SCIENCE AT ST RICHARD'S

Intent

Curiosity is at the heart of our Science Curriculum at St Richard’s CE Primary and as we follow the National Curriculum, we endeavour to instil in our pupils a life-long curiosity about the world around them and encourage critical and creative thinking.

By so doing, we aim to create a strong foundation for science at secondary level.

We believe first hand experiences are essential for learning. Science units are often enriched with special visits and visitors because we want our pupils to understand how varied and wide-reaching the study of science is. Forest School is a regular part of our EYFS and KS1 curriculum and we strive to promote cross-curricular links. We believe an appreciation and respect for biodiversity and the environment is important for our pupils, so science lessons are often held outside the classroom, in our extensive outdoor space as well as in our local area. We also believe it is important for our pupils to develop a secure understanding of their own biology as well what choices they can make to live healthy lives.

Implementation

In Key Stage 1 the Science curriculum is taught through a cross-curricular approach and forms part of the children's Big Picture topic. In Key Stage 2, science lessons are taught discreetly and links to Big Pictures or English texts are made where possible. 

The key skills we focus on to ensure our pupils have a strong scientific foundation  are:

• Asking questions and carrying out fair and comparative tests
• Observing and measuring change
• Identifying, classifying and presenting data
• Drawing conclusions, noticing patterns and presenting findings

To ensure learning is embedded and deepened, we explicitly map links across and within key stages.

Impact 

By the time pupils graduate and leave for secondary school, they will be inquisitive scientists who have the knowledge and skills to understand the world around them and the tools that enable them to pursue their unanswered questions.