Rationale
Our curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, enabling children
to deepen their understanding of the world.
‘Working Scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the processes and methods of science for
each year group. It is embedded within the content of biology, chemistry and physics, focusing
on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to
answer relevant scientific questions. These types of scientific enquiry include observing over time,
pattern-seeking, identifying, classifying, grouping, testing and using research from secondary
sources. Pupils should seek answers to questions through collecting, analysing and presenting
data.
Early Years Foundation Stage
Beginning in the Early Years Foundation Stage, children use their senses to explore and
investigate the world around them to develop their knowledge using cause and effect. The EYFS
curriculum is designed to develop the characteristics of effective learning. Children are encouraged
to create and think critically. Children are also encouraged to be active learners and develop their
own ideas. They demonstrate resilience by continuing to try if they encounter difficulties. Finally,
children are encouraged to play and explore. They investigate and experience things, and ‘have
a go.’
Key Stage 1
The principal focus of science in Key Stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe
phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and human-constructed world around them.
They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should
be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific
enquiry to answer their own questions. They should begin to use simple scientific language to
talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a
range of ways. Most of the learning about science should be done with first-hand practical
experiences.
Lower Key Stage 2
The Lower Key Stage 2 curriculum enables pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world
around them. Our curriculum enables this through exploring, talking about, testing and
developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and
familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships
and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some
decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out.
Upper Key Stage 2
In Upper Key Stage 2, the principal focus of our science teaching is to enable pupils to develop
a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. Our curriculum enables this through
exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena;
and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. Pupils should
encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand
and predict how the world operates. Our curriculum supports pupils’ ability to recognise that
scientific ideas change and develop over time. They should select the most appropriate ways to
answer scientific questions using different types of scientific enquiry. Pupils should draw
conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas and use
their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.
Spoken Language
The National Curriculum for Science reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’
development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. The quality
and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are key factors in developing their scientific
vocabulary and articulating scientific concepts clearly and precisely. They must be assisted in
making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others, and teachers should ensure that
pupils build secure foundations by using discussion to address misconceptions. Our curriculum
ensures that key vocabulary is at the forefront of lessons.