Science Subject Leaders Log February 2011

Summary of Content This comprehensive log of the actions taken by the Science Leader shows the impact on the Teaching and Learning in the school. Examples are included here to illustrate it.

What the school says The log shows the various actions taken by our school to achieve a range of targets. It details what the coordinator did alongside SLT and the staff at school, and the impact they had on the teaching and learning of science in our school. The log lists what we did, the reason behind it and what impact it had on the school, staff and children. It also shows how the actions helped to raise the profile of science in school and in the community. The log details various activities including CPD sessions, planning changes, ordering resources, questionnaires to hear the pupil voice, evidence of monitoring, lists of visits and many more. It describes the tasks, how they were approached and what difference they made in school.

The impact for our school was..... We have raised the profile of science in our school as well as amongst the parents and local community. We have also identified next steps for science at our school. Although we have made some great changes, made an impact and continued with lots of great practise, we now recognise where the gaps were and consider next steps as noted below. Using the subject leader log has helped to understand the impact of our actions in school as well as to plan for future activities. I will continue to use the log as it will help to organise actions with greater impact as well as to ensure that there is a coverage of monitoring.

Science Subject Leaders Log DateActionImpact Oct/Nov 2009 Liasing with LA science advisor for advice and support re science week -Better knowledge of what science week can be for the children, reasons for having science week and the impact it has on children’s learning, understanding and enjoyment in science. - Oct 09-March 10Organising Science Week -Greater knowledge of science resources and external agents that can visit school. -Gained experience in organising a whole school participation -Gained experience in applying for grants. 14 th Jan 2010 Hosted Science network meeting. LA advisor attended. -Subject leader made more aware of the expectations of the science co ordinator role. -Allowed time for subject leaders from other schools to discuss issues and successes as science leaders. Good for professional development. Links made with -Year 6 and transition is smoother. Children working with older children broadens experiences of science and helps to extend thinking. Links made with Ravenscroft -Same as above plus the opportunities to visit the school to experience different visitors and extend G&T children through challenge days arranged. Feb 2010 Attended day 1 PSQM course at NLBP -Subject leader more aware of expectations of PSQM and vision for science in school. Feb 2010Asked staff to contribute to principles -The staff voice, allowing staff to reflect on science teaching and have input into the whole school vision.

DateActionImpact March 2010Met with SLT to choose 12 principles-schools vision of science clearer and supported by SLT and subject leader. Created principles list for all staff and pupils.-vision shared with whole staff. Monitored Science books -subject leader gained knowledge of what is happening in class and the range of recordings taken in different year groups. Need more ICT and amount of recordings to be discussed. Liasing with LA science advisor for advice and support re science challenges -advice from Steve Marshall on how to present challenges to children. March 2010 Set first science challenge for children to take home -Raised profile of science in school with parents. Home/school links. Ran science week (including planning and organising of timetables etc). -Raised profile of science in school Taught different classes during science week (all teachers did the same in carousel) -made me think about my approach and differentiation. Displayed images from science week on a rolling slideshow for parents during parents evening -raising profile of science in school and to parents.

Evidence of home- school links. This Science challenge is set on three week alternating schedule.

DateActionImpact April 2010Devised CPD questionnaire for staff-developing CPD 10 th May 2010Led staff INSET-CPD for all teaching staff. Assemblies to be science based in autumn year 1, 5 and 4 last year did this. My class being one of them. Composed list of trips and put on shared drive -taking children out to enjoy science and support topics they have learnt. Monitored science planning with SLT -new pro forma set so that all staff are using the same. Makes the monitoring more manageable and that all areas are being covered in planning. Spring 2/Summer 1 Assigned TA to set up new science planning proformas then embedded planning. -as a result of planning monitoring. Spring 2 (ongoing) Assigned TA to create science inventory of resources -staff more aware of what is available to use a resource for lessons. Gaps in resources identified. April 2010Science challenge set for KS1 and KS2 -home-school links. Developing a profile of science at home.

DateActionImpact April 2010Ordered resources-action as result of inventory and requests from teachers. 19 th May 2010Hosted science network meeting -discussion about using each other for CPD. To be discussed further in next meeting. May/June 2010 Observed science lessons across the school -professional development 28 th May 2010 Reviewed and updated DP8 document -identified achieved targets and developed new goals for the next academic year. Displayed principles in all classrooms and around the school -raising profile of science in school. May/June 2010 Establish science working party and arranged meetings -sharing expertise. Helping to plan next steps and how to achieve them. June 2010Science principles display up-raising profile of science. June 2010Organised trip for G&T year 5 Science to Ravenscroft challenge. -providing challenges for G&T pupils. -Maintaining secondary school links

What do you like about science? Year 6 pupil: ‘Its always fun and the children are interactive with lessons’ Display showing Northside’s 12 principles of teaching science. This display helped to raise the profile of science in the school, to visitors and parents, as well as showing the children that the subject is important and valued at Northside. A new display was put up in the corridor next to this to show the effects of the principles on the teaching and learning of science and what impact it had on the children’s work and understanding.

DateActionImpact Organised year 6 transition trip to. -developing links with secondary school -preparing children for transition into secondary school July 2010 Update science policy in line with principles. -ensuring school has a clear vision for science. July Met with SLT to discuss impact of actions in action plan. -adding to plan. Setting new actions to achieve outstanding targets. 20 th July Met with LA advisor re science mark and assessment -subject leader clearer on next steps for science mark and assessment. 22 nd September 11 Started Science Club -raising profile of science as more than just a subject at school -experiments using real life and off curriculum. 29 th Sept 11 Non-contact-Visted The to observe Year 7 science lesson -good to see different teaching style and for different age group. -interesting to observe how different children had a passion for the subject and the ones that struggled found it difficult to concentrate or take part. 14 th Oct Meeting with creative curriculum co orodinator RE science objectives for whole school -I chose the objectives for each year group using QCA as a guide. Gained knowledge of how science would now look across the school. -Input on planning as now changing over from QCA units and old way of planning. 20 th Oct 11Science obs by visiting Head teacher from china -The head teacher got to see science taught in a different way to in, a parent also observed as she was the interpreter.

DateActionImpact 2 nd Nov 11Meeting with SLT RE PSQM -discussion on progress and what else needs to be complete. -Support from SLT a real help in getting work achieved. 10 th NovHosted Science network meeting -good to share good ideas and practice. Also set an agenda for the next meeting which is assessment and planning. 29 th Nov 11 Ran Science INSET/staff meeting- PSQM -updated staff on progress of science mark. -staff given time to work on science related tasks. -discussed how new planning will look with the new creative curriculum. 9 th Dec 11Meeting at NLBP RE TIPD trip to -meeting about trip to. -SWOT analysis-gained experience in doing one. 26 th Jan 11 Science Network meeting RE Assessment and planning -hosted by me at Northside. -discussion about the assessment strategies used in school and about general tasks undertaken as a coordinator. Helpful to share ideas with each other on specific topics. Set another date with the focus PSQM and where to go from there. 27 th Jan 11TIPD meeting RE-planning for trip and visa forms. Sept-JanOrganising Science week -calling and ing companys -sending out messages in the newsletter for parents to come in. -liaising with staff and SLT about different activities and timetabling. 17 th Jan 11INSET-Science games for AFL. -all teachers are to use one of the games played or ideas suggested in AFL lesson. Will discuss at future meeting. 28 th Jan 11Display of principles-profile of science raised to children and visitors. Display board in the corridor. Easily visible and accessible.

Science Subject Leaders Comments I am in my third year of teaching and am gaining in confidence in knowing what my role as the coordinator should be. I am very enthusiastic about my role and completing a log like this has helped me to develop my role as subject leader very positively. I have learnt about what the role means and how to be a proactive leader in the subject. I enjoy science, both teaching it and learning more about it.

What we will do next Plan out monitoring for the coming year to ensure it continues with a purpose and planned impact. Planning science week with a clearer focus. Look at assessment strategies. Continue to develop recording the different, cross curricula science that has been going on in school.