Science

‘The important thing is to never stop questioning.’

Albert Einstein

In simple terms, Science is the study of nature, the behaviour of natural things and the knowledge that we obtain about them.

At Chandos, our aim is for all children to explore and learn practically within their Science lessons, giving them the opportunities to research, question, predict, test, and challenge their knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts. We actively encourage children to find out their own answers by generating their own hypotheses, giving them opportunities to carry out experiments and investigations enabling them to find out their own answers.

Every child, regardless of gender, race or ability will have equal access to the Science Curriculum. We aim to provide for all children so that they can achieve their best according to their individual needs, whether they need additional support or more challenge.

Curriculum Intent

At Chandos, we:

create successful, effective learners who understand and value scholarship and education
create competent, critical thinkers who can challenge and develop ideas
create effective communicators of our shared beliefs, values and learning
create tolerant and respectful global citizens who have an understanding and knowledge of our local, national and global communities

Curriculum Implementation

At Chandos, we teach our Science curriculum using White Rose Science.

We want to empower our children to find answers for themselves, so we pride ourselves on creating opportunities for children to ask questions, conduct experiments, and to experience science in real life situations such as visitors to school (human and animal) or visits to museums. Giving our children hands-on, practical learning experiences allows them to expand their knowledge in exciting and engaging ways as well as develop a secure understanding of new scientific terminology and concepts.

Yearly overviews

Early Years

The Early Years Curriculum ensures that Science is taught through ‘Understanding the World’. This covers basic elements of understanding such as the weather, the seasons and nature. Early Years is all about exploring and investigating the world whilst having fun and playing. Science combines these two key elements, which is crucial to establishing a lifelong love of learning.

Throughout their time in Early Years, children are introduced to the Science curriculum indirectly though acitivies that encourage exploration, problem solving, prediction and observing the world around them both inside and outside of the classroom.

KS1 and KS2 Yearly Overviews

Every year group has a Science lesson every week.

The units are mapped out as follows:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

*All yearly overview documents are from White Rose Science.

Year 6

Working Scientifically Skills To Be Developed

All children at Chandos will be taught the working scientifically skills outlined in the National Curriculum. We have simplified these into four main categories to allow children to easily identify and build upon previously taught skills.

They are as follows:

Children will be taught how to ask a question that they can then investigate with a simple experiment.

Children will be given the opportunity to observe things over time e.g. plants growing and how to take an accurate measurement using different apparatus such as themometers.

Children will set up simple and practical enquiries that are both fair and where they can compare something to another.

Children will record information during their tests that they can then classify and present their findings with in a variety of different ways such as bar charts, diagrams and tables.