Science Curriculum Intent

1. Home
2. Subjects
3. Science

"The good thing about science is that it is true whether or not you believe in it."

Neil deGrasse Tyson

The study of Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity. At Toot Hill School we harness and develop the curiosity that students have about the world around them. We recognise that students bring with them a great deal of ‘folk science’; explanations of phenomena that look and feel right, but are intrinsically incorrect.

The Science curriculum is designed to develop a robust understanding of human-kind’s scientific progress and encourage students to recognise the power of rational explanation. It is delivered by expert teachers who deliberately address the common misconceptions that students harbour through carefully planned explanations and modelling, whilst always building on the knowledge that students bring with them to the classroom. The curriculum fosters a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena by moving beyond the National Curriculum. We teach our students the scientific progress mankind has made via case studies of historical scientific events and figures to ensure students fully appreciate the chronology of discoveries and how these are used to develop models. We use this emphasis so that students know the past to shape the future and recognise the advances that could be made within their lifetime and beyond; our curriculum allows students to appreciate the vastness of the universe and the idea that there are still many unknowns for humankind to discover.

Practical work is fundamental to learning Science at Toot Hill School. It is purposefully sequenced such that students build their skills through the Key Stages to develop ever more complex competencies. We commit to an extensive core entitlement of applied experiences that are designed to prove concepts taught in class.

By experiencing and engaging with the Science curriculum at Toot Hill School students will develop:

• A rigorous scientific literacy that will enable them to engage with and critically evaluate debates and discussions beyond school.
• The ability to question information presented to them and stem the spread of unquestioned erroneous information and viewpoints.
• Comprehensive data literacy, particularly in its graphical form, such that they can analyse numerical information presented to them.