On we go with the curriculum and assessment review. So far, I’ve looked at history and geography from a primary perspective. Today, I continue with science. I think you’ll have noticed that mostly, much of what is in the review is already being worked on and developed in schools. Talking to others working in and with schools, it seems the new curriculum will just give us more clarity on some aspects that are less consistent across schools, like the specificity of the disciplinary knowledge that we need children to know in each subject area. I’m sure you’ll see some similarities in this when we look at science as a subject now too!
What does the Curriculum and Assessment Review say about primary science?
In the opening paragraph on science, the review states, “it is important to retain and enhance the knowledge-rich focus that has been developed.” (p112). I think we need to get used to the idea of a knowledge-rich curriculum if we haven’t already. Most schools build their curriculum around the knowledge we want the children to know, and this is something that is clearly here to stay. Some might argue that it’s skills we need to develop, and I think there are lots of ‘life-skills’ that should be more involved in curriculum thinking, but for now, we’ll leave that thought here. As far as science is concerned, that skill development comes through the overarching idea of ‘working scientifically’, and this is where the disciplinary knowledge needs to be developed to support scientific thinking and skills development.
I also found this section interesting:
“…stakeholders have expressed concern that the primary Science curriculum is not taught consistently. A lack of curriculum cohesion and curriculum time for it in some schools means pupils are not able to master the content. The result is difficulties during the transition to Science at secondary school. Subject experts argued that the primary Science curriculum is unevenly distributed across the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Stakeholders also highlighted missed opportunities to create cross-curricular links between Science and other subjects, and between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 Science, resulting in unnecessary repetition of topics at later key stages and limiting opportunities for students to build on and apply prior knowledge.” (p112)
My question is to ask why science is not taught consistently across all primary schools. In terms of the detail of the content to be covered, I’d say it is one of the more clearly organised subject areas in the NC (excluding English and maths, of course). Each year group has five-ish concepts to explore, and within each, explicit statements are given of what must be covered. So why aren’t science curricula in schools cohesive? I think there is a wider conversation here around the prioritisation of key knowledge across all curriculum subject areas, and I think both teachers and leaders are sometimes including additional knowledge that is unnecessary. This is not a finger point, but I mentioned when I focused on history that we as educators sometimes try to include too much. I think what has been noticed in science is a symptom of the curriculum design mistakes we sometimes make because we feel we need to do certain things that actually; we don’t.
The review talks about outlining “the essential experiences pupils should have exposure to, so that abstract scientific ideas are grounded in real life” (p113) and I think this is an interesting point to consider. In other conversations I’ve had, the subject of how digital media is taking over often comes up, and I think we need to be careful we don’t step away from practical experiences within subject areas that are meant to be practical.
The review highlights some key elements that it thinks should be addressed:
· It suggests that “content across all key stages should be refined and re-sequenced in line with the fundamental concepts of each scientific discipline.” (p113).
· It acknowledges “…concerns that a lack of representation of the diversity of scientists and their work can have a negative impact on pupils’ engagement and reinforce the perception that Science, and scientific careers, are not for them.” (p113-114) and that this will be looked at, but not at the expense of the key scientific concepts that should be studied.
· That practical science activities have become less undertaken. However, this should be an element that is made more explicit within the curriculum in a way that isn’t just standalone, but links with key learning in science.
· The review also comments on how “The Science curriculum currently makes only limited reference to climate science and scientific work to combat climate change, and some content in the Programme of Study is outdated.” (p115) This is something that will need some work, but there are some good cross-curricular links to be made here with geography.
I think that there are some big things to think about here. On the first point, we must be patient and see what the new curriculum has to say when it comes out – there’s nothing for us to do here but continue working with what we’ve got and ensure that we sequence it progressively in the best way for the children. The fourth point regarding climate science I feel comes into this too. We can make our own links, but it will be interesting to see how this is built into the curriculum when it arrives.
The second point about diversity is important. I think it is an aspect that schools are trying to develop across the entire curriculum, not just science. I think we must acknowledge that some aspects of science, historically, are not diverse. We must acknowledge that, and then look at the elements that are and ensure that they are included (and not in a tokenistic way), to ensure that our young people see themselves in the science that they are studying. I agree that this should not be at the expense of key scientific principles and concepts that are studied, but when highlighting key individuals, we should look in a balanced way at the past and the present to show an accurate portrayal of life as a scientist to inspire our scientists of the future.
For the third point, I can’t quite believe it has to be made, but I completely understand the challenges that delivering science practically can present. This is something that schools are working to develop, in the same way as schools are looking at fieldwork in geography and developing the use of artefacts in history. The point made about linking experiences directly to curriculum content is important, and we should build children’s scientific investigation skills so that they can develop a better understanding of the science they are learning about.
The government’s response
Again, I’ve copied and pasted the government’s response to science for ease:
Government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review
We cannot change the current programme of study. As teachers, we should continue to teach the current National Curriculum. The primary NC is set out reasonably clearly compared to other subject areas, and it is our job to make sure that we build in practical science and investigation to support learners with understanding the key concepts we are trying to get across. But I am intrigued to see what the new NC will look like for science in terms of rebalancing across biology, chemistry and physics and building in opportunities for climate science, more explicit investigation, and diversity.
So, what does this mean for subject leaders and classroom teachers?
I continue to reassure both teachers and subject leaders that in terms of the curriculum review, there is very little different that they need to think about doing now. As far as science goes, there are some things that we can consider though, such as:
· Ensuring we teach the programme effectively by sequencing units in a way that is progressive and supports children to make links across their science learning.
· Considering what the key knowledge required is as set out in the NC, and teaching that well through practical science activities rather than relying on video clips to share investigations.
· Where appropriate, showing children real-life examples of scientists who have changed our world and provide diverse inspiration for the scientists of the future.
I think in science, we may see some bigger changes in terms of the content than we will in history or geography. I’ve recently been working on updating the science curriculum units (soon to be released) for The Learning Challenge Curriculum, and what we are trying to ensure is that purposeful, practical science supports the learning of key concepts. This is something that schools can and are working on now, but until we have the new NC, teachers and leaders should continue doing what they have been under the current NC.
There’s no need to panic or make big changes.
If you are looking for some resources to support this work, I’ve shared some links below:
A publication by Clive Davies, giving a range of examples of how practical investigation in science can be used purposefully:
Working Scientifically: Supporting Children's Enquiries – Focus Education
Here, I’ve put together a resource to support in making the scientific investigation process more consistent across your school:
Developing the Scientific Investigation Process – Focus Education
If you are looking at how you can make greater conceptual links across science, I have a pre-recorded session available here:
Teaching Science Through Concepts (CPD Video: 2hr 2min) – Focus Education
There will also soon be a publication available on golden threads in science, which also addresses how we can use concepts to develop links across science units throughout primary school.
To support disciplinary knowledge development too, here is a resource which supports children with their understanding of what it means to be a scientist at their age and stage:
Disciplinary Knowledge Progression for Children in Science – Focus Education
To book Alex or one of our other consultants to work with your school, email us at consultancy@focus-education.co.uk
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