Science 

INTENT

We aim to give every child a broad and balanced science curriculum which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them, and question the world that we live in.  We want our children to love Science and feel confident to ask questions and search for answers about the world around them. We want to foster a life-long curiosity and interest in Science.  

When planning for science, we intend for children to have the opportunity to learn through varied systematic investigations, leading to them asking and answering scientific questions about the world around them. As children progress through St. Wilfrid’s, they build on their skills in working scientifically, as well as their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as they develop greater independence in planning and carrying out fair and comparative tests to answer a range of scientific questions.  

At St. Wilfrid’s we want all children to have access to a varied, progressive and well-mapped-out Science curriculum that provides the opportunity for progression across the full breadth of the national curriculum.  

IMPLEMENTATION

At St Wilfrid’s Science topics are taught within each year group in accordance with the National Curriculum. Topics are blocked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth. Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups, developing depth of understanding and progression of skills. In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. At the start of each topic children will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know about a current topic. Children’s attainment and progress is tracked through Insight.  

Early Years Foundation Stage

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. 

Key Stage 1

During years 1 and 2, children are taught to use practical scientific methods, processes and skills through asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways. Children use simple equipment to perform tests to experiment and observe closely. Children become confident identifying and classifying; using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions and gathering and recording data to help in answering their questions. In Year 1 children use their outdoor learning area to make observations and explore and question the environment around them.  

Key Stage 2

Throughout Key Stage 2 children will build on their prior knowledge to extend their scientific understanding and vocabulary. By the end of key stage 2 children will plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary. They will be able to take measurements using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision. Children will record data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs. Children will use their test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests. Children will be able to report and present the findings from their enquiries in different ways and will be able to discuss the conclusions and implications of their results.  

IMPACT

By the end of their time at St Wilfrid’s, we aim for our children to be confident and curious scientists, who know more, remember more, and explain more. Children will show good and outstanding progress across key stages, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Through varied teaching and learning experiences our Science curriculum will lead children to be enthusiastic Science learners and understand that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to all areas of our future. We want to empower our children so they understand they have the capability to change the world. This is evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice, children’s learning, and their overwhelming enjoyment for science. 

Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious

Stephen Hawking