At Fordbank, we use interactive, engaging approaches across subjects to deliver the Science curriculum. Pupils will increase their knowledge of sciences through topics such as planet earth, forces, electricity and waves, Biological systems, materials and topical sciences.
Pupils will experience interactive investigations with hands‑on experiments, group problem‑solving, and inquiry‑based learning. Cross‑curricular links will be made with science integrated with literacy, numeracy, technologies, and outdoor learning.
In Fordbank, the areas of sciences, technologies engineering maths can be taught discreetly and teachers use progressive knowledge and skills planners to inform their teaching. However, these areas are often taught through STEM activities which enable children to use a wide variety of skills in relevant contexts. Each year, we also plan a STEM Focus Day where children across the school are involved and celebrate these skills. We look for opportunities to take part in local and national STEM events and competitions including an annual Knex Challenge with our local cluster schools.
Our teachers provide further opportunities for children to develop their STEM skills through after school clubs as part of our Wider Experiences Programme.
Outdoor learning
In Fordbank Primary, Outdoor Learning is valued as an integral aspect of our learning and teaching approaches. Every class has a timetabled OL session each week as well as teachers taking regular opportunities to take children outdoors to learn across many areas of the curriculum. More recently, we have been providing opportunities for children to do PE outdoors as well as regular Daily Mile walks.
We have created a wonderful Outdoor Learning Garden which is used on a daily basis by our Primary 1 and 2 children and plan to continue to develop our outdoor school space to provide opportunities for children across other stages to use the school grounds to learn and develop important skills. Over the past few years, we have used some of our Pupil Equity Funding to support the development of OL including the recruitment of our Early Years Officer and purchasing a wide range of OL resources.
We also use our local area as an important resource and classes across the school make regular use of areas such as the local ‘woods’, where children are able to develop their social skills through motivating and engaging activities – muddy but lots of fun!
