Science aims:
Our Science curriculum provides pupils with a range of opportunities to explore and understand the world around them, supporting them to acquire the key skills and knowledge needed to help pupils to think scientifically, understand scientific processes and consider the implications of science, both now and in the future.
Whilst fulfilling the aims set out by the National Curriculum, our science curriculum aims to support pupils so that they:
- develop a deep understanding of key concepts and processes in science
- acquire and apply key scientific knowledge and skills to a range of contexts, helping them to answer scientific questions
- acquire and apply key scientific vocabulary to help them to explain their understanding of key scientific process and use this to answer key scientific questions
- are inspired by science and are curious about the world around them
- understand how science has and continues to contribute to our lives
How we deliver our Science curriculum:
At the beginning of each unit, a range of assessment strategies are utilised to assess prior knowledge and support pupils to consider what they would like to find out about during their learning. Key vocabulary is planned for, taught and utilised throughout all science lessons, supporting pupils to be able to explain key scientific process and justify their predictions etc. Throughout the sequence of lessons, pupils' prior knowledge is continually revisited and recalled to deepen their understanding and support life-long learning.
Where possible, links are made across the curriculum to support a deeper understanding and consolidation of knowledge and skills across subject strands.
A range of specific enquiry questions are planned across each year group to support pupils to develop their scientific skills, these questions cover each type of enquiry:
- Observing over time
- Pattern seeking
- Researching using secondary sources
- Identifying and classifying
- Comparative testing
- Fair testing
Science in EYFS
Science in the Early Years curriculum, is mostly covered in the 'Understanding the World' area of the EYFS curriculum. It is introduced through activities that encourage every child to: explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions and talk about the world around them.
During their first years at school, children will:
- Explore different creatures, people, plants, objects and abstract concepts through their play, through stories and non-fiction books and through explicit teaching
- Observe and manipulate objects and materials to identify differences and similarities
- Use their senses to help them to explore the world around them e.g. feeling dough or listening to sounds in the environment such as sirens or bird song
- Make observations of animals and plants, observe and talk about seasonal change and life cycles
Children will be encouraged to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. Adults will use focussed questioning to encourage children to observe, think and predict; and will help children to communicate, plan, investigate, record and evaluate their findings
Science Curriculum Documents
Science Curriculum
