Rift House Primary School
Science
EYFS Framework and National Curriculum
Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community. The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters. In addition, listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our technologically and ecologically diverse world. As well as building important knowledge, this extends their familiarity with words that support understanding across domains. Enriching and widening children’s vocabulary will support later reading comprehension.
Purpose of study
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.
Aims
The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- 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.
Curriculum Summary
In the Early Years starting from our 2 year old provision through to reception, staff make use of the non-statutory guidance Birth to Five matters whilst ensuring the statutory framework for the EYFS is met. Reception children are assessed against the appropriate early learning goals for understanding the world to contribute to them reaching a good level of development.
Reception children also make use of continuous provision to support learning and so that children are introduced and prepared for the knowledge, vocabulary and the world of science that they will encounter in Y1 – this supports their transition into the NC May 2015 KS1 science curriculum.
Y1 – 6 make use of the schools scheme as a basis for teaching and as a main resource, as it carefully sequences knowledge, concepts and procedures to build scientific knowledge and enquiry skills systematically and, over time, the curriculum draws connections across different ways of looking at scientific ideas.
Progression in Science
Long Term Overview
Here are the Science Principles that we use and follow
Science at Home
Websites
KS1 Science- https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z6svr82
KS2 Science- https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z2pfb9q
Science experiments ideas
https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/
https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments.html
https://www.talkphysics.org/articles/category/marvin-and-milo/
What we have been up to...
Rift House Primary are pleased to have received the Primary Science Quality Mark GILT award
Children have been using the science garden and the wildlife garden for science lessons and investigations.
Children love using the outside areas and our local environment to learn.
We have had visitors in school to inspire us further. Professor Hannah worked with the children across the school. The theme was ‘Our Diverse planet’ We shared our experience in assembly.
We have been carrying out lots of different investigations and experiments together, to answer scientific questions.
At After School club, we explore science theories and challenge our thinking to understand the world. - Photos to follow
Children even love taking their science learning home. Here are some children working with their families
What do children say about science?
’My favourite things about science is that we do investigations’ said a Year 2 Pupil.
Year 2 Pupil exclaimed ‘I would like to do more writing in science.’
’I like learning about the different parts of the body.’ said a Year 3 Pupil.
’My science lessons are always fun.’ said a Year 3 student.
Another Pupil in Year 3 has shared their views. ‘My favourite topic in science is when we learned about rocks and soils.’
Learning about living things is my favourite topic!’ exclaimed a Year 4 Pupil.
A Year 5 student finds science fun and loves doing lots of experiments and reported that her science lessons are amazing and that she gets to work in small groups and with others.
Another year 5 stated In like researching about different scientists and going on our science visits.’
’My favourite thing about science is the experiments and when we did the puppets show. We were learning about shadows.’ said a student in Year 6.
