Science Overview
Our science curriculum aims to harness children’s natural curiosity, nurture their confidence, equip them with the skills and knowledge to investigate the world around them and empower them to make sense of our world and believe they can change it for the better. Science at All Saints’ is based on the National Curriculum and is taught both as a discreet subject and as a part of our year group topics, depending on the focus of the unit.
Pupils are taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. As they develop their understanding of key scientific knowledge and concepts; pupils are encouraged to use this knowledge to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and investigate causes. Children are also taught to work scientifically and use a variety of approaches to answer scientific questions. These include observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing and collecting, analysing and presenting data.
Knowledge organisers for each unit of work outline key scientific skills, help pupils to make explicit links with prior learning, and highlight key facts and vocabulary with the help of diagrams and pictures. At the beginning of each unit of work, children complete concept maps to record their initial thoughts, ideas and knowledge about a particular topic. As learning progresses, these are updated to include new knowledge and understanding.
Wherever possible, we involve the pupils in practical activities, for example, investigating and testing scientific ideas, scientific field trips, using simple scientific equipment, and observing and discovering the outdoors, including our own Forest School.