A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Aims:
- 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
We also strive to ensure we provide children with the ability to ‘Work scientifically’ i.e the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science. This is not taught as a separate strand but is embedded within the content of biology, chemistry and physics, using the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions at an age appropriate level. This aims to includes: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources. Pupils are encouraged
to seek answers to questions through collecting, analysing and presenting data.
Assessing the learning:
Each class follows our school assessment system to assess the child's knowledge and working scientifically skills. The assessment sheets set out the objectives linked to each topic covered where the pupils' knowledge is judged as 'basic, advancing or deep'.
Methods of assessing includes:
- Observing pupils’ actions
- Listening to their ideas and discussions
- Setting tasks specifically designed so that the actions or responses can be assessed
- Creating dialogue during discussions
- Concept maps
- Written tests at the end of topic if necessary
Our Science Curriculum
|
Year A YR 1,2,4,6 objectives |
Class 1 |
Class 2 |
Class 3 |
Class 4 |
|
Autumn 1 |
Animals including humans (Name common animals) |
Animals including humans (Animals have offspring, basic needs for survival. Importance of food hygiene, food) |
Animals including humans (Basic function of digestive system. Teeth. Food chains) |
Evolution and inheritance (Fossils. Offspring different to parents. Animal adaptation-Evolution) |
|
Autumn 2 |
Seasonal changes Autumn – Winter (Observe weather and changes across seasons) |
Living things (Living and dead, describe habitats, basic food chains) |
Electricity (Simple circuits, switches. Conductors and insulators) |
Electricity (Brightness of lamps, volume of buzzer. Symbols, circuit diagrams) |
|
Spring 1
|
Light (Sources & exploratory unit) |
Everyday materials (Uses of materials. Changing shape of materials) |
Living things (Group living things, use classification keys. Change is environment can threaten life) |
Animals including humans (Human circulatory system. Exercise, drugs and lifestyle) |
|
Spring 2
|
Plants (Name basic parts –identify common plants) |
Everyday materials (Uses of materials. Changing shape of materials) |
Scientists/Inventors |
Living things (Classifications including microorganisms, plants and animals) |
|
Summer 1 |
Scientists/Inventors |
Plants (Seed/bulb grow into plants. What plants need) |
Sound (How sound is made, travels. Pitch and volume) |
Light (Travels in straight lines. How light enables us to see. How shadows are formed – shape) |
|
Summer 2 |
Everyday materials (Name, describe and sort everyday materials) |
Plants (Seed/bulb grow into plants. What plants need) |
Sound (How sound is made, travels. Pitch and volume) |
Scientists/Inventors |
|
Year B YR 1,3,5,6 objectives |
Class 1 |
Class 2 |
Class 3 |
Class 4 |
|
Autumn 1 |
Plants (Name basic parts –identify common plants) |
Forces and Magnets (Compare different surfaces. Magnets) |
Forces (Gravity, air/water resistance, friction. Levers, pulleys and gears) |
Evolution and inheritance (Fossils. Offspring different to parents. Animal adaptation-Evolution) |
|
Autumn 2 |
Animals including humans (Name carnivores, herbivores, omnivores) |
Plants (Function – including how water is transported. Life cycle of plants) |
Properties/Changing materials (Dissolve, separating, reversible changes. Change that produce new materials) |
Electricity (Brightness of lamps, volume of buzzer. Symbols, circuit diagrams) |
|
Spring 1
|
Animals including humans (Name carnivores, herbivores, omnivores) |
Light (Need for light to see. How shadows are formed – size) |
Earth and Space (Movement, Earth, plants and moon. Night and day) |
Animals including humans (Human circulatory system. Exercise, drugs and lifestyle) |
|
Spring 2
|
Seasonal changes Spring–Summer (Observe weather and changes across seasons) |
Light (Need for light to see. How shadows are formed – size) |
Earth and Space (Movement, Earth, plants and moon. Night and day) |
Living things (Classifications including microorganisms, plants and animals) |
|
Summer 1 |
Everyday materials (Name, describe and sort everyday materials) |
Rocks (Group different rocks, how they are formed. Fossils) |
Living things (Animal – different life cycles, reproduction in plants and animals)
|
Light (Travels in straight lines. How light enables us to see. How shadows are formed – shape) |
|
Summer 2 |
Scientists/Inventors |
Scientists/Inventors |
Animals including humans (How humans change with age) |
Scientists/Inventors |