Science

The science curriculum aims

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.

Source: National Curriculum, 2014

Intent

At Evercreech Primary School, Science in the EYFS aims to nurture children’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder about the world around them. Through the Understanding the World area of learning, we provide opportunities for children to explore, observe and ask questions about themselves, living things, materials, and the natural environment.

Our intent is to give children the foundations of scientific understanding by developing early enquiry skills, vocabulary and positive attitudes to learning. We aim for children to explore science through hands-on, practical experiences that encourage curiosity, problem-solving and discussion.

Science in the EYFS supports children to:

Begin to understand the world they live in
Develop confidence to ask questions and make observations
Use their senses to explore and investigate
Experience enjoyment and excitement in discovering how things work

We aim to foster a love of science from the earliest stages, helping children to see themselves as scientists, and preparing them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for future learning across the curriculum and into Key Stage 1 and beyond.

Science LTP

In EYFS, our intent is to nurture children’s curiosity, confidence and early scientific thinking through hands-on exploration of the world around them. We aim to develop strong foundations in observation, questioning, exploration, and simple problem-solving, preparing children for the more formal scientific learning in KS1.

Our aim is for children to:

Develop a sense of awe and wonder about the natural world.
Build early skills in noticing, observing, predicting, comparing and talking about what they see.
Explore materials, living things, forces, and changes through play-based, practical experiences.
Use simple scientific language to describe their ideas.
Become confident, independent explorers who are eager to investigate and ask questions.

Skills developed by the end of KS1:

Ask simple questions about what they notice.
Observe closely using simple equipment.
Carry out simple tests with support.
Sort and classify objects, materials and living things.
Record simple data (drawings, tallies, simple tables).
Use observations to answer questions and make simple suggestions.

Skills developed by the end of KS2:

Plan scientific enquiries and identify variables.
Take accurate measurements using a range of equipment.
Record data in tables, bar charts and line graphs.
Identify patterns and draw conclusions using evidence.
Evaluate results and suggest improvements.
Explain findings clearly using scientific vocabulary.