Science explains the world around us.  Whilst it provides the opportunity to develop key scientific understanding across a range of topics, it is also develops key investigative skills. Science is taught regularly. The children benefit from sessions dedicated to the development of knowledge and understanding as well as the opportunity to regularly plan and carry out practical investigations.

We teach the children to be inquisitive and question. We teach them to observe and record their findings. Science can be found in every other curriculum area. Children are encouraged to use technology where possible, explore natural environments and present their work creatively.

Our ultimate goal is to encourage the children to become scientists!

We follow the National Curriculum

The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
• develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
• are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

How do we teach science? 

Lessons are planned and delivered via an enquiry approach.  We encourage the children to explore questions and ideas. These might be questions that they come up with, or things that they are asked. We encourage the children to plan, do and review! 

We might begin with a question - Do any plants grow without soil?

We would then support the children to explore this question. They might plan what they might need to know in order to begin to find out -What do plants normally need in order to grow? Which plants grow quickly so that we can find out? 

We would then support the children in gathering and recording evidence. This involves a range of skills - measure growth in simple units and present data showing growth over days using a bar chart or simple drawings. 

Having asked a question, observed and taken measurements, the children would be supported to reach a conclusion. From this they might be able to develop a hypothesis or improve and adapt their original ideas.

We assess the children's scientific skills as well as the knowledge and understanding of the topics covered. 

If you are interested in how we do this, the documents below might be of interest. Here you can see how skills and knowledge develop across the school years.