A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

At Calmore Infant School we teach Science through our Integrated Curriculum projects.

Our vision is to ensure that children are given opportunities to observe the world around them both natural and man-made. We hope through the projects planned that we encourage their natural curiosity to ask questions and make observations about what it is they are noticing.

Through scientific enquiry the children should be able to answer some of their own questions; this will also be done through observing changes over time, noticing any patterns occurring, grouping and classifying and through simple tests. We aim to teach science through first hand experiences but will also encourage them to use appropriately sourced secondary data such as books, photographs and the internet. Throughout science the children will be encouraged to ‘work scientifically’, this will be linked to the areas of study and also to their own levels of learning.

In the Foundation Stage (Year R), the children will learn about the similarities and difference in relation to objects, materials and living things. They will learn to make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes.

In year 1 the children will continue to learn about the similarities and differences between objects, materials and living things to deepen their understanding. They will be encouraged to ask questions and try to find the answers out for themselves through their own investigations.

In year 2 the children will further build on the foundations of Year R and Year 1, deepening their understanding by further questioning and observations looking at the similarities and differences with an extended focus on living things and their habitats

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

·         are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Pupils will be taught about:

The principal focus of science teaching in key stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos.

‘Working scientifically’ is described separately in the programme of study, but must always be taught through and clearly related to the teaching of substantive science content in the programme of study. Throughout the notes and guidance, examples show how scientific methods and skills might be linked to specific elements of the content.

Pupils should read and spell scientific vocabulary at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at key stage 1.

Across KS1 Pupils will be taught about:

Working scientifically

During years 1 and 2, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

·         asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways

·         observing closely, using simple equipment

·         performing simple tests

·         identifying and classifying

·         using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions

·         gathering and recording data to help in answering questions