Science

At All Saints Primary School, Datchworth, we recognise the importance of science in every aspect of daily life. We aim to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and to develop scientific skills as a process of enquiry. We promote a natural curiosity and respect for living organisms and the physical environment, as well as providing opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence.

In conjunction with the aims of the National Curriculum, our science teaching offers opportunities for children to:

have an enjoyable experience of science in order to encourage an enthusiasm for scientific learning and discovery.
develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding.
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
have equal access to the science curriculum (More Able and Special Educational Needs).
begin to develop the skills relevant to scientific enquiry; investigation, observation, prediction, fair testing and recording (in appropriate ways).
foster an appreciation for the ‘awe and wonder’ of the environment.
develop safe working practises and a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own, and other children’s safety.
work both independently and collaboratively.
equip themselves with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science in their everyday life, today and for the future.
use a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner, including I.C.T., diagrams, graphs and charts.

Our children have weekly lessons in Science throughout Key Stage 1 and 2. Our science curriculum is a spiral curriculum where some areas of learning are repeated, knowledge and skills are further developed, and prior learning is built upon.

In Early years, scientific exploration and knowledge is mainly captured within the Early Learning Goals of ‘The Natural World’ as part of the ‘Understanding the World’ area of learning.

Additional opportunities are provided in science throughout the school, such as field work using our wildlife garden and local area, educational visits or workshops linked to the science curriculum, e.g. Setpoint workshops, Science museum etc. and participation in British Science Week each year.

We endeavour to ensure that the Science curriculum we provide will give children the confidence and motivation to continue to further develop their skills and curiosity into the next stage of their education and life experiences.