Science

SCIENCE

Intent
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 children should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, children should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
North Tawton Community Primary School follows the National Curriculum for science and aims to ensure that all children:

develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Implementation
During Years 1 and 2, children should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways
observing closely, using simple equipment
performing simple tests
identifying and classifying
using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.

Children in years 1 and 2 should explore the world around them and raise their own questions. They should experience different types of scientific enquiries, including practical activities, and begin to recognise ways in which they might answer scientific questions. They should use simple features to compare objects, materials and living things and, with help, decide how to sort and group them, observe changes over time, and, with guidance, they should begin to notice patterns and relationships. They should ask people questions and use simple secondary sources to find answers. They should use simple measurements and equipment (for example, hand lenses, egg timers) to gather data, carry out simple tests, record simple data, and talk about what they have found out and how they found it out. With help, they should record and communicate their findings in a range of ways and begin to use simple scientific language.
These opportunities for working scientifically should be provided across years 1 and 2 so that the expectations in the programme of study can be met by the end of year 2.
During Years 3 and 4, children should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers
gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables
reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions
using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions
identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes
using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

Children in years 3 and 4 should be given a range of scientific experiences to enable them to raise their own questions about the world around them. They should start to make their own decisions about the most appropriate type of scientific enquiry they might use to answer questions; recognise when a simple fair test is necessary and help to decide how to set it up; talk about criteria for grouping, sorting and classifying; and use simple keys. They should begin to look for naturally occurring patterns and relationships and decide what data to collect to identify them. They should help to make decisions about what observations to make, how long to make them for and the type of simple equipment that might be used.

They should learn how to use new equipment, such as data loggers, appropriately. They should collect data from their own observations and measurements, using notes, simple tables and standard units, and help to make decisions about how to record and analyse this data. With help, children should look for changes, patterns, similarities and differences in their data in order to draw simple conclusions and answer questions. With support, they should identify new questions arising from the data, making predictions for new values within or beyond the data they have collected and finding ways of improving what they have already done. They should also recognise when and how secondary sources might help them to answer questions that cannot be answered through practical investigations. Children should use relevant scientific language to discuss their ideas and communicate their findings in ways that are appropriate for different audiences.
These opportunities for working scientifically should be provided across years 3 and 4 so that the expectations in the programme of study can be met by the end of year 4. Children are not expected to cover each aspect for every area of study.

During years 5 and 6, children should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs
using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

Children in years 5 and 6 should use their science experiences to: explore ideas and raise different kinds of questions; select and plan the most appropriate type of scientific enquiry to use to answer scientific questions; recognise when and how to set up comparative and fair tests and explain which variables need to be controlled and why. They should use and develop keys and other information records to identify, classify and describe living things and materials, and identify patterns that might be found in the natural environment. They should make their own decisions about what observations to make, what measurements to use and how long to make them for, and whether to repeat them; choose the most appropriate equipment to make measurements and explain how to use it accurately. They should decide how to record data from a choice of familiar approaches; look for different causal relationships in their data and identify evidence that refutes or supports their ideas. They should use their results to identify when further tests and observations might be needed; recognise which secondary sources will be most useful to research their ideas and begin to separate opinion from fact. They should use relevant scientific language and illustrations to discuss, communicate and justify their scientific ideas and should talk about how scientific ideas have developed over time.

Impact
Sequences of learning begin with an elicitation task to ascertain the level of prior knowledge and the skills of scientific enquiry, including understanding of key concepts and vocabulary. This assessment will inform planning and provide a baseline for progress over the learning sequence. Children should record in their Science books (or if not capable, have their ideas recorded for them) their understanding of the key vocabulary presented in the programme of study guidance. At the end of the learning sequence, the children will complete an assessment providing clear evidence of progress.
North Tawton hopes to provide a fun, engaging, high-quality science education, providing children with the foundations for understanding the world and the opportunities related to science.
Engagement with the local environment ensures that children learn through varied and first hand experiences of the world around them. We aim to create science capital through the school through regular visits from experts and professionals working in the field of science. Children acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum; scientific knowledge, understanding, investigative skills and vocabulary that will give them the skills to study or even work in the field of science in the future.

OUR CURRICULUM

SCIENCE	AUTUMN 2020	SPRING 2021	SUMMER 2021
YEAR 1	Animals including Humans	Everyday Materials	Plants
YEAR 1	Animals including Humans	Everyday Materials	Plants
YEAR 2	Living Things and their Habitats	Materials	Plants
YEAR 2	Living Things and their Habitats	Materials	Animals including Humans
YEAR 3	Light	Rocks	Plants
YEAR 3	Animals including Humans	Forces	Plants
YEAR 4	Animals including Humans	Electricity	Living Things and their Habitats
YEAR 4	Sound	States of Matter	Living Things and their Habitats
YEAR 5	Space	Properties and changes in material	Animals including Humans
YEAR 5	Space	Forces	Living Things and their Habitats
YEAR 6	Light	Evolution and Inheritance	Animals including Humans
YEAR 6	Electricity	Evolution and Inheritance	Living Things and their Habitats

SCIENCE CURRICULUM PROGRESSION