Old Road, Conisbrough, Doncaster, DN12 3LR
Telephone (01709) 864978
Fax (01709) 864996
Email: admin@pennineview.doncaster.sch.uk
Head Teacher: Jo Barker-Carr
Science Policy
Date: January 2015
Review Date: January 2017
Written by: Paul Webster
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Rationale:
To develop in pupils, curiosity, enjoyment, skills and a growing understanding of science
knowledge, through an approach in which pupils raise questions and investigate the world in
which they live.
Aims & Objectives:
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To build on pupils’ natural curiosity through first hand and practical experiences.
To teach pupils scientific knowledge which is relevant to and meaningful to them.
To teach pupils scientific skills through both science sessions and an integrated
curriculum.
To stimulate them to investigate, question and develop their attitude to science.
To teach pupils to communicate ideas using appropriate scientific language.
To teach pupils to evaluate their findings and suggest explanations.
To give pupils opportunities to increase their knowledge of themselves, their
environment and their world.
To use ICT and visual materials, where possible, to enhance the children’s scientific
learning.
To link children’s scientific learning to everyday experiences e.g. cooking, growing
plants and exploring through the senses.
To nurture pupil’s curiosity for the outside environment and where possible, use the
outdoor classroom as a base for learning.
Science curriculum planning:
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Long Term:
KS4 currently follow KS3 units of work taken from the QCA schemes of work in science.
These units have been chosen and adapted to meets the needs of our pupils, to allow them to
continue to make progress in science whilst being able to access and be challenged by the
material.
KS3 follow National Curriculum topics Year 3-6. Topics are adapted to meet the needs of the
pupils, taking learning objectives from B Squared to allow pupils to be assessed at their level.
KS2 follow National Curriculum topics, with Class 1 teaching Year 1 and 2 topics, Class 2
teaching year 3 topics and Class 3 teaching year 4 topics. These topics have been adapted to
meet the needs of our pupils, having objectives relevant to the topics taken from B squared.
Pupils mainly working below level 1 in P levels.
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Medium Term:
Our medium-term plans, which we have based on the QCA scheme of work in science, give
details of each unit of work for each term. Medium-term planning sheets are used to record
six to eight lessons per half term, outlining teaching activities, differentiated for ability groups,
along with resources needed to carry out these activities. Relevant learning objectives are
taken from B Squared and should be individualised for pupils within the group, enabling all
pupils to make progress and be challenged at their level.
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Short term:
The class teacher is responsible for writing the lesson plans for each lesson (short-term
plans). These plans list the specific learning objectives of each lesson. Learning objectives for
each lesson are made explicit to pupils at the start of each lesson.
We have planned the topics in science so that they build upon prior learning. We ensure that
there are opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their skills and knowledge in each
unit and we also build progression into the science scheme of work, so that the children are
increasingly challenged as they move up through the school.
In KS2 lessons are mainly taught by class teachers, in their classrooms. In KS3 and KS4,
pupils are taught in the science room by the science co-ordinator. Expertise is shared and
specialist knowledge is available where needed.
Teaching and learning
Teachers plan for different groups, whole class, small group, paired and individual. The
teacher works towards the child’s independent learning employing a range of teaching
strategies, including;
· Instructing/directing,
· Role play and use of props
· Modelling/demonstrating/scribing
· Consolidating
· Explaining
· Discussing
· Focussed quality questioning
· Evaluating
Assessment, recording and reporting
Regular opportunities should be taken to assess what the children know, understand and can
do. As a result, the teacher will plan the next stage of learning efficiently and can revisit and
reinforce ideas as necessary.
Assessment for learning opportunities should be informal and appropriate for the class or
individual. They make take several forms, such as:
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Teacher questioning,
Eliciting children’s ideas,
Observations,
Evidence gained during speaking and listening activities, these are noted on pupils
work.
Where appropriate, summative assessment may be used, at the end of a unit, to assess
pupil’s retention of knowledge and vocabulary.
All assessment is to be carried out according to the schools Assessment Policy.
Inclusion
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All children receive quality teaching and activities are differentiated accordingly. Where
identified pupils are considered to require extra-targeted support teachers use a range of
techniques to facilitate learning. These include one to one and small group support from
adults when and where deemed appropriate.
Professional Development
Training needs are identified as a result of whole school monitoring and evaluation,
performance management and the needs of children. These will be reflected in the School
Development Plan and annual coordinator reports that are produced for each subject area.
The subject co-ordinator will arrange for relevant advice and information, such as feedback
from courses and newsletters, to be disseminated. Where necessary the subject coordinator
organises or leads school based training.
Resources:
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Scientific equipment for investigative work is stored in a locked cupboard next door to
the science room, Class 5.
The main science textbooks, workbooks and teaching schemes are located in the
science room, Class 5.
Every class has a visualiser along with computers with Internet access.
Pennine view school rents an allotment in Conisbrough.
Grounds at the school include a minibeast mansion, wormery and composting area at
the back of the school.
A sensory garden has been constructed near the staffroom
Local sites are used for fieldwork e.g. Austerfield, Old Moor, Potteric Carr, Kingswood.
Animals are regularly brought into school e.g. zoo lab, meet a creature, living eggs
Visits are made to farms, zoos, magna science museum etc.
Cross Curricular Links
Science offers a range of opportunities for developing the children’s skill across the
curriculum including:
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Literacy - Writing in different styles and for different purposes along with introduction of
new vocabulary. Oral skills through discussion and through recounting their
observations of scientific experiments.
Read is carried out through following
instructions/methods and research tasks.
Numeracy - Measuring, recording and interpreting data.
Computing - Recording results, producing tables and graphs. The Internet also offers a
wealth of opportunities for the children to research information or take part in online
activities.
Design & Technology - Investigative skills, understanding of forces, knowledge of
materials.
Music - Exploring and describing sounds.
P.E. - Investigating health issues, keeping healthy, study of the Human body.
PSHE – Reproduction, Puberty and Drug/Alcohol education.
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Safe Practice
Safe practice must be promoted at all times. Pupils will be taught to use scientific equipment
safely when using it during practical activities. Teachers must also take into account all
relevant Health and Safety issues. Subject Leader will check equipment regularly and report
any damage, taking defective equipment out of action. Please refer to schools’ health and
safety policy and specific risk assessments. Particular attention must be given to avoiding the
use of anything that aggravates individual pupils’ allergies.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The Science Subject Leader will monitor classroom teaching in all year groups according to
the monitoring schedule.
This policy will be reviewed bi-annually by the Science Subject Leader or as necessary in
view of government or LA initiatives, analysis of assessments or curriculum development.
Science Health and Safety Policy Pennine View School
1. Scope of this policy
This policy is concerned with health and safety when teaching science. It has been produced
with the approval of the school’s governing body. It should be read in conjunction with the
school’s overall health & safety policy.
This policy is not concerned with the teaching of health and safety, although that is a
requirement of the Programs of Study for Science in the National Curriculum.
2. Duties of Staff
The Governing Body of Pennine View School has the ultimate responsibility to ensure the
health and safety of employees and others at this school.
The task of overseeing health and safety in this school has been delegated, by the employer,
to the Head Teacher. Within science this task has been further delegated to the science
coordinator, Mr. Webster.
It is the duty of all staff (and, where relevant, non-employees such as parent helpers):
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to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be
affected by their acts or omissions;
to be familiar with this policy by periodic reference to it;
to implement the provisions of this policy; and
to cooperate with the employer and with other members of staff in promoting health and
safety.
3. Advice on health & safety matters in science
Advice will be sought from the Local Authority if necessary. Also we have a subscription to
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CLEAPSS, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH (Tel: 01895 251496; Fax: 01895 814372; Email: science@cleapss.org.uk; Their Website, www.cleapss.org.uk can be used for the
purpose of obtaining risk assessments and for general advice on health & safety matters in
science.
About 3 or 4 weeks after the start of each term the CLEAPSS Primary Science and
Technology Newsletter is dispatched to schools by direct mailing. The office will circulate a
copy of the Newsletter, which is to be read and signed by appropriate staff
(Science and
Technology coordinators). Back copies are also available on the members-only part of the
CLEAPSS web site.
4 Be safe! booklet
We believe science in primary schools to be a very safe activity and do not consider that the
few, small risks justify excessive bureaucracy. This school’s health & safety policy for
teaching science is largely contained within a book Be safe! - Health and safety in primary
school science and technology (4th edition, Association for Science Education).
A copy of Be safe! is kept in the Main School Office.
All teachers must check Be safe! from time to time and use it when planning their science
activities. Where relevant guidance cannot be found in Be safe!, staff should consult
CLEAPSS (see section 3)
5. Risk assessment
It is the duty of the employer; under the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)
Regulations to make a risk assessment before microorganisms (eg, moulds) or hazardous
chemicals (including some ‘kitchen’ chemicals) are used. Under the Management of Health
and Safety at Work Regulations the employer must make a risk assessment before
hazardous activities are undertaken. As required by our employer, following guidance in the
Management Regulations Approved Code of Practice, this school has adopted Be safe! as
containing model risk assessments for the activities normally undertaken in teaching science
in primary schools.
A model risk assessment is just that - a model, which is broadly appropriate for most classes,
in most schools, most of the time. Teachers should review the advice and consider whether
further modification is needed for the special circumstances of their lessons with their classes.
Professional judgement is needed. For example, pupils who are early bilinguals may not fully
understand the instructions and pupils with special needs may need special consideration. An
activity, which is perfectly safe on a Monday morning, may be less so on a Friday afternoon or
following a wet play time! Teachers must also use common sense in organising their
classroom in a healthy & safe manner, eg, by avoiding trailing electrical leads, not allowing
children to use construction kits just behind the door, etc.
For the purposes of model risk assessments, this school also uses a range of CLEAPSS
guides which give information on a more-extensive range of activities than is covered in Be
safe!. Examples include L5p Safe Use of Household and Other Chemicals, L86p Electrical
Safety, L190 Studying Microorganisms in Primary Schools.
If the proposed activities, chemicals or equipment are NOT covered by Be safe! or relevant
CLEAPSS guides, so far as risk assessment is concerned, a Special Risk Assessment must
be obtained by contacting CLEAPSS (see paragraph 3).
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When drawing up schemes of work and lesson plans, staff should note down any relevant
and important health & safety information extracted from Be safe! or elsewhere. This can be
very brief comments and will only be necessary for a few topics but will satisfy the
requirement that the “significant findings of risk assessment should be recorded” and
demonstrate that individuals acknowledge the risk involved. Examples of this approach can
be found in A Scheme of Work For Key Stages 1 and 2: Science (DfEE / QCA, 1998),
although teachers may occasionally find that they want to note down more detail about
particular techniques.
6. Close supervision
On some occasions, Be safe! states that an activity should be carried out “under close adult
supervision”. We interpret this as meaning that a small group of children (up to about 6)
should have the undivided attention of the supervising adult. Such adults need not be
teachers but, if they are parents, assistants etc, they must have been well briefed before the
activity on the nature of the risk by the teacher in charge and be aware of guidance in Be
safe! etc.
7. Purchasing and storing resources
When purchasing equipment or materials, and especially mains-powered electrical
equipment, staff must ensure that it is safe and appropriate for use by children of the relevant
age. CLEAPSS (see section 3) produces guides to particular types of equipment. The guides
in print may change, but a list of those currently available appears on page 8 of its termly
Primary Science & Technology Newsletter and on its web site, www.cleapss.org.uk.
CLEAPSS staff members are very willing to discuss other equipment, not at present covered
by guides. Copies of relevant guides can be obtained, free of charge, by contacting
CLEAPSS. Guides can be viewed on line at www.cleapss.org.uk (Log in details can be
obtained from main school office) Staff are expected to consult the relevant guide (or
CLEAPSS itself) if they are considering purchasing mains-operated electrical equipment or
any expensive item for use in science.
Similar considerations apply when equipment, chemicals or other items are given to the
school, eg, by parents, local companies, etc or brought in from home. They may not be
sufficiently safe for school use. In general, our policy is not to accept such donations. We do
not accept mains electrical equipment donated. All mains electrical equipment is PAT tested
yearly by the Technology Coordinator.
Equipment and materials must be stored safely. Chemicals and any other hazardous items
are locked away from children.
8. Living organisms
We believe that the responsible use of suitable animals, plants and microorganisms in the
classroom not only enhances the curriculum, but also helps to promote respect for living
things. Classroom uses of living organisms may raise issues about the health & safety of
pupils and teachers (which are dealt with in Be safe! and other model risk assessments) and,
in the case of animals, about their welfare and the need to care for them humanely.
We follow advice given in CLEAPSS publications, eg, L52 Small Mammals, L56 Housing and
Keeping Animals, L124 Aquaria in Primary Schools: Electrical Safety, L181 Cold-Water
Aquaria, L190 Studying Microorganisms in Primary Schools, L197 Giant African land snails,
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L201 Giant millipedes, L206 Tadpoles, L227 Stick Insects, PS55 Bringing Pets & Other
Animals into Schools.(www.cleapss.org.uk username and password as above in section 3).
9. Training
From time to time we devote part of a staff meeting to reminding colleagues about this policy
and the pivotal role of Be safe!. We review the policy and consider if changes are needed.
When new staff, especially student teachers and newly-qualified teachers*, join the school, it
is the duty of the Senior Manager responsible for Staff Induction.
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A free, copy friendly leaflet giving general guidance on health and safety, especially for
newly- qualified teachers, is available from CLEAPSS; ask for PS22 Health and Safety in
Primary Science and Technology. (See section 3 above)
10. Monitoring
The Head Teacher and/or science co-ordinator is expected to monitor that this Code of
Practice is being followed. This may involve checking documentation, observing lessons and
joining in planning meetings. Suitable records should be kept, e.g. in the minutes of staff
meetings, in notes of lesson plans and schemes of work or of lesson observations.
11. Special restrictions
The Head Teacher has decided that in addition to advice in Be safe! and relevant CLEAPSS
publications, the following special restrictions will apply when teaching science.
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Pupils in Key Stage 2 should not use expanded polystyrene, because of the risk that they
may poke it into ears, etc, possibly requiring surgery to extract it. 
Thin plastic (polystyrene) cups from drinks machines should not be used to hold hot water,
because of the risk that they may be easily knocked over when pouring the water or may
soften and collapse, in either case spilling hot water on those nearby.
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Glass containers should not normally be used by pupils in Key Stage 2, but may be used
in Key Stage 3 and 4 when the nature of the work means that there is no realistic
alternative. 
Pupils should not use rechargeable batteries for circuit work, because they may become
very hot if short-circuited (but they can be used in equipment, for example, in Roamer
robots, Lego motors, etc). 
Where iron filings are in use for work on magnets, these should be enclosed in clear
plastic containers, sealed plastic bags or similar. Where iron filings are needed for other
purposes, e.g., separation of mixtures, pupils should be warned about the dangers of
rubbing eyes with their fingers and work should normally be confined to pupils at Key
Stage
2.
Scrupulous hygiene must be observed before and after cooking activities or handling
animals, etc. Younger pupils should be supervised to ensure they wash their hands
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properly.
12. Useful links
CLEAPSS
www.cleapss.org.uk
RSPCA
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/Page/TeachersPortalHome&cid
=1086091844592&page=TeachersPortalHomepage
Association for Science Education
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www.ase.org.uk