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Thorpe Lea Primary School

'A dedicated community working together, nurturing a safe, happy school where all children can achieve their potential'

Science

At Thorpe Lea Primary School Mr Dolby is our subject lead for Science. Having previously worked as a 'Mad Scientist' whilst at university, he has developed a love for Science and all of the experiments that go with it!

High-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world's prosperity. Children will be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.

At Thorpe Lea, we want the children to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena when learning about science. We encourage them to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes. It is important that from an early age the children are using the correct scientific language both orally and in written work so that this becomes a habit as they move further up the school.

Aims

KS1

During years 1 and 2, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills:

 asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways

 observing closely, using simple equipment

 performing simple tests

 identifying and classifying

 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions

 gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.

LKS2

During years 3 and 4, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills:

 asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them

 setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests

 making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers

 gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions

 recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables

 reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions

 using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions

 identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes

 using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

UKS2

The principal focus of science teaching in upper key stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically.

At upper key stage 2, they should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time.

They should select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information. Pupils should draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.

Pupils should read, spell and pronounce scientific vocabulary correctly.

The new curriculum for science is less prescriptive and allows us to teach science in a creative cross-curricular way. Curiosity and creativity have been included in our school values, so this means that the children will focus on these values when learning. There is also more of an emphasis on the natural environment too with the new curriculum.

Topics to be covered:

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
KS1
Year 1	Plant Detectives	Using our Senses	Our Changing World (plants and seasons)	Everyday Materials	Looking at Animals	Scientists and inventors
Year 2	Our Changing World	Materials	Apprentice Gardener	Growing Up	Take Care	What is in your habitat
KS2
Year 3	Rock Detectives	The power of forces	Amazing Bodies	Can you see me?	Our Changing World	How does your garden grow
Year 4	Human Impact	Good Vibrations	Our Changing World/ Who are you?	In a State	Switched On	Where does all that food go?
Year 5	Living Things and their habitats	Animals including Humans	Properties and Changes of materials	Properties and Changes of materials	Forces	Earth and Space
Year 6	Our Changing World	The Nature Library	Body Pump/ Body Health	Light Up Your World	Everything Changes	Danger Low Voltage

Our curriculum is designed so that certain topics will recur during a child's time at Thorpe Lea. This is done so that a foundation of understanding can be built, onto which further knowledge can be developed and grown.