Science

Our aims in teaching science include:

• Our aims in teaching science include:
• building on children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems;
• providing practical experiences to develop children’s understanding of scientific skills and ideas;
• encouraging children to ask and answer scientific questions;
• giving children the experience of scientific processes;
• developing a positive attitude towards science;
• fostering concern about, and appreciation of, our environment.
• Links to school aims (See policy for Teaching and Learning)
• Within science we:
• provide a stimulating and interactive environment;
• encourage children to think creatively and critically;
• ensure there is appropriate differentiation to meet the needs of all children.

Foundation Stage

In the Early Years Foundation Stage science is part of Understanding the World. Understanding the World includes people and communities, the world and technology.  Through our topics we make cross-curricular links within Understanding the World and with other areas of the curriculum.  Children develop their scientific skills and knowledge through practical activities and investigations.  We make use of all areas of the indoor and outdoor classroom.  The outdoor classroom enables the children to learn about natural elements from first hand experience, for example weather, growing and the seasons.  We support the children in learning to record what they have found out through discussions, drawings, writing and simple graphs and tables.  Science features heavily within the Characteristics of Effective Learning which are: playing and exploring,   active learning and thinking critically.

 We have a Science Lab where children can investigate and explore science concepts daily and learn the skills to become “Good Scientists”.

Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1 the team find cross-curricular links where possible and differentiate the tasks to ensure appropriate challenge for the more able and opportunities to consolidate knowledge and understanding for the less able. Key Stage 1 classes also have Science Labs to give children the opportunity to independently investigate a wider range of concepts and consolidate their knowledge and understanding further.