Compton C.E. Primary School

EYFS Understanding of the world, KS1 and KS2 Science

Our vision

At Compton Primary, we believe that science should:

• Nurture children’s natural curiosity
• Develop children’s understanding of the world
• Teach scientific enquiry skills
• Develop scientific knowledge
• Prepare children for further study and careers
• Be enjoyable, fun and exciting!

Curriculum Intent

At Compton Primary, we aim to provide a high-quality science education giving the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Our science teaching is both knowledge rich – teaching the subject knowledge set out in the national curriculum objectives for each year group and science topic in the programme of study - and also skill based – ensuring children develop their working scientifically skills throughout their primary education. We aim for science to be practical, active, enjoyable and engaging; sparking curiosity, questioning and investigation and preparing children for further study and STEM careers. We aim to offer opportunities for Oracy and to develop spoken language, including correct use of technical terminology. At Compton, we use our outdoor environment and local area as a key resource in our Science teaching. We make use of our strong links with The Downs School to enrich our Science provision.

Implementation

Pupils are encouraged to develop their curiosity through asking questions and suggesting ways to find the answers. All pupils are taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They are encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Pupils should be taught to use technical terminology accurately and precisely. They should build up an extended specialist vocabulary. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data. Pupils should be given opportunities to use their enquiry skills – both reasoning and thinking (questioning, predicting, concluding) and functional (observing, identifying and classifying, measuring, testing, recording). Pupils will also gain experience of the 5 different types of scientific enquiry:

1). Observing over time

2). Pattern seeking

3). Identifying, classifying and grouping

4). Comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations)

5). Researching using secondary sources

Impact

Upon completion of their journey through our school, our aims for Science are to ensure that all pupils will:

• 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 and how to take their scientific investigation further
• are equipped with an interest in science and the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future