Science
Implementation
Early Years Foundation Stage
In the Foundation Stage, children are taught Science through the key areas of learning set out within the EYFS Statutory Framework.
Through a broad range of teacher-led, child-initiated and continuous learning opportunities, children will be taught to:
- Use their senses to investigate a range of objects and materials
- Find out about, identify and observe the different features of living things, objects and worldly events
- Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change
- Ask questions about why things happen and why things work
- Develop their communication and co-operation skills
- Talk about their findings, sometimes recording them
- Identify and find out about features of the place they live and in the natural world around them
Key Stage 1 and 2
In Key Stage 1 and 2, lessons are planned using the Active Learn ‘Science Bug’ schemes of work. This ensures that all topics are covered, National Curriculum aims are met and enables progression through the year groups. Children have weekly Science lessons, with teachers following the scheme of work, but adapting lessons where necessary to suit the needs of their class.
The following topics are covered throughout Key Stage 1:
- Animals, including Humans
- Everyday Materials
- Plants
- Seasonal Changes
- Living Things & their Habitats
The following topics are covered throughout Key Stage 2:
- Plants
- Living Things & their Habitats
- Animals, including Humans
- Rocks
- Light
- Electricity
- Sound
- Properties and Changes of Materials
- Earth & Space
- Evolution & Inheritance
- Forces & Magnets
Teachers have an understanding of the sequence of learning in Science, including a progression of skills document and use this to assess prior learning and further extend children’s understanding and their scientific skills. At the start of each topic, children are given an opportunity to explain or revisit their previous learning by completing a ‘KWL’ grid. They then move on to posing their own questions about the topic as a way of encouraging their curiosity and developing their scientific enquiry skills. This is done individually or with adult support, depending on the needs/age of the class. At the end of a topic, children complete their knowledge grid, demonstrating what they have learned during the topic. Classes will also complete an end of unit assessment with questions directly linked to National Curriculum targets that have been delivered throughout the unit. The results of these tests are used to help with teacher assessment of the topic and highlight any gaps in learning or misconceptions that should be addressed.
At the beginning of each lesson, teachers plan opportunities for pupils to recall prior learning. This enables pupils to consolidate their previous learning, while also preparing them for future learning, in line with the sequence of lessons. Children with additional needs are included in whole class lessons with teachers providing scaffolding and regular support as necessary. Pre-teach sessions may be used as intervention to ensure that prior learning is consolidated and new learning introduced. This is particularly important for our EAL and SEND children, who may need more opportunities to retain and embed scientific vocabulary and concepts.
Teachers encourage children to use a developing scientific vocabulary as they progress through each year group. Time is spent during lessons introducing and reinforcing age-appropriate scientific vocabulary. Children are given opportunities to consolidate their use of scientific vocabulary as they move through the year groups. Children are encouraged to use scientific vocabulary, both written and verbal, to explain their ideas and make sense of their observations and findings.
Working Scientifically
In addition to the scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding taught through each topic, children will also be provided with opportunities to develop their scientific enquiry skills. These skills are identified within the ‘Working Scientifically’ element of the National Curriculum and are covered within the Science Bug planning scheme, through a range of activities. Children will be given opportunities to:
- Ask questions
- Hypothesise and predict
- Plan and carry out successful investigations
- Use apparatus effectively and accurately
- Observe and measure
- Record data in various ways
- Present results in a variety of ways, including the use of ICT
- Compare and evaluate results and identify patterns and trends
- Draw effective conclusions
Opportunities are also planned to enable children to:
- Develop investigative skills, including the use of ICT
- Consider the nature of scientific ideas and the role of Science in everyday life
- Communicate effectively using appropriate scientific vocabulary
- Assess risks and develop an awareness of Health and Safety
Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science. We want our children to grow in confidence and develop independence in their scientific enquiry skills, in addition to their knowledge and understanding. Scientific skills are developed sequentially, in line with both the National Curriculum and the Science Bug scheme of work.
‘Working Scientifically’ skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the children’s time at school. Teachers model scientific skills, including planning, investigating, collecting data, evaluating results and drawing conclusions. As children move through the key stages, they will be given more opportunities to independently use and develop their own skills.
Impact
The impact of our Science curriculum is measured through the monitoring cycle in school. This includes:
- Lesson observations
- Book monitoring
- Learning walks
- Discussions with class teachers
- Discussions with pupils
Monitoring is used to measure whether:
- Children enjoy and are enthusiastic about science in our school.
- There is a clear progression of children’s work and teachers’ expectations in our school.
- Children’s work shows a range of topics and evidence of the curriculum coverage for all science topics.
- Children are becoming increasingly independent in science, selecting their own tools and materials, completing pupil lead investigations and choosing their own strategies for recording.
- Feedback from teachers has an impact on our pupils, often with next step questions to push learning on.
- All children are making progress, including EAL and SEND children.
Monitoring is also used to identify gaps in the curriculum that may need to be addressed across the school, or within individual year groups. Monitoring is an ongoing cycle, which is used productively to provide the best possible Science curriculum for our children.
Science in Year 6 - Light (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English, Art and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Earth and Space (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English, Maths, Art and DT)
Science in Year 4 - Animals including Humans (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English & Art)
Science in Year 3 - Rocks and Soils (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English, Maths and Art)
Science in Year 2 - Animals including Humans (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English & Art)
Science in Year 1 - Animals including Humans (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English & Art)
Whole School Science Day - The Environment (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: English, PSHE, Maths, Art & Design)
Science in Year 6 - Evolution and Inheritance (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: English & Art)
Science in Year 5 - Materials and Changes of State (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: English)
Science in Year 4 - Materials and Changes of State (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: English & PSHE)
Science in Year 3 - Plants (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: English, Art & Design)
Science in Year 2 - Materials and Changes of State (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and English)
Science in Year 1 - Materials and Changes of State - Summer Term 2 Earth and Space (Seasons)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English & Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Materials and Changes of State (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 4 - Living Things (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 3 - Animals Including Humans (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 2 - Materials and Changes of State (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Plants (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 6 - Living Things - Classification (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Materials and Changes of State (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 4 - Sound (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: DT and English)
Science in Year 3 - Animals including Humans (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: Art)
Science in Year 2 - Materials (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Animals, including Humans (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Year 6 - Animals Including Humans - Living Things (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Animals Including Humans - Living Things (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Computing, English and Maths)
Science in Year 4 - Electricity (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 3 - Light (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 2 - Plants (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Materials and Changes of State (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 6 - Electricity (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Forces (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 4 - Living Things and their Habitats (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths
Science in Year 3 - Forces and Magnets (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 2 - Living Things and their habitats (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Materials (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 6 - Light (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Earth and Space (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 4 - Animals including humans (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, English and Maths)
Science in Year 3 - Rocks and Soils (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 2 - Animals including humans (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, PSHE, English and Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Animals including humans (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, English and Maths)
Science in Year 6 - Evolution and Inheritance (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Materials and Changes of State (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art, DT and Maths)
Science in Year 3 - Plants (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 2 - Feeding and Exercise (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: DT, Maths and Art)
Science in Year 1 - Seasonal Change (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 6 - Classification (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Art)
Science in Year 5 - Materials (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 3 - Animals including humans (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, English and DT)
Science in Year 2 - Materials (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Plants (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English and DT)
Science in Reception - Plants (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and DT)
Whole School Science Week 2023 - Connections
Science in Year 5 - Materials (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and DT)
Science in Year 4 - Sound (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, Music and Art)
Science in Year 3 - Animals Including Humans (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and DT )
Science in Year 2 - Materials (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: DT)
Science in Year 1 - Animals Including Humans (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Year 6 - Animals Including Humans (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Year 5 - Living Things (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, Art and Computing)
Science in Year 4 - Electricity (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and DT)
Science in Year 3 - Light (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Art)
Science in Year 2 - Plants (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Year 1 - Materials and Changes of State (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Reception - Understanding the World: Testing Materials (Spring Term 1)
Science in Year 6 - Electricity (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Year 5 - Electricity (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 4 - Living Things (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: History & Maths)
Science in Year 3 - Forces and Magnets (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and English)
Science in Year 2 - Living Things: Habitats (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, English and Art)
Science in Year 1 - Materials and changes of state (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and English)
Science in Reception - Investigating materials (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 6 - Light (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Teeth and Eating (Autumn Term 1 )
(Cross-curricular links: English and DT)
Science in Year 4 - Earth and Space (Autumn Term 1 )
(Cross-curricular links: Art and English)
Science in Year 3 - Rocks and Soils (Autumn Term 1 )
(Cross-curricular link: English)
Science in Year 2 - Living Things (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: English)
Science in Year 1 - Animals including Humans (Autumn Term 1 )
(Cross-curricular links: Art and DT)
Science in Reception - Materials (Autumn Term 1 )
(Cross-curricular links: Art and DT)
Science in Reception - Ourselves (Autumn Term 1 )
(Cross-curricular link: Computing)
Science in Year 5 - Scientists and Inventors (Summer Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and History)
Science in Year 4 - Materials and Changes of State (Summer Term 2 )
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 3 - Animals Including Humans (Summer Term 2 )
(Cross-curricular links: DT and Maths)
Science in Year 2 - Animals Including Humans (Summer Term 2 )
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Seasons (Summer Term 2 )
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 6 - Animals including humans (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Types of change (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 4 - Sound (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Music)
Science in Year 2 - Materials (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Craft)
Science in Year 1 - Plants (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Maths)
Science in Reception -Minibeast Hunts (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: PSED & Communication & Language)
Science in Reception - Planting Beans (Summer Term 1)
Science in Reception - Planting Seeds (Summer Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Art)
Science in Year 6 - Materials (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, English and DT)
Science in Year 5 - Animals including humans (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: English)
Science in Year 4 - Electricity (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, English and Art)
Science in Year 3 - Plants (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Year 2 - Materials (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, English and DT)
Science in Year 1 - Animals including humans (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, English and Art)
Science in Reception -Looking after our bodies (Spring Term 2)
Science in Reception - Farm animals & New Life (Spring Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: RE)
Science in Year 5 - Materials (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and English)
Science in Year 4 - Electricity (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, Art and DT)
Science in Year 3 - Light (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths, Art and DT)
Science in Year 2 - Plants (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Year 1 - Materials and Changes of State (Spring Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Maths and Art)
Science in Reception - Understanding the World: Testing Materials (Spring Term 1)
Science in Year 6 - Electricity (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Earth and Space (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and DT)
Science in Year 4 - Living Things (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: English)
Science in Year 3 - Forces (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: English)
Science in Year 2 - Animals including humans - Living things (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 1 - Materials (Autumn Term 2)
(Cross-curricular link: DT)
Science in Reception - Understanding the World: Testing Materials (Autumn Term 2)
Science in Year 6 - Light (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Maths)
Science in Year 5 - Forces (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: English and Art)
Science in Year 4 - Teeth and Eating (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular links: Art and Computing)
Science in Year 3 - Rocks and Soils (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Art)
Science in Year 2 - Living Things (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: English)
Science in Year 1 - Animals, Including Humans (Autumn Term 1)
(Cross-curricular link: Writing)
