In 2023 The Leys Primary and Nursery school has been awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark.
Primary Science Quality Mark is a one-year school improvement programme for primary science, which provides professional development for around 600 new and experienced subject leaders each year. PSQM enables confident, knowledgeable, reflective leadership which results in an improvement in the way in which science is strategically planned and taught across the whole school.
PSQM:
Enables science subject leaders to develop and articulate a clear intent and aspirational vision for science. The process of achieving a PSQM raises the profile and quality of science across the whole school. Supports subject leaders to effectively implement a curriculum for science that is informed by research evidence and best practice data. Working with an expert hub leader subject leaders evaluate current provision for science and put in place a development cycle that leads to sustained progress in science across the school. Ensures strong and positive impact: Children make good progress, building and consolidating their knowledge and skills, developing positive attitudes about science and its value to their lives and globally. Teachers and children enjoy their science lessons.
At The Leys, we encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at the school and beyond. The Science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills, and positive attitudes. Throughout the programmes of study, the children will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. We ensure that the Working Scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments, and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings.
We were able to achieve this award by
• Having a clear vision for the teaching and learning of Science.
• Having a shared and demonstrated understanding of the importance and value of Science to children’s learning.
• Having a range of teaching and learning approaches for Science.
• Having a range of up-to-date, quality resources specifically for teaching and learning Science. ICT is used both as a tool and as a resource for teaching..
• All pupils are actively engaged in a Science enquiry; using a variety of enquiry strategies, independently making decisions, using evidence to answer their own questions, solving real problems, and evaluating their work..
• The purpose of Science assessment is well understood and shared by the members of the school community.
• Children enjoying their science experiences in school.
• Science supporting and links with other curriculum areas and contributes to maximising whole school initiatives.
• There are clear links to other schools and outside agencies, organisations, communities to enrich Science teaching and learning.
