Science

Intent

Science teaching at Cherry Grove Primary School aims to inspire all children, from Nursery to Year 6, to establish the foundations of  a secure understanding of the world around them.  We guide children’s natural sense of wonder and curiosity, encouraging them to observe phenomena, ask questions, and develop strategies to investigate and answer those questions.

Children develop an understanding of fundamental scientific concepts within the key scientific strands of physics, chemistry and biology. They develop scientific enquiry skills, learning about the scientific methods and processes which can help them to raise and answer questions. Their knowledge of science enables them to understand the implications of science, now and in the future. 

Curriculum planning

Careful curriculum progression planning ensures that our pupils build on existing knowledge and skills over the course of their Cherry Grove learning journey. Working scientifically lies at the heart of our curriculum , as we  believe that children best develop their understanding of science when they are provided with opportunities to carry out their own practical experiences and observations.  Reinforcement of cross-curricular skills and knowledge is built into our curriculum, and skills taught in other subjects may be applied in science. For example, children may apply their mathematical skills when handling and presenting experimental data, and they may use their understanding of forces in DT topics; knowledge of tectonic processes allows children to develop their understanding of the world in both science and geography.

Knowledge: In Early Years, children develop their understanding of natural phenomena through the 'Understanding the world' learning target. Throughout Key stages 1 and 2, children focus on  key scientific concepts from biology, chemistry and physics in discrete learning modules, allowing them to link their acquired knowledge to fundamental scientific building blocks. Specialist vocabulary is introduced within each unit, and children are challenged to use this vocabulary in their oral and written work. They will revisit and build upon their understanding throughout their primary education.

Skills: From Early Years onwards, children experience the world around them in a way which encourages them to ask questions and consider how to  investigate different phenomena. As they move through the key stages, children will acquire and build upon ‘working scientifically’ skills. These skills allow children to ask and consider questions, use an increasing range of experimental strategies to investigate using practical methods, consider outcomes, and report on their findings. The main types of 'working scientifically' enquiry include comparative investigations (fair tests), pattern seeking, observations over time, identifying &classifying, and secondary source research. Children also learn about significant scientists, their discoveries, and the impact of their findings upon the wider world.