We discuss ways to assess and track the progress of your class against the objectives of the science curriculum for England.
Hamilton are proud of our engaging, exciting and exploratory science blocks rooted in hands-on investigative skills, but we do occasionally get asked about how to undertake assessment. Whilst we don't provide formal assessment methods, we do have some advice for how you can assess and record the progress of your class towards the objectives of the science curriculum.
- Download our assessment grid for your year group to monitor, record and track progress
- Watch and record how children undertake our investigative activities to help you assess scientific working
- Look for our extended writing opportunities to collect evidence of learning and assess understanding of scientific concepts and vocabulary
- Use Explorify for informal assessment
Monitor progress with Hamilton's assessment grids
We provide a downloadable assessment grid for every year group. This A4 sheet provides a way for you to quickly record progress for each child individually. You can notate boxes to show when children are working at (or above) the expected standard for each objective, including those around scientific working, for that year group. You can monitor progress and see at a glance which children need further support.
These grids are added-value downloads for Friends and School Subscribers and are available for each year group: Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6.
Assess scientific working with investigative activities
Almost every session of our science blocks comes with a practical investigative activity. These provide ample opportunity for children to undertake different types of scientific enquiry as outlined in the National Curriculum.
[T]ypes of scientific enquiry should include: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources.
National Curriculum for England
Every investigation is an opportunity for you to assess the progress children are making towards the appropriate 'working scientifically' objectives.
Extended writing as evidence of learning
Many science sessions feature an 'Extended Writing Opportunity'. Cover English and science objectives in one powerful and engaging session! Use these extended writing opportunities to reinforce learning, to create classroom displays, to assess children's use of scientific vocabulary and understanding of key concepts and to provide evidence of learning, .
Find all science sessions that feature extended writing by searching for "extended writing". Use the left hand bar to filter by science and your year group. Alternatively, browse through our science blocks and look for the Extended Writing Opportunities heading.
Try Explorify for informal assessment
Explorify provide free no-prep science resources that are fantastic for informal assessment, as well as for speaking and listening and investigative questioning. Use them as a starter to your science lesson, to fill short gaps of time or to support smaller groups of children. They are a fun way to re-engage your class after break time! Take a look at Explorify.