Science
Throughout their time at St Anne’s, children are taught all objectives set out in the National Curriculum for Science.
At St. Anne’s, our science curriculum encourages children to be curious about the world around them. When developing an understanding of science, children learn much more than basic scientific principles. The study of science helps to harness the natural wonder and imagination of a child as well as learning about and appreciating God’s wonderful world.
Our science teaching ensures children learn in an environment which encourages them to ask questions, persuades them to find answers and prepares them for a lifetime of exploration and discovery. We follow the Developing Experts scheme which the children really enjoy.
"Learning science is like opening a door to a whole new world."
Lotti KS2
"I am a scientist and I love to find out about things. I do lots of experiments like putting white flowers into food colouring. I waited all night and they changed colour. They drank all the coloured water."
Charlie Reception
Children develop the following scientific enquiry skills:
- Questioning - asking scientific questions, which can be investigated, tested or researched
- Observing and measuring using science equipment
- Planning enquiries recognising and controlling variables where necessary
- Identifying and classifying recognising similarities and differences
- Gathering and recording data using scientific diagrams and labels, tables, scatter graphs, graphs
- Reporting on and presenting findings from enquiries, including concluding, identifying causal relationships and explaining whether the results are reliable
- Analysing evidence to conclude recognising when scientific evidence supports their ideas and that some scientific ideas change and develop over time
- Research skills discovering information to answer their scientific questions.
Children will revisit previous scientific knowledge and skills throughout their time at school. This allows them to build upon previous learning and to consolidate their knowledge and skills. Children are encouraged to ask questions, investigate their theories and make informed decisions, based on evidence.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children begin their scientific journey by developing their skills of observation and prediction through guided games and play. We encourage children to question how and why the world around them works.
Children are given the space and freedom to develop and test their own theories, as well as being led in teacher-initiated experimentation and learning.
As they progress through the key stages, children develop their investigation skills and study increasingly complex scientific ideas.
"We learn about how our body works by exercising and recording our heart rate."
Nina KS2
Scientific study forms a large part of children’s learning during Key Stage 1. We use various methods to measure and assess children’s understanding of areas we have covered, which enables us to identify particular focus areas for individual children and ensure that each child’s needs are met.
Children are taught topic-based science, (E.g., Plants, Animals, Weather) allowing them to form a broad and sound foundation from which to build on.
By the end of Key Stage 2, children will have experienced the process of scientific enquiry; whereby they have created their own scientific questions and planned/carried out their own investigations to answer them. Practical, hands-on experience is paramount and as we move through their learning, children begin to develop a sound understanding of scientific principles and vocabulary.