St John the Baptist CE VA Primary School Science

Science at St John the Baptist is a valued subject that allows children to explore the unique world around them and gain a better understanding of it by asking scientific queries. It is our intent to ensure that all children are able to fulfil the expectations of the National Curriculum by:

• Gaining scientific knowledge;
• exploring different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them;
• Use scientific knowledge to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

This will be assessed using Herts for Learning outcome statements. These statements align with the national curriculum and break topics down into small pieces of information the children should be able to understand by the end of that academic year. 

In Reception at St John’s our children engage with science by exploring the world around them in a way that is engaging and appropriate for their age. To do this the children learn through play and experiences through a ‘hands on’ approach.  These experiences underpin the basics of science and will encourage excitement and curiosity of the world around them. In Reception, we use the statutory EYFS Framework to structure our EYFS Science curriculum.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, we follow the National Curriculum Programme of Study as the basis for teaching and this is supported by a scheme of work called Science Bug. These support the concept and stages of working scientifically ensuring all children explore science through: asking scientific questions, observing changes closely, performing experiments, identifying and classifying, gathering and recording data and using their understanding to answer their scientific questions at each stage of their education.

Each unit of work will start with a key question, the lessons after will help the children to answer these key questions by the end of the unit. The lessons are split between working scientifically objectives and knowledge based questions. The knowledge should support children in becoming confident scientific investigators and support their conclusions.

Science lessons, which are taught weekly, are taught with a balance of whole class work, group teaching, practical tasks and opportunities to practise individually.  Lessons track back to prior learning in order to remind children of what they already know before moving on to new learning and concepts.

As a result of this all children will be prepared for the next step in their scientific education by:

• developing scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific areas of biology (living things and their environment), chemistry (the properties of matter) and physics (how matter interacts with forces and energy).
• develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries (experiments) that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
• are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future
• As our school vision states, children will persevere with the confidence and encouragement of others as they pursue their own scientific learning journey and will be equipped and ready for the next stage of their education.