Science
Intention
Our school mission statement upholds that Christ is at the heart of what we teach and everything we do. We want our pupils to be curious about the world in which they live and strive to make it a better place. Science plays a fundamental part in this as the children question the ever-changing world around them and become conscientious and independent scientific learners. Our curriculum encourages high expectations, a love of Science and builds on children’s prior learning. They develop skills, knowledge and vocabulary which supports them to think scientifically and to gain an understanding of scientific processes.
Children use a range of transferable Science skills including observing, planning, investigating and problem solving. We use enrichment activities such as Science Week to ensure that core Science skills are taught alongside modern scientific issues such as climate change and reinforcing the Catholic mission of Laudato Si. Science utilises cross-curricular skills taught in other subjects such as Reading, Writing and Maths, as Science is fundamental to other subjects and other subjects are fundamental to Science.
Implementation
At St Thomas’, our children are encouraged to achieve their potential and progress with confidence to the next phase of their scientific education through our curriculum.
- A progressive approach to teaching ensures that lessons build on prior learning so by the time children leave KS2, they have a more sophisticated understanding of working scientifically; interwoven through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, as well as global climate issues
- Lessons promote a sense of intrigue of the world around them through the five types of enquiry (observing over time; identifying, classifying and grouping; pattern seeking; comparative and fair testing; and problem solving). We encourage pupils to lead the learning and make independent discoveries through safe scientific enquiry.
- The Science team have received specialist CPD training which drives quality first teaching and results in children embarking on exciting and scientific learning journeys.
- Children know and are able to use the processes of collecting, presenting (written work, observational drawings and scientific diagrams) and analysing their findings (interpreting keys, bar charts and tables)
- Children can read, recognise and make sense of Science vocabulary, enabling them to articulate concepts clearly and precisely.
- Children develop their Literacy skills in Science through the use of high-quality texts which link closely to the National Curriculum outcomes as well as our Science strands.
- We are developing the use of peer teaching by children, where children are taught specific Science themes and then disseminate this to their peers in class, supporting their speaking and computing skills.
Impact
Our pupils leave our school as confident scientists; conscientious in their questioning and dynamic thinkers. Children know what Science is and the power it has to help us find the truth about our ever-changing planet. Pupils are motivated in Science lessons and demonstrate a sound understanding of concepts. Our topics are current, relevant and stimulate pupils to consider the world in which they live, as well as their impact on the wider environment around them.
Reception | • Learn new vocabulary. • Ask questions to find out more and to check what has been said to them. • Articulate their ideas and thoughts in well-formed sentences. • Describe events in some detail. • Use talk to work out problems and organise thinking and activities. Explain how things work and why they might happen. • Use new vocabulary in different contexts. • Know and talk about the different factors that support their overall health and wellbeing: • regular physical activity • healthy eating • toothbrushing • having a good sleep routine • Explore the natural world around them. • Describe what they see, hear and feel while they are outside. • Recognise some environments that are different to the one in which they live. • Understand the effect of changing seasons on the natural world around them. |
ELG's | • Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding. • Manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing, going to the toilet and understanding the importance of healthy food choices. • Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants. • Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class. • Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter. |
Year 1
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Human Body
Four Seasons
Animals
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Four Seasons
Materials
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Four Seasons
​​​​​​​Plants
Animals
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Year 2
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Grouping and changing materials. Observe using simple equipment.
| Living things and their habitats including plants and animals in the local environment
| Animals, including humans
Plants
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Year 3
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Magnets – we will:
Rocks and Soils- we will:
| Light and shadows
Plants: How does your garden grow?
Scientific practical investigations
| Skeletons
Scientific practical investigations
We will work scientifically to predict and create a fair investigation and report our findings from these enquiries. Plants
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Year 4
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Through the topic of Changing States, we will be:
Through the topic of Electricity, we will be:
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In the topic of Sound and Hearing, we will be learning:
| Our topic is ‘Living Things’ which will focus specifically on African animals and their habitats. We will learn to:
Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things |
Year 5
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
We will develop these while learning about:
Earth and Space
Force
| Force
Properties and changes of materials
| Animals including humans
Living things and their habitats
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Year 6
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
Investigative science
Light and shadows
Electricity
| Evolution and Inheritance
Interdependence and Adaptation
| Understanding how our bodies function
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