At the Grove Primary School, we have developed our science curriculum so that the children have an opportunity to learn and immerse themselves in a topic. Any unanswered questions can be turned into a learning opportunity with a chance to plan their own investigation at the end of a topic. Science is such a big part of everyday life and with links to other subjects including maths and computing, it is important that we equip our children to be scientific thinkers.
We deliver a science curriculum that:
- Excites children to help them remember and understand key concepts and ideas.
- Develops creativity by encouraging them to think for themselves about what they have seen and what they would like to know more about.
- Provides practical opportunities at every given opportunity.
- Encourages the children to take notice of our local environment and learn about how we can care for the place that we live in.
A carefully planned out medium term plan for science has been developed using the National Curriculum as a basis for topic areas. A focus has been given to investigation skills and the majority of topics allow an opportunity for questions and critical thinking to plan additional investigations.
Science is taught weekly as a discreet subject, but opportunity is given, when appropriate, to link to the topic area being covered in class. Careful consideration has been given to where in the academic year topics are taught.
The coverage for each year group is attached down below.
We would hope that by giving the children these opportunities in science that we will have:
- A fun and engaging science curriculum.
- Children progress well and make good to outstanding progress within science.
- Highly motived children who question the world around them.
- Children who are ready to move to secondary school with a passion for science.
- Children who are prepared and aware of the ever-changing world of science and technology and are interested in this.
What Science looks like across the keys stages
EYFS
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of Science through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World.’ Children find out about objects, materials and living things using all of their senses looking at similarities, differences, patterns and change. Both the environment and skilled practitioners foster curiosity and encourage explorative play, children are motivated to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. Our children are encouraged to use their natural environment around them to explore. Children enjoy spending time outdoors exploring mini-beasts and their habitats, observing the changing seasons, plants and animals. Children regularly participate in baking sessions which allows them to experience changes in state as ingredients are mixed, heated and cooled. We teach Science specific vocabulary to encourage them to be able to articulate what they are doing as well as broaden their language development. We use children’s natural curiosity to lead some of our learning intentions and we encourage a passion and love for this.
KS1
In Key Stage 1 pupils explore the world around them and raise their own questions. They experience different types of scientific enquiries, including practical activities, and begin to recognise ways in which they can answer scientific questions. They use simple features to compare objects, materials and living things and decide how to sort and group them, observe changes over time, and notice patterns and relationships. They use simple measurements and equipment to gather data and carry out simple tests. They record and communicate their findings in a range of ways and use simple scientific language.
KS2
In lower Key Stage 2 (3&4) the children broaden their scientific view of the world around them by exploring, discussing and testing ideas. They look at the relationships between living things and familiar environments as well as beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They will learn to ask questions about things they have observed as well as make decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them. They will build on prior knowledge of observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying and carrying out simple fair tests. From this they will draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language. Throughout upper Key Stage 2 (5&6) the pupils will develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of science ideas. They will do this by exploring and discussing their ideas and asking their own questions. They will analyse functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. As well as this they will encounter more abstract ideas and recognise how these ideas help them to predict and understand how the world operates. The children learn that scientific ideas change and develop over time. They will draw conclusions based on their data and observations, using evidence to justify their ideas as well as use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.
