Science
Our intent is to:
Provide a curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, to develop their knowledge and understanding of science and their ability to think and act scientifically. We encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at school and beyond. We endeavour to offer pupils a wide range of opportunities and contexts for the application of key concepts in the form of investigations, where possible, promoting working scientifically skills in order to develop confidence and enjoyment in science. Our curriculum encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes to cover the National Curriculum.
Understanding key concepts
We realise that it is essential for the children at Penryn Primary to:
- 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.
- Be equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
- Develop a ‘can do’ attitude and perceive themselves as scientists.
Nursery and Reception
Understanding the World is one of the specific areas of learning within the EYFS framework and forms the basis of science learning within our Nursery and Reception classes. Aspects of Understanding the World are taught through continuous provision areas, outdoor activities, topic work and through educational visits. Children are encouraged to make observations, ask questions, use specific scientific vocabulary and explore like scientists both in and out of the classroom. This lays the foundation for their science learning in Year one.
Key Stage 1
Within KS1. children build on their previous experiences and begin to look more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They are encouraged to be curious by asking questions and are supported to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry. They further build on simple scientific language to communicate their ideas. Much of the science learning is done through practical investigations and experiences. However, high quality secondary sources such as books, photographs and videos also support their science learning.
Year 1 programme of study: Animals, including Humans; Seasonal Changes; Plants and Everyday Materials.
Year 2 programme of study: Living Things and their Habitats; Uses of Everyday Materials; Animals, including Humans and Plants.
Lower Key Stage 2
Within lower key stage 2, pupils are given a range of scientific experiences to enable them to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They start to develop their own ideas and questions and begin to make some choices about which types of enquiries would be most appropriate to answer these questions. Children start to help to decide how to set up tests, look for patterns and relationships and make choices about the data to collect. They begin to draw simple conclusions and use scientific language to discuss and to record what they have found out.
Year 3 programme of study: Light, Rocks, Animals, including Humans; Forces and Magnets and Plants.
Year 4 programme of study: Electricity: Living Things and their Habitats; Animals, including Humans; Sound and States of Matter.
Upper Key Stage 2
The main focus of science learning in upper key stage 2 is for the children to gain a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. Children should be confident when working scientifically and will have experienced a variety of enquiry types. They should not only be asking questions about scientific phenomena but should now be encountering and exploring more abstract ideas. Pupils should be able to select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry and draw conclusions based on their observations and data collected. Children at upper key stage 2 should use evidence they have found to justify their ideas and use scientific knowledge and understanding and correct scientific vocabulary to present and explain their results and findings in a variety of ways.
Year 5 programme of study: Earth and Space; Forces; Animals, including Humans; Living Things and their Habitats; Properties and Changes of Materials.
Year 6 programme of study: Evolution and Inheritance; Electricity; Animals, including humans; Living Things and their Habitats and Light.
