Science

Science teaching at Parklands ET Primary School aims to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to enable them to think scientifically, gain an understanding of scientific processes and understand the uses and implications of science today and for the future.

At Parklands we follow the carefully designed, sequential White Rose Science Curriculum, to ensure full coverage, development of skills and progression of knowledge. Our science curriculum is designed to help pupils thrive and develop a sense of curiosity about the world around them. Science is happening all around us and provides answers to many of the world’s questions.

A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They develop the understanding of how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave and analyse causes. Scientific enquiry skills are embedded throughout the curriculum.

A key component of the White Rose Science Curriculum is that the skills and knowledge are planned progressively to build upon prior learning during the pupil’s time at Parklands ET Primary. This enables each child to become an independent learner and explore possible answers for scientific based questions.

By the end of their time at Parklands our Year 6 scientists will have built up a body of knowledge which will enable them to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring around them, predict how things will behave and analyse causes. They will recognise the power of a rational explanation and be able to articulate scientific concepts clearly and precisely using accurate technical terminology. Scientific learning experiences will have developed an excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena and the world around them. This will prompt the asking of their own questions and the use of the relevant skills needed to work out and explain their answers. They will have an understanding that scientific ideas change and develop over time and how this has and continues to change our lives and futures. This full and rounded understanding of the world around them will impact their lives, influencing the choices that they make so that through their actions they are able to make the world a better place.

Early Years

At Parklands, the children love learning about their environment right from the Early Years Foundation Stage. They begin by looking at their school environment and noticing patterns and changes. They begin to make observations of animals and plants and discuss why changes occur. They will develop an understanding of living things, growth and change over time. Additionally, they will begin to identify properties of materials and suggest some of the purposes they are used for.

Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1, children explore the world around them and expand on their natural curiosity through asking scientific questions and using observation and simple tests to find answers. Children learn how to plan simple investigations and how to interpret collected data to answer science questions. The White Rose science schemes follow a ‘small-steps’ approach. Each topic is broken down into logical blocks, which in turn break down into a series of small steps. Each step builds on the last.

Lower Key Stage 2

In Lower Key Stage Two, children will continue to gain an understanding of the world around them: becoming independent thinkers who ask questions and seek answers. Building on the skills developed in KS1, children continue to ask relevant questions and begin to use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them. They will learn to set up simple, practical tests to answer these questions and make systematic and careful observations. They will begin to use results to draw simple conclusions, make reasonable predictions, suggest improvements and ask further questions.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Upper Key Stage 2, children deepen their previous learning and gain a strong understanding of the world around them. Themes within science topics are revisited and developed with the children, building on prior knowledge and developing scientific enquiry skills as well as confidently using a range of specialist vocabulary. They will ask questions based on their knowledge and observations and use different types of scientific enquiry to answer them. They will be able to use a range of scientific equipment to take accurate measurements and record their results. Additionally, they will use test results to make predictions and set up further comparative and fair tests. In addition to recording and presenting their own findings, they will begin to identify scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.