Science
Our intent:
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At St Stephen Churchtown Academy, our vision in science is to ignite curiosity and encourage creative thinking while providing safe opportunities for risk taking in a supportive environment.
We aim to:
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Learning in Action
Nursery
Understanding the World is one of the four specific areas of learning in the EYFS framework and lays the foundation for the development of science through the rest of the school. Children are encouraged and guided to make sense of their physical world through exploration both in and out of the classroom and learning is delivered through high quality interactions and resources.
Having fun with magnets! Children talk about and explore the different forces they can feel!
Water play! Children explore how things work!
Looking at seeds. Children talk about what they see using a wide range of vocabulary.
Planting petunias! Planting seeds and caring for our growing plants.
Reception
In reception, children continue their learning of the natural world through the many opportunities provided in their indoor and outdoor environment. Children are encouraged and supported to use specific vocabulary, ask questions and make observations which further strengthens their learning in Understanding the World. In this way, pupils begin to develop their confidence in their working scientifically skills and conceptual understanding.
Making vegetable salad and learning about what food makes our bodies healthy.
Learning about one of our senses - sight! Children explore ways to build a tower using just their sense of touch.
Key Stage 1
As children begin their journey into KS1 science, the principal focus is to enable children to experience and observe the world around them. They are encouraged to be curious and ask questions, while developing their understanding of different scientific enquiry and further building their vocabulary at a level consistent with their word reading. All science is underpinned by practical experiences with an opportunity in each session to build different working scientifically skills.
Year 1
Writing what materials our objects are made from.
Deciding whether something is an object or a material.
Describing the physical properties of objects.
Our Umbrella Investigation! Which material would make the best umbrella for Teddy and why?!
The Curtain Investigation! Which material would be better for a curtain in the bedroom and why?!
Going on a spring walk! I found a buttercup!
Can you see the signs of spring? Yes - bluebells!
Here are some dandelions!
Year 2
Lower Key Stage 2
Once children reach lower key stage 2, the focus in science is still to experience and explore the world around them, but with a broader scientific view. Children begin to develop their own tests and theories about everyday phenomena and start to recognise relationships between key concepts and real life experiences. Enquiries become more varied and children are encouraged to draw conclusions using scientific language through talking and writing using the scientific method.
Year 3
Adding food colouring to water. Will it change the colour of our flower?
Testing to see if the food colouring will change the flower colouring. Is this a fair test?
Exploring magnets.
We can find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change.
I notice that light is reflected from surfaces.
I recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object - like me!!!
Exploring magnets and how they can attract some materials, but not others.
Reflecting light!
Our work with magnets and learning about forces!
Explaining how the distance of the light source changes the size of the shadow! Great vocabulary!
Noticing that light is reflected!
Year 4
Upper Key Stage 2
Finally, as children enter into key stage 2 and their final years of primary school, the focus shifts to having a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. At this stage, children should be confident in all skills needed to work scientifically and have the opportunity to experience a variety of enquiry types. Children should not only be able to ask questions about scientific phenomena, but analyse data and find patterns and relationships independently. They should use these ideas to help them understand and predict how the world operates and recognise that scientific ideas change over time.
Recognising that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.
Being scientists in our new laboratory! Exploring states of matter.
Investigating electricity and constructing simple electrical circuits.
Learning about open and closed circuits in electricity.
Identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers!
VR time!
Recognising that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways.
Exploring and using classification keys to help group living things.
Investigating how sugar impacts our teeth.
Learning about teeth as part of the digestive system and looking at the similarities and differences between eggs and teeth.
Identifying and describing the simple functions of the digestive system in humans.
Learning about our digestive system.
Growing cress for our mini ecosystems.
Growing cress for our mini ecosystems. Enquiry type: Observing over time.
Setting up simple practical enquiries.
Using equipment in our science lab.
Recognising that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.
Year 5
Identifying the effects of air resistance on a pendulum.
Recording our data in a line graph - showing air resistance.
Year 6
Learning about circuits in electricity.
Buzzers and bulbs!
Creating animals that have adapted to suit specific environments.
Creating animals that have adapted to suit specific environments.
Creating animals that have adapted to suit specific environments.
Creating animals that have adapted to suit specific environments.
Growing micro-organisms!
Suggested Websites:
The Ogden Trust - Physics ideas for primary science
Explorify - Engaging activities to promote and encourage discussion and vocabulary building.
Whizz Pop Bang - Science magazine (there is a cost) for primary aged students
Institute of Physics - physics related activities for students.
The Pod - Information, activities, movies and games to help promote the learning of science concepts
Discovering 42 - Cornwall's Art, Sustainability and Science Museum
Curriculum and Progression Overviews:
Curriculum Overview 2024-2025
Progression Overview - Conceptual Understanding
Progression Overview - Working Scientifically
SEND Provision in Science:
At St Stephen Churchtown Academy, the provision on offer for our SEN students in science reflects the intent of the subject itself. Our students, regardless of need, are encouraged to develop an excitement and curiosity about the world around them, to ask questions and be curious about the phenomena they observe and to correlate their own life experiences to the curriculum content.
Specific provisions for SEN children include:
- A safe space which encourages open discussion on the concepts being taught and provides the environment needed to take risks for new learning.
- The use of floor books within our lessons to evidence learning and encourage participation from all students. In this way, children who may not flourish in some areas of the curriculum feel secure enough to vocalise their learning during the practical aspects of the lessons, demonstrating good understanding in a way they would otherwise not be able to.
- Adult support when and as needed.
- Work can be differentiated based on the needs of the student, scaffolded in a way that makes it accessible to their individual learning need.
- Up to date working walls that the children can access easily. E.g. removable vocabulary cards.
- Adapted tools and equipment.
The Wider Curriculum:
