Science at Manor Leas Junior Academy 

Intent - What's the vision?

At Manor Leas Junior Academy, we aim to provide a high-quality science education that delivers the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. In our school, we educate pupils with the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. Our curriculum provides an understanding of how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave and analyse causes that help them to answer questions about the world around them. Our children will be equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future leaving pupils from Manor Leas Junior Academy knowing more about Science and remembering more.

Learning Cycle 

We teach Science on a robust teaching and learning cycle that puts children and hands-on, active learning at its heart and ensures progression for all.

We believe that to instill scientific confidence in children and to inspire future generations of young scientists, we need to spark their imagination and fuel their curiosity with hands-on, experiential science. 

Implementation - How does it work across school?

In order to deliver our intent across the school, we use a variety of strategies and resources that are outlines below:

Carefully Mapped Curriculum – At Manor Leas Junior Academy, we dedicate discrete time to each subject. This is outlined in our ‘Curriculum Blocking Overview’. Each academic year there are two science blocks, each block consisting of four weeks. This ensures subject focus.

Rising Stars Scheme – In order to support practitioners and learners, Manor Leas Junior Academy have invested in the Science Rising Stars Scheme (Switched on Science). This scheme offers concrete teaching resources, teacher CPD, interactive activities and a carefully considered sequence of learning.

Key Question – In order to deliver our science curriculum, Manor Leas Junior Academy have introduced a key question for each block of Science. This key question underpins each lesson, being referenced and articulated regularly to ensure all learners are aware of the end goal. The key question not only guides the learning, it also acts as an assessment tool.

Knowledge Organisers – Knowledge organisers offer learners a snapshot of the topic they are learning. On each topic knowledge organiser there is the key questions, twelve keywords, the focus working scientifically strands and appropriate diagrams. This tool can be found in at the start of the topic in students’ curriculum books and is displayed on each class’ knowledge map. Knowledge Organisers are also uploaded onto the school website, taken home by children and referred to throughout topic lessons.

Knowledge Quizzing – Low stakes quizzing is used to review previous learning regularly.

Knowledge Map – The knowledge map can be referred to during lessons and used to display key information. Teachers can show links across the curriculum to develop and build knowledge.

FROGS (Working Scientifically Assessments) –  Working scientifically is an imperative strand of Science. The five areas of working scientifically from the National Curriculum (Fair Testing, Further Research, Observation, Classifying and Grouping and Patterns Seeking) have been re-categorized to a memorable mnemonic FROGS (Fair Testing, Research, Observation, Grouping and Classifying and Seeking Patterns). This is because children not only need to understand scientific knowledge, they also need to be able to apply it. TAPS (Teacher Assessment in Primary Science) provides a practical experiment for each topic to enable practitioners to assess security in scientific understanding. These have been adapted to ensure FROGS is covered throughout each year. 

Unit Essay – Following each science topic, students complete an essay to answer the key question. This provides students a chance to consolidate their learning through applying keywords and scientific principles articulately. The essay also acts as another assessment tool, further enabling practitioners to identify gaps and intervention needs. 

Enrichment Activities – Manor Leas Junior Academy are passionate about providing children with a high-quality education, to equip students with the knowledge and skills they require to deal with a rapidly changing world. The Science curriculum has been enriched by an annual school Science Fair (which opens its doors to the community), science competitions (to promote science learning outside of school), trips (to support scientific understanding beyond the classroom) as well as inviting a range of inspirational visitors into our school.

Annual Science Fair

Each year, families, members of the local community and scientists from the University of Lincoln are welcomed to Manor Leas Junior Academy for the our showstopping Science Fair. Every year, every student spends four weeks delving into the depths of the science curriculum, before all twelve classes challenge themselves to create group projects that demonstrated their scientific understanding. Each of the twelve classes then go on to nominate one group that display excellence in the field of science, technology, engineering and or mathematics.  Then, the twelve winning groups exhibit their projects in the main hall to be judged by STEM specialists. All visitors have the opportunity to see the rest of the science projects across the school too, as they are presented in each classroom. Manor Leas Junior Academy celebrate the scientific achievements of the entire school, with the individuals from the victorious groups each receiving a science kit and an engraved trophy to display in their classroom.

View some of our Science Fair highlights below: