During our LPS Review Week activities this year, the AoLE leader and iTeam Pupil Voice Group undertook 'workbook looks' and spoke with learners from each year group about Science & Technology throughout the school feeding their findings back regarding the progress made against the Science & Technology Action Plan.   

Main Objective: Develop planning for scientific enquiry skills throughout the school.

During the Autumn term, there has been an upward trend in the focused planning for scientific enquiry throughout the school, across the Progression Steps. The standard of work produced from the enquiries is at a high quality- at or above expected levels, with many cross-curricular and relevant themes. This has benefited the children by enabling the learners to become more engaged with the scientific enquiry planning process and more independent, confident learners within this area.

In Progression Step 1, nearly all pupils have engaged in scientific enquiry, researching dinosaurs and using their scientific understanding to make predictions about their dinosaur eggs.

Within Progression Step 2, most pupils have undertaken scientific enquires, including researching the effect light has on plant growth, and investigating if and how exercising regularly makes us fitter. 

Progression Step 3 shows that nearly all pupils have engaged in scientific enquiries, with investigations such as: How otter introduction would impact Gower ecosystems; how the smelting process during Copperopolis could have been improved and how Swansea's ARP systems would have helped during WWII Blitz attacks being undertaken.

Review and monitoring of implementation of new LPS Curriculum Projects to check for coverage, progression and opportunities for self-determined learning:

Examples of various activities undertaken across the academic year gleaned through workbook looks from the iTeam and AoLE leader and listening to a cross-section learners from each Progression Step: 

Progression Step 1

Dinosaur research videos

Using technology to communicate findings

Dinosaur fact files

Building dinosaur homes

Progression Step 2

Food chains

Animal classification

Penllergaer Woods database

Healthy Food research

JiT Rainforest animations and branching databases

Progression Step 3

Research climate changes in Wales

Natural disasters infographics

WWII Leaders databases

Light research

Timelines using Popat

Minecraft WWII shelter building

How WWII started videos

Blitz animations

Website production 

In addition, members of Year 6 have also participated in the Crest Science Award with other schools from our cluster at Pontarddulais Comprehensive School. During the 2 days of activities, they have undertaken numerous STEM activities, such as scientific enquiries, design and technology and ICT work. Pictures from the 2-day event can be viewed here.

Next Steps

The iTeam and AoLE leader will continue to monitor the development of scientific enquiry throughout the school. The team will also meet to offer ideas of lines of scientific enquiry for the Spring Term topics and discuss suggestions made from pupils during the PVG reflection sessions on what enquiries they would like to investigate.