At Loxwood Primary School, we understand the importance of both knowledge and understanding within Science and working scientifically, to prepare children for the wider world and their future education. Every child is encouraged to be curious, ask questions and to test their ideas.
Our aim is for every child, to reach their full potential by:
- Being encouraged to be inquisitive about the world around them, nurturing their innate curiosity and enabling them to increase their knowledge and understanding of our world.
- Developing scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics as set out in the National Curriculum.
- Being introduced to subject specific scientific vocabulary to enable them to explain their thinking and understanding and ask questions.
- Developing an 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.
- Learning about and be inspired by a wide range of scientists from diverse backgrounds, genders, ethnicities and disciplines in order to see themselves as our scientists of the future.
- Being equipped with the scientific skills required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
In Science, we incorporate our core values (Resilience, Collaboration, Curiosity, Creativity and Kindness) to ensure that our children develop as life-long learners and responsible citizens. Through Quality First Teaching and having high expectations, we ensure all children (including disadvantaged and SEND) are accessing the curriculum by constantly reviewing and adapting our teaching.
Children in EYFS are concerned with learning about the world around them and what they can see and experience in their immediate environment. Children’s learning comes from their natural interest and curiosity and is developed by the curriculum. They are introduced to simple equipment such as magnifying glasses and learn how to use this safely. They begin to explore the world beyond their immediate environment through play, stories and role play. Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 learning in Science is often linked to learning in other curriculum subjects, allowing children to make connections and see applications for scientific knowledge in the real world. ‘Working Scientifically’ is woven throughout each area of Science Learning across the school year, so that children develop this disciplinary knowledge alongside the substantive knowledge in each year group. Through revisiting and consolidating their knowledge, our curriculum helps children build on prior understanding alongside introducing new skills and challenge. Across all year groups children are given the opportunity to work practically, testing things out for themselves and recording their observations in different ways.
Children who feel confident in their science knowledge and enquiry skills will be excited about science. They will show that they are actively curious to learn more and will see the relevance of what they learn in science lessons to real-life situations and also the importance of science in the real world. Our children will see themselves as future scientists; they will ask questions and be able to suggest ways in which to answer them, be observant and inquisitive, they will be able to explain their knowledge and ideas to others in effective ways. Our children will develop a wide scientific vocabulary, enabling them to understand and discuss their own scientific learning and that of others.
