At Cantrell Primary School we want our children to love science. We want them to embody our core values; to be ready, resilient, resourceful, reflective and respectful. The intent is for our Science teaching to equip our children with not only the statutory requirements of the science curriculum, but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. The National Curriculum states: “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.”

Our 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 the programmes of study, 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.

Our aim’s:

In the Early Years and Foundation Stage the majority of Science teaching and learning comes through the early learning goal, ‘Knowledge and Understanding the World.’ Children must be supported in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world.

Science teaching in Key Stage 1 at Cantrell, is for all children to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. We want children to become curious and ask questions in order to develop their understanding of scientific ideas.

In Key Stage 2, Science is taught as a discrete subject. The main focus of Science teaching 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.