At Red Hill Primary School, we believe that every youngster possesses the curiosity and inquisitiveness of a scientist. Our goal is to instill in our students a genuine passion for and delight in the realm of science. Our commitment extends to fostering their comprehension of vital scientific concepts, processes, and skills while encouraging them to connect these with their day-to-day encounters. We impart diverse modes of thinking, equipping them to inquire effectively and express their thoughts with clarity. Our aim is to cultivate self-assured, autonomous learners who delve into values and ideas through the lens of science. Our pride lies in the comprehensive and well-rounded approach to teaching science, ensuring every child thrives in the subject throughout their school journey. We firmly believe in every child’s innate scientific inclination, nurturing their curiosity and empowering them to pose questions and independently acquire the skills needed to answer them.

Science curriculum

“A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.” (National Curriculum 2014)

Aims

The National Curriculum for Science sets forth key objectives to ensure that every student:

1. Acquires scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding across the distinct disciplines of biology, chemistry, and physics.
2. Cultivates an appreciation for the nature, processes, and methods of science through diverse science inquiries that enable them to address scientific questions about the world.
3. Gains the scientific knowledge necessary to comprehend the applications and implications of science in the present and future.

In addition to these national goals, Red Hill is dedicated to:

1. Fostering students’ enjoyment, excitement, and interest in science through engaging activities.
2. Expanding upon students’ natural curiosity about the world around them.
3. Implementing a well-planned array of investigations and practical activities to deepen students’ understanding of scientific concepts and knowledge.
4. Developing students’ fundamental practical skills and their capacity to make precise and appropriate measurements.
5. Introducing students to scientific language and vocabulary to enhance their communication in the subject.
6. Demonstrating the interconnectedness of their learning with the broader world and environment.

Progression

At Red Hill, we follow the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), wherein certain topics seamlessly integrate science education, while others, like ‘Bright Sparks,’ are specifically focused on science. Students are fully engrossed in their science subjects, engaging in knowledge harvests, participating in innovative experiments, and honing their inquiry and observation skills. The progression through each year group ensures a cumulative buildup of knowledge, providing students with a profound understanding of each topic.

The core of science lies in planning, recording, predicting, testing, interpreting results, and proposing further investigations. Coupled with practical, hands-on experiences, these elements make science both meaningful and enjoyable for our students. We celebrate science through various events throughout the year, including the annual Science Week, where students dive into diverse areas spanning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These events create immersive experiences that captivate students’ interest and curiosity in the fascinating world of science.

Science in EYFS

In the EYFS, the exploration of science links with the ‘Understanding the World’ part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum. Science is introduced indirectly through activities designed to inspire each child to engage in exploration, problem-solving, observation, prediction, critical thinking, decision-making, and discussions about the world around them.

During their initial years at school, our young learners delve into the areas of creatures, people, plants, and objects within their natural environments. They actively observe and manipulate objects and materials, identifying differences and similarities. Utilizing their senses, they might feel dough or listen to sounds in the environment, distinguishing elements like sirens or farm animals. The curriculum encourages them to make observations of animals and plants, providing explanations for occurrences and discussing changes.

Children are prompted to pose questions about the reasons behind events and the workings of things. Engaging activities may involve adjusting the incline of a slope to observe the speed of a vehicle or disassembling a mechanical toy to understand its inner workings. In this process, children are encouraged to predict outcomes, fostering communication, planning, investigation, recording, and the evaluation of their findings. This approach instills a foundation for scientific inquiry and exploration, nurturing curiosity and laying the groundwork for further scientific understanding.

Personal goals

We emphasize eight IPC Personal Goals at Red Hill, including:

• Enquiry
• Resilience
• Morality
• Communication
• Thoughtfulness
• Cooperation
• Respect,
• Adaptability

These goals are integrated into learning tasks, fostering holistic development. The IPC Learning Goals encourage students to understand various scientific perspectives, cope with unfamiliar situations, approach tasks confidently, suggest new ideas, and be at ease in different situations.

Following the IPC enables us to approach science topics creatively while covering National Curriculum skills. As an international scheme, it ensures diversity is addressed in our teaching

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