Science at Rosedale Primary School should be fully inclusive for all children. We work hard to make lessons as interactive as possible and encourage our children to make predictions, observe first hand, then make conclusions about what we have seen. We plan for an investigation each half term, because we recognise how children remember much more by being able to participate fully and experiencing first hand. Failing the first time is something we encourage as in science, every day new discoveries are made by continuing to try, making mistakes and using what we already know about something to apply in a different way. Our planning enables the children to develop scientific language and questioning skills.
We aim to foster a love of science, inspire a curiosity and fascination about the natural and man-made world, a respect for those that live and grow in it, and respect the natural environment for the rest of their lives. We intend to achieve this by teaching science every week. Booking where appropriate educational visits as well as enrichment days and activities to support Science week.
For Planning and implementation in science lessons we use the CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership) materials. These materials have a focus on teaching the knowledge for each subject and support for the children to learn the key facts.
Our science topics are taught in blocks and build upon children's prior knowledge. The table shows the order of topics.
Year Group | Autumnn | Spring | Summer |
EYFS |
Ourselves |
Moving Toys |
Plants Minibeasts (N) Habitats (R) |
Year 1 |
Materials |
Animals, including Humans |
Seasonal Change Plants |
Year 2 |
Materials |
Keeping Healthy |
Plants Animals, including Humans |
Year 3 |
Plants Rocks |
Forces and Magnets |
Animals, including Humans Light and Shadows |
Year 4 |
Electricity Sound |
Living Things and their Habitats |
Animals, including Humans States of Matter |
Year 5 |
Materials Forces |
Living Things and their Habitats | Space |
Year 6 |
Light Electricity |
Living Things and their Habitats |
Evolution Animals, including Humans |
Within science lessons we strive to create a supporting and collaborative ethos for learning by providing as many hands on practical experiments as possible giving children ample opportunities to question, investigate and discover answers for themselves as they think scientifically. Our science topics take into account children's prior knowledge and skills and builds upon concepts previously taught using Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction to recall prior knowledge and make links with new learning.
The impact of the curriculum is measured in the following ways