Science Ambition

Science Ambition

At Eldersfield Lawn CE Primary School, we aim to make science real! We believe it is important to allow all children to reach their full potential and prepare them to be the employees of the future ready to take on the challenge of new roles that do not yet exist.

From Reception, we promote the children’s abilities to explore the world around them by asking and answering questions as well as using all their senses to develop understanding of how things work in the world and their own bodies.

In Class 2 pupils develop their scientific skills through first-hand experiences where they will make observations using simple equipment and perform simple tests. We link exploration to the topic the children are studying to make their scientific learning real and relevant. They will use their understanding of similarities and differences to begin to identify, classify and compare, and start to record and communicate their independent observations in numerous different ways. We build on the acquisition of language and using scientific vocabulary to describe their observations.

As pupils move into Class 3, they will continue to explore, talk about, test and develop their ideas about living things and familiar environments through first-hand experiences and more systematic and careful observation. Pupils will be encouraged to ask more relevant questions and consider which types of scientific enquiry are most likely to be effective methods in answering them. Pupils will recognise when a fair test is necessary and help decide how to set up practical tests, teaching them to work scientifically. Pupils will develop their ability to record and communicate their results through drawing simple conclusions and use a wider range of scientific language.

As pupils move into upper Key Stage Two they will begin to select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of science enquiry. When carrying out tests, pupils will be taught to control variables, develop their accuracy and precision in taking measurements and record their data and results in more complex ways. This helps them to prepare for Key Stage 3 where they will apply their scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding to Biology, Chemistry and Physics. We prepare pupils for encountering more abstract ideas, begin to understand and predict how the world operates and recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. This will help to support pupils in understanding the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

The science curriculum at Eldersfield Lawn is delivered though a whole school programme of sequential planning and progression. We involve pupils in their learning at a much more independent and practical level to help to promote the use and understanding of how scientific understanding and skills impact on our ever changing world to develop key skills which are crucial for their future careers.