How do we challenge pupils in science lessons?

The more able children are challenged in science lessons in numerous different ways such as questioning, discussions, independent work, group work and green marking. We understand it is crucial that our more able pupils are challenged to fulfil their full potential and are given the opportunity to become expert scientists by broadening their domain specific knowledge and also providing opportunity for structured organisation of knowledge within their memory, connecting knowledge between different levels when thinking about problems. Throughout our school, science lessons are differentiated at least a minimum of four ways which ensures that there are appropriate tasks set for more able children. Our more able pupils may complete activities in a lesson more quickly than other pupils, and in this situation we present them with additional enrichment questions or challenging activities which deepens their thoughts. Children are presented with yellow challenges throughout their lessons that consolidate learning and push the learning forwards. These challenges have been created to stimulate the children’s minds and get them to think scientifically.  When working scientifically, open ended tasks may be provided to encourage higher order thinking developing the ability to reason, question, explain and persevere.

More able children apply their scientific knowledge and vocabulary in discussions,  their work and through yellow challenges. All teachers have high expectations and expect children to produce high quality work which may include hypothesising, evaluating or concluding their ideas in a systematic way. Children are challenged through the use of questioning that stretches and challenges learners, and they are encouraged to give reasoning for their answers.

What jobs can science lead to in the future for more abled pupils?

Science is an important part of our everyday lives and human curiosity as we attempt to understand everything from our bodies to the environment around us. It allows us to develop new ideas and change daily life with new technology and methods that will impact our lives for many generations to come. A good science education will open the door to many career opportunities for our children such as robotics, computer science, forensics and much more. Understanding the world around them and having a good education, will strengthen more abled children’s opportunities to get into a science based job in the future such as:

• Teacher
• Chemist
• Biologist
• Researcher
• Forensic science technician
• Robotics engineer
• Software designer
• Nurse practitioner

and lots lots more…