no opportunity within the pupil's broader curriculum to rehearse scientific skills, knowledge and understanding beyond the narrow and time-limited context of a Science session and that some scientific concepts evolved very little between their study in Year 2, Year 4 and Year 6...  pupils therefore weren't learning, they were repeating.

This review led to a full overhaul of the Science curriculum.  The principles that we have developed around our Science curriculum are:

• that each successive unit of learning will begin from an assumed starting point that is at the 'end point' of the previous unit, eg: We will anticipate that pupils in Year 3/4 already know how to build a series circuit, based on their work in Year 1/2... So we won't waste time covering old ground but, rather, will use the time to push their learning into areas that used to be the preserve of Year 5/6... parallel circuits, making their own circuit boards, etc.  In Year 5/6 we will be working with pupils to create complex circuits to control systems, we'll be disassembling and re-assembling games based on electronic circuits such as 'Operation' and a range of Fairground games.  Pupils will design and create their own games using circuitry.

• that we will link learning, wherever possible, eg:  the Year 2 'Science' unit on friction takes place within Numeracy sessions as the Numeracy focus at that point is measurement.  Doing this brings real context and meaning to both disciplines.

• that there will be as much 'hands on' learning as is possible, eg: We will build opportunities for pupils to investigate, experiment, test and hypothesise into every unit and will draw the scientific learning out via this means.
  

• that technologies will be used extensively to support, develop, embed and extend learning, eg:
• We are making a lot of use of digital video and stills cameras in Science.. to:
  
• video experiments and investigations-with pupils providing a commentary that describes what they are doing, what they see and their interpretation of what is happening and why; 
• capture examples of scientific principles in action in the world around us;
  
• take still photographs that are then used by pupils in their explanations and their poster displays for the walls, or in presentations that explain their investigations and experiments. 

and, we are making use of:

• visualisers and digital microscopes;
• film editing software to edit Science broadcasts from Teachers TV.. from 15 minutes, down to 30 seconds, but retaining the key information.