Intent

At Trumps Green Infant School, we believe that science helps children to make sense of the world around them. We want every child to develop a fascination with the natural and humanly constructed world, alongside the knowledge, skills and confidence to ask questions, investigate, explain and make sense of what they observe. We aim to develop children who are curious, thoughtful and increasingly able to think and work scientifically.

It is our intention that every pupil, regardless of starting point or individual need, develops the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage successfully with science. We have high expectations for all children, including those who are disadvantaged, have SEND, are known or have previously been known to children’s social care, or who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Our science curriculum is designed so that all pupils can access the same ambitious curriculum, with appropriate adaptations, support and practical experiences where needed. We do not lower our expectations because of a pupil’s starting point or individual circumstances; instead, we provide the support and adaptations necessary for pupils to secure the essential scientific knowledge and skills they need.

What we intend pupils to know and do

We intend that pupils develop a secure and increasingly connected body of scientific knowledge about themselves, living things, materials, plants, animals, seasonal change, forces, light and sound, and the world around them. They will develop scientific vocabulary alongside their knowledge so that they can accurately describe what they observe, communicate their ideas and begin to explain simple scientific phenomena.

Alongside scientific knowledge, pupils will develop the skills of working scientifically. They will learn to observe closely, ask questions, make predictions, identify similarities and differences, group and classify, carry out simple investigations, notice patterns, record observations and communicate their findings. They will increasingly learn to use evidence from their observations and investigations to answer questions and explain their thinking.

Our curriculum deliberately develops the relationship between scientific knowledge and working scientifically. Pupils use what they already know to ask questions and make predictions; they investigate and observe to gather information; and they use their developing scientific knowledge and vocabulary to describe, explain and communicate what they have found. In this way, children learn not only scientific facts, but also how scientists build and use knowledge to understand the world.

How science develops from Reception to Year 2

Our science curriculum is carefully sequenced from Reception to Year 2, with knowledge, vocabulary and scientific skills systematically introduced, practised, revisited and built upon over time.

In Reception, pupils develop the foundations for scientific learning through purposeful exploration and direct experiences of the world around them. Through the Understanding the World area of learning, they observe closely, notice changes, talk about what they see and begin to ask questions about living things, materials, weather and their environment. They develop the early language and habits of enquiry that underpin later scientific learning.

Across Year 1 and Year 2, pupils build on these foundations through a progressively sequenced programme of scientific knowledge and working scientifically. They develop their understanding of plants, animals including humans, living things and their habitats, everyday materials, seasonal change and other aspects of the natural world. As their knowledge develops, pupils build an increasingly precise scientific vocabulary and make connections between new learning and what they already know. They increasingly observe closely, identify and classify, notice patterns, ask relevant questions, make predictions, carry out simple comparative investigations and use observations and evidence to communicate and explain their findings. By the end of Year 2, pupils are increasingly able to apply their scientific knowledge independently and use evidence to support their ideas and conclusions.

Science across the curriculum and the wider world

We intend that pupils understand that science is both a subject in its own right and an important way of understanding the world. Through science, children develop vocabulary, knowledge, observation skills, reasoning and problem-solving skills that support their learning across the curriculum.

Where appropriate, we make meaningful connections between science and other subjects, enabling pupils to apply their scientific knowledge in different contexts. We want children to recognise the relevance of science to everyday life and to understand how scientific knowledge and discoveries have changed the way people live.

We also want pupils to develop an appreciation of the importance of science in the world around them. Through practical experiences and opportunities to explore real phenomena, children are encouraged to remain curious, ask questions and recognise that scientific understanding develops through observation, investigation and evidence.

Intended end points

By the time children leave Trumps Green Infant School, we intend that they will have developed the foundational scientific knowledge, vocabulary and working scientifically skills necessary for the next stage of their education. They will be increasingly confident young scientists who can:

· recall and communicate key scientific knowledge about the world around them;

· use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe observations and explain simple phenomena;

· observe closely and identify similarities, differences and changes;

· ask relevant questions about things they notice and are curious about;

· make simple predictions based on their existing knowledge and experience;

· carry out simple investigations and comparative tests safely and purposefully;

· group and classify objects, materials and living things using observable features;

· record and communicate observations and findings in appropriate ways;

· use observations and evidence to answer questions and explain what they have discovered;

· make connections between new learning and previously taught scientific knowledge; and

· approach the world with curiosity, enthusiasm and a willingness to investigate and find out more.

Our science curriculum is therefore designed to ensure that all children make progress from their individual starting points, secure important scientific knowledge and vocabulary, develop the skills of working scientifically, and become curious and confident learners who can use evidence and reasoning to make sense of the world around them.

Implementation

• The Science curriculum is based on the programmes of study set out in ‘Understanding the World’ in EYFS and the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum.  It is designed to ensure that it provides the progression and coverage that meets the needs of all pupils across the school.  It is planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has already been taught. 
• The skills of working scientifically are taught by linking them to the subject areas along with scientific vocabulary that is appropriate for their stage of learning.
• Science skills are taught using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests and finding things out using books, photographs and videos.  The children are encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice, making links with their previous learning and thinking independently.
• In the Foundation Stage, children are provided with experiences which enable them to develop skills of observation, exploration, prediction, enquiry and critical thinking.  By providing the children with the opportunity to communicate and record their observations and predictions orally, we set the foundations of working scientifically.

Impact

Teaching and learning is evaluated by learning walks, drop ins, moderation sessions, pupil interviews and work scrutinies.

It is our aim that all children will achieve age related expectations in Science.  We intend to embed key concepts in the children’s long term memory and apply them across the curriculum.