Middleton Park Primary

1. Portfolio Middleton Park Primary • Gold PSQM • 2013 - 2014

2. LINK TO WEBSITE Impact: Science is developed and driven forward by staff, children and parents working together (not just subject leader!) and there is a clear vision for science at Middleton Park. SL taken various CPD sessions throughout the year. Staff have become fully equipped to report on skills in science in pupil reports 2013-2014. Vision LINK TO READING BUS WEBSITE P3 ASG science day Science project carried out in school available to the ‘world’ through website (highest downloads on Reading Bus website) Sharing Science at MP at the Scottish Learning festival. Pupil led assembly. Children taking a lead in science. Various twilight inputs given by subject leader throughout the year within school and beyond. Various documents available for staff to aid with reporting in science. 396 Views!! In 8 countries!!

3. New science policy created in collaboration with all staff and shared with the school parental community. MP’s policy has been shared across Aberdeen City as a good example in order to help and guide schools to develop their own. Impact: Staff and school community are now more focussed in the T&L of science. School Development Plan

4. Science is valued in the school grounds and the wider community. Evidenced through our Eco garden and in the community by a ‘pop up science’ at Asda and interviewing public on their experiences of science. Impact: Children take pride in the science work they have completed and get instant feedback from the community. Children eat the produce from our eco garden. Science is valued

5. Staff shared area on server to share evidence/products of science lessons throughout the school. Impact: Staff area aware of science going across the school therefore can easily plan cross stage partner working. Knowledge Staff shared area on school server to access documents. Area for staff to share planning/evidence in science. A full timetable of activities during science and engineering week. Minutes of science focused staff inset and meetings.

6. CPD Joint delivery of Science with experts from University Capacity Building - teachers, parents and volunteers learning together Wide range of CPD for staff

7. L & T approaches Children are encouraged to add their thoughts to an interactive school science board managed by the Science Technicians. Example of range of T&L approaches used in Nursery. Children share their learning in science. Link to short film Staff planning science experiences across the school.

8. Children are exposed to a range of T&L strategies. Impact: Children enjoy their learning and science skills and knowledge become embedded. Making use of all staff across the school

9. Children take ownership of science subject. Impact: Staff have access to a tidy resource cupboard and children taking leadership role. Resources Resource cupboard audited this session and kept tidy, organised and fully stocked by the Science Technicians. ICT used regularly to support learning and teaching.

10. Children take ownership of science subject. Science Technicians Impact: Children are leading their own learning. Pupil Led Pupils led assembly – sharing the Technicians work. Keeping the Science resources tidy and well stocked. Demonstrating good science. Awarding certificates – Scientist of the week.

11. Pupil Voice We’ve been amazed at the results in our science week, our children are so confident when talking about their science investigations. We really enjoyed the opportunity to work with our children on the Home Challenges - it became a family affair! Parents Ritchie P1 – “you know what we are learning in science today? We are learning about electricity.” ‘When I leave school, I want to be a Geologist - I’ve loved finding out about rocks during Science at school.’ ‘We love doing Science Experiments at Pupil Led Assemblies. It gives us a chance to share our learning with the rest of the school. Skye P4 – “Science is really cool!” City Science fair submissions.

12. When children in Middleton Park are asked what they think of science these are some of the responses: Pupil Voice "Fandabbydosie!!" "my new favourite subject" "Amazing" "lots of experiments" "Really fun" Science Thoughts "brilliant" "Cool" "excellent!" "love it" "messy! - and you don’t get into trouble!" "scary because you dont know what’s going to happen!" "interesting"

13. Assessment Teachers regularly use a wide range of assessment strategies including pupil peer and self assessment. All teachers peer assess each other. Regular tracking discussions take place with SMT.

14. Evidence of Outreach

15. Learning about science in a variety of contexts Learning about sports science with Olympian Lee McCulloch Text WE WON WEBLINK TO MOVEMBER Learning about sports science in our Movember City-wide Competition

16. WEBLINK TO INVENTION FILM Invented in Oldmachar Working with author Allan Burnett on an ASG project linking science and literacy. Impact: Children receiving enriched learning experiences. Following the science work carried out in partnership with the school Allan Burnett has become patron of reading at Middleton Park School. Allan Burnett, author Invented in Scotland’ has worked with our school over the last two sessions exploring Science investigations.  His writing projects have inspired our pupils to find out about great inventions and look at the past to help us explore future inventions.  Allan has said he has been privileged to work with our pupils and commented on the enthusiasm, positive attitude and creativity of our pupils. In February 2014, he has agreed to be our Patron of Reading and will  now work closely with our school.  Allan readily agreed to this role – saying it would be an honour to have a long term partnership with our school.

17. Feedback from Rudie (our student) who had a background in science from working at Satrosphere. “My time as a science tutor for P4 at Middleton Park has been a greatly rewarding experience. My role was to assist with the science curriculum in place. The main highlight was when the pupils visited my College for the planetarium. The classes were on their best behaviour and interacted and understood a presentation usually aimed at higher education level. The children have impressed me with their ability to comprehend complex scientific concepts with ease.”

18. BP Workshops “I deliver at least 1 workshop for every class at school each school year and enjoy seeing the excitement in the kids face & the reaction I get with the differing workshops from the basic ones with P1 & P2 to the more Science & Energy orientated ones with P6 & P7. The children are always enthusiastic in learning new skills and being challenged by the differing workshops, each one needs a differing set of skills and thought processes and it’s great to see how the children rise to the challenges and progress through the workshops.  There are certain skills that the children need to use and learn during the workshops, from Team working, effective communication, planning & leadership, to name a few, which should hopefully help them going forward in school and life. It is always great to see children who give the workshops there full attention and strive to complete them to the best of their abilities with learning new things and pushing themselves to the end goal.” We have a regular programme of workshops carried out by a BP employee. Brian works with every class for one session every year. Every year P6 visit the BP offices and look at how oil and gas are formed in ‘the Hive’.

19. Specialist Visitors Preview of 3D Scanning Developed for MRI scan Throughout the year we have had many workshops carried out by a variety of specialist covering all areas of the Science Curriculum. Generation Science Aberdeen Uni Students Impact:The children are exposed to a variety of specialists which enrich their knowledge, Understanding and skills in Science. RSPB Specialist hedgehog keeper Rowett Institute (helping with research) Bio Diversity Museum Mr Bug

20. Sharing with the wider community Showcase at Asda Whole school homework challenges to encourage family learning City science fair Impact: Science is valued as a subject by both children and their wider family MP have used every opportunity to involve and share their science learning with the local community School organised the Travelling Museum of Inventions Bus to spend a day at Asda (across the road) to share science with the community Utilising whole school community - janitor expertise Science open morning in school

21. Partnership with Parents Utilising Parent Expertise Our Eco Garden - everyone helps! There is a strong partnership with parents in the area of science. This is through supported homework tasks, workshops presented and involvement in science focussed open days. Parents are even tested on their science knowledge! Parents test! Homework Challenges Impact: Children are encouraged and supported in the home environment as well as the school environment. Open days

22. Sharing with the Wider Community! Sharing Science at MP at the Scottish Learning Festival in Glasgow. We share our learning every week through our Live Learning video link Science at Middleton Park is shared among a wide audience. WEBLINK TO VIDEO WEBLINK TO LIVE LEARNING Impact: This allows the children to take pride in their work and giving it great purpose. Rearing oyster catchers in the school grounds adding to Scottish data surveys. Subject leader produced family homework for all Aberdeen City Schools. Winning City Knex competition.

23. We love science so much we made the 3 and a half hour trip to Edinburgh to go to Dynamic Earth as our end of year reward! WE LOVE SCIENCE!