Science Overview

At St Augustine’s our Science curriculum is skills based and knowledge-rich which stems from an enquiry question.  Our yearly overview illustrates the extensive coverage of the curriculum which is inter-woven with a bespoke progression of knowledge and skills to take our children beyond the National Curriculum. 

Throughout the year and across the phases, pupils are able to build upon pre-existing learning by revisiting certain areas of study and experience new learning to enable pupils to embed and deepen new knowledge and skills. We encourage child led learning through open ended lines of scientific enquiry encouraging children to plan, predict, experiment, measure and record their scientific findings.

Mrs Dees

Science Co-ordinator

Every science unit of work is introduced with an enquiry question to develop children’s curiosity and engagement about the world in which we live. Our Science curriculum draws on the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics which ensures an excellent breath of study for all year groups – from plants, animals, habitats and materials in Key Stage 1, to magnetism, electricity space and evolution in Key Stage 2.  Early Years also follow ‘Development Matters’ where children learn about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things, as well as talk about changes.

Every Science topic across the school is taught alongside our core principles: starting with the enquire stage to ensure the children are interested and excited about the science unit of work, explore and learn new knowledge and skills, carry out science investigations and experiments to embed what they have learned and finally express their findings and scientific conclusions.

Early Years

Science at Foundation Stage is covered in the ‘Understanding the World’ area of the EYFS Curriculum. It is introduced indirectly through activities that encourage every child to explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions, and talk about the world around them. During their first years at school our children will explore creatures, people, plats and objects in their natural environments. They will observe and manipulate objects and materials to identify differences and similarities. They will also learn to use their senses, feeling dough or listening to sounds in the environment, such as sirens or farm animals. They will make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes. Children will be encouraged to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. This might do activities such as increasing the incline of a slope to observe how fast a vehicle travels, or opening a mechanical toy to see how it works. Children will also be asked questions about what they think will happen to help them communicate, plan, investigate, record and evaluate findings.

Key Stage 1

The principle focus of science teaching in Key Stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos. Pupils should read and spell scientific vocabulary at a level consistent with their increasing word reading and spelling knowledge at Key Stage 1.

Key Stage 2

The principle focus of science teaching in Lower Key Stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out.

The principle focus of science teaching in Upper Key Stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. At upper key stage 2, they should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. They should select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information. Pupils should draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.

Subject Coverage

Whole School Events

As a school we take part in various events to allow for children to share in a common theme of learning. Each February, all classes take part in a whole school Science Week. Science helps children to understand the world that they live in, and it also helps provide solutions to difficult problems in real life situations. During the week, children have opportunities to make links with Science Capital which can be defined as the sum of all the science-related knowledge, attitudes, experiences and resources that an individual builds up through their life. At the end of the week, the children come together to share their work, new experiences and knowledge.

Useful Links

Please click on the pictures below: