A male pupil studies a test tube in a science lesson

"Science is the acceptance of what works and the rejection of what does not. That needs more courage than we might think."

                                                                                                                                                                Jacob Bronowski

Intent

In the White Rose Federation, we encourage our pupils to have a curious mind and ask questions about the world around them. Our Science curriculum uses experimentation to answer the big questions about our world using the five lines of scientific enquiry: observation over time, research, pattern seeking, fair testing and grouping and classifying. Using the progression framework allows us to ensure that pupils are gaining the skills in chemistry, biology and physics to host their own experimentation to answer the questions that they pose about a range of scientific themes. We ensure that working scientifically is built up throughout the key stages by ensuring children are familiar with science terminology, continue asking questions about their surroundings, building arguments and explaining concepts.

Our aim is that our high-quality science curriculum allows children to be inquisitive about the world around them: how it functions, why actions occur, what makes things react. Whether it is exploring rocks from the moon or understanding how circuits work to make an electrical moving train, we aim to provide children with a range of experiences that will challenge their minds and spark a passion for the sciences.

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.

Implementation

Pupils in the White Rose Federation participate in weekly high-quality science sessions for one hour per week. Our teachers and teaching staff use The Kent Scheme as a guide to both plan their lessons and to assess pupils accurately. Our curriculum has been carefully mapped out to ensure that our pupils are exposed to a wide range of scientific themes with opportunities to build upon skills, knowledge and understanding gained in previous learning. Year 1 & 2 to follow a two-year programme, Year 3 a one-year programme and Year 4, 5 & 6 a three-year programme. Lessons are adapted and differentiated to ensure that all pupils can thrive, with challenge provided to those pupils demonstrating and applying greater depth skills, knowledge and understanding.

Impact

Within the White Rose Federation, we want our pupils to be inquisitive and seek methods of exploration for their questions. By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the skills and knowledge needed to conduct scientific investigation on a range of scientific themes such as testing friction on car wheels or understanding how buoyancy works to ensure a boat floats. Our science curriculum encourages deep thinking and work using questions as the starting point and considering different avenues for further research.

We hope to inspire children to have a love for chemistry, biology and physics that provides children with the foundations for understanding the world that they can carry with them throughout their educational journey. Children can learn and explore the career opportunities within science through the range of experimentation and scientific investigation that they conduct in their learning.