We are scientists.

At Stewart Fleming Primary School, we believe that every pupil possesses the curiosity and inquisitiveness of a scientist. Our goal is to instil 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 enquire 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 enquiries 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, Stewart Fleming 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.

Stewart Fleming pupils will learn:

Substantive knowledge - subject knowledge and explicit vocabulary linked to their topics.

Disciplinary knowledge – how to collect, use, interpret, understand and evaluate evidence.

Progression

At Stewart Fleming, we follow the CUSP curriculum. Our science curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and is designed to help children develop a strong understanding of the world around them. We provide regular opportunities for children to revisit and recall learning.

Science learning begins in the Early Years when children explore the natural world and develop an understanding of people, communities and their environment.

As children move through the school, they build their scientific knowledge, vocabulary and skills. They learn to ask questions, investigate, make observations and think scientifically.

CUSP curriculum is carefully sequenced so that new learning builds on what children already know. This allows pupils to make connections, deepen their understanding and become increasingly confident and knowledgeable young scientists.

Students are fully engrossed in their science subjects, engaging and participating in innovative experiments and honing their enquiry and observation skills. The progression through each year group ensures a cumulative build-up 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. Utilising 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 instils a foundation for scientific enquiry and exploration, nurturing curiosity and laying the groundwork for further scientific understanding.

CUSP Science

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 1	Seasonal changes and daily weather   Introduce Plants – (trees)   Animals, including humans	Everyday materials   Revisit 1: Animals, including    humans	Plants   Revisit 2: Plants, Animals including    humans
Year 2	Living things and their habitats   Animals, including humans	Uses of everyday materials   Revisit Living things and their    habitats / materials	Plants   Revisit Living things and their habitats /    Animals, including humans
Year 3	Rocks   Animals, including humans   Revisit Rocks	Forces and magnets   Plants	Plants continued…   Light
Year 4	Living things and their habitats   States of matter	Animals, including humans	Electricity   Sound
Year 5	Properties and changes of materials   Animals, including humans	Forces (Gravity and Galileo)   Earth in space	Living things and their habitats   Forces continued
Year 6	Electricity   Animals including humans    (circulatory system)	Animals including humans    (water transport)   Light	Living things and their habitats   Evolution and inheritance