Science

Purpose

A high quality Science education provides the foundations for understanding the world. Science has changed our lives and all children should be taught the essential vocabulary, methods and processes which are associated with those aspects of Science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should develop a sense of excitement, wonder and natural curiosity about natural phenomena.  They should be encouraged to explain their scientific understanding, predictions and analysis of their results.

Science at Littlecoates 

Our bespoke, carefully designed curriculum content ensures that all topics offer multiple opportunities to employ, develop and embed the key scientific skills specified in the National Curriculum.  Acquisition and understanding of new vocabulary, associated with each topic is essential and fits with our whole school curriculum entitlement.  Children should develop the ability to articulate their growing scientific understanding verbally first, and later in writing.  Two topics each year have a Biology focus to which pupils can relate their own personal and environmental experiences.  A third topic, each year, relates to aspects of physics or chemistry and re-visits materials, forces and states of matter.  Wherever possible we also link our scientific learning to the Sustainable Development Goals that compliment our whole school Global Curriculum. The majority of our science lessons should be practical, and where possible taught outdoors- which will help embed both their knowledge and understanding of weather and climate alongside the mental and physical health benefits of working outdoors.  Every class will have a garden or vegetable plot- which they will tend throughout the year.

Curriculum rationale

• Purposeful, hands-on and engaging learning opportunities encourage development of scientific understanding and skills

• Objectives across all strands of ‘working scientifically’ revisited and embedded within and across year groups to ensure cumulative fluency of scientific enquiry, processes and methods

• Regular revisiting of content ensures depth of understanding and vocabulary

• Connections made within and across subject areas and to the wider world to encourage children’s scientific curiosity