SCIENCE CURRICULUM

Science is a body of knowledge, which is built up through experimental testing of ideas. It

is a practical way of finding reliable answers to questions we may ask about the world
around us.

The aims of primary science can be broadly divided into two categories:
• to stimulate pupils’ curiosity in the world around them and encourage critical and
creative thinking;
• to create a foundation for science at secondary school.

To fulfil these aims, pupils need to acquire both factual knowledge and the skills of
scientific enquiry: identifying questions that can be addressed scientifically; planning and
carrying out experiments; evaluating data; and recognising the limitations of their own and
others’ work. Children learn to ask scientific questions and begin to appreciate the way
science will affect their future on a personal, national, and global level.

Science is a core subject in the National Curriculum. At St Margaret’s, Science is taught as

a discrete subject. The school uses the National Curriculum for science as the basis of its
curriculum planning and the ‘New Star Science’ published scheme to provide the details of
our planning; however teachers also tailor the content to suit the interest of our pupils and
the resources available. Cross- curricular links are made wherever possible to enrich the
science curriculum.

Children learn about three areas of scientific knowledge:

• Life processes and living things – including human health and nutrition; plant
nutrition; classification of animal and plants; the habitats of animal and plants.
• Materials and their properties – including how materials can be used; how they can
change (burning, freezing, boiling); and how they can be mixed and separated.
• Physical processes – including electric circuits; forces; how light and sound travel;
and astronomy.

The areas of scientific knowledge are taught in tandem with the skills of scientific enquiry.
Good scientific enquiry should build on children’s existing knowledge, interests and ideas;
link to everyday contexts; and encourage discussion.

At St. Margaret’s we use a variety of teaching and learning styles in science lesson. Our
principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. Sometimes we do
this through whole-class teaching, whilst at other times we engage the children in an
enquiry-based research activity. We encourage the children to ask, as well as answer,
scientific questions. They have the opportunity to use a variety of data, such as statistics
graphs, pictures and photographs. They use I.C.T. in science lessons where it enhances
their learning. They take part in role-play and discussions, and they present reports to the
rest of the class. Wherever possible, we involve the pupils in ‘real’ scientific activities, for
example researching an environmental problem or carrying out a practical experiment and
analysing the results.

We recognise that there are children of widely different scientific abilities in all classes
and we ensure that we provide suitable learning opportunities for children by matching the
challenge of the task to the ability of the child. We achieve this in a variety of ways by:
• setting common tasks which are open-ended and can have a variety of responses,
• setting work of increasing difficulty (we do not expect all children to complete all
tasks),
• grouping children by ability and setting different tasks for each ability group,
• providing resources of different complexity, matched to the ability of the child,
• using classroom assistants, where such support is available, to support the work of
individual children or groups of children.

We teach science in nursery and reception as an integral part of the topic work covered
throughout the year. Children tend to be enthusiastic towards science at a young age, as
they explore the world around them.

A useful website, with many short video clips to support scientific learning, is:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/topics/primary.shtml#science