St James' CE Primary School
At St James' Church of England Primary School, we recognise that a high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future. Through building up a body of knowledge and concepts, pupils should develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should feel encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes. Experiences in science help children develop problem-solving skills and motivate them toward a lifelong interest in the natural world.
There are so many careers in science that children may go on to pursue, including: chemist, doctor, nurse, vet, ecologist, electrician, microbiologist, forensic scientist, sports scientist, phycologist, pathologist, zoologist and many more!
Through the science curriculum, we aim to:
- Allow pupils to experience and observe phenomena by looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them
- Encourage children to be curious, ask questions and use scientific language
- Develop pupils' competence in acquiring and developing the skills and confidence to undertake investigations and make decisions
- Stimulate children’s interest through demonstrations and by participating in investigations which explore and test ideas, which raise further questions
- Enable children to use secondary sources effectively to research their ideas, scientific theories, and important people
By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant early learning goal or programme of study. By the end of Key Stage 2, our end points for pupils are:
- Pupils can ask questions and make observations about the world around them to help them to answer scientific questions.
- Pupils have an understanding of the key domains of scientific knowledge through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- Pupils can use conceptual understanding to make links between the key domains
- Pupils have an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through following and designing scientific enquiries
- Pupils can analyse data and articulate evidenced conclusions
- Pupils are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, in the past, today and for the future
Our science curriculum, underpinned by our school vision, mission (RACE: Respect, Aspiration, Community, Enquiring Minds) and values, is based on the National Curriculm from Y1-Y6 and is taught for a minimum of an hour and a half each week. Within the EYFS the foundations of science are developed through the practical-based curriculum and each half term they focus on a topic that prepares children for learning in KS1. The specific disciplines of biology, physics and chemistry underpin our curriculum design and enable pupils to develop their scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding.
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