Maynards Green Community Primary School

At Maynards Green, we recognise that children’s scientific education will give them a strong understanding of the world around them, whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically and gain an understanding of scientific processes. They will also gain an understanding of the uses and implications of Science in the past, today and for the future. 

Intent

We encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at school and beyond. The Science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes. Throughout their learning the children will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. We ensure that the Working Scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings. 

Implementation

Our school teaches Science through the Developing Experts scheme, which applies National Curriculum Science to deliver a scheme of contextualised learning at each key stage that challenges students to become effective problem solvers and critical thinkers. This enables them to gain a thorough knowledge and understanding of STEM and how it impacts on every aspect of life.

In EYFS we provide an environment that develops their inquisitive minds and inspires them to foster awe and wonder of the world around them. During this time science topics that will be developed as they progress in school are introduced and planned to suit the needs of the cohort. 

At Key Stage 1 pupils are exploring and making sense of the world around them; naming things and understanding how they fit in their environment. Developing Experts apply the National Curriculum programmes of study by helping children to identify what makes, animals and humans, materials and their uses, plants and seasonal change. There is a clear progression pathway from Year 1 to Year 2 and children are encouraged to work scientifically, investigating, observing, recording and sharing, using simple equipment increasing their curiosity for their surroundings. The acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes builds strong foundations. An emphasis on keywords reinforces their learning and understanding. In each lesson experts explain things and relate them to the world outside home and education, enabling children at a young age to begin to form the relationships of the working world within their own conceptual understanding. 

In Years 3 and 4 we then deepen their understanding of the areas from KS1 and broaden the range of topics and concepts studied; rocks, human impact on living things - conservation and pollution, and eventually, states of matter, sound, and electricity. Children are immersed and progressively build on their foundational scientific knowledge and vocabulary. Children become more conversant with the world of work through our expert dialogue that applies STEM knowledge to the professional context. We continue to encourage children to be inquisitive in practical investigations, then chart and classify their data and form narratives from their findings developing their skills to work scientifically.

By Year 5 and Year 6, pupils are becoming confident and independent young scientists. Through their explorations, they raise questions, make simple hypotheses that they test, collect data for, then subject to analysis and report from. The breadth of study now includes the solar system, forces, light and evolution. They have developed their language and communication through their study of our key words and the dialogue of our experts in the field. 

Impact

The successful approach results in a fun, engaging, high-quality science education that provides children with the foundations and knowledge for understanding the world. Our engagement with the local environment ensures that children learn through varied and first hand experiences of the world around them. Frequent, continuous and progressive learning outside the classroom is embedded throughout the science curriculum. Through various workshops, trips and interactions with experts and local charities, children have the understanding that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. Children learn the possibilities for careers in science, as a result of our expert films and curriculum links to industry, ensuring that children have access to positive role models within the field of science from a range of science disciplines and STEM related industries. From this exposure to a range of different scientists from various backgrounds, all children feel they are scientists and capable of achieving. At Maynards Green, we aim to ensure every child enjoys science which results in motivated learners with sound scientific understanding.