SCIENCE
What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking through a keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying to know what’s going on.
Jacques Yves Cousteau
Holmesdale’s primary science curriculum aims to deliver every child’s knowledge and understanding of the incredible world of science by fostering their natural excitement and curiosity through inclusive and meaningful learning experiences. We want every child, regardless of their starting point or background to make excellent academic progress in science through a strong focus on developing knowledge alongside scientific skills, across biology, chemistry and physics. Studying science at Holmesdale school encourages children to appreciate how scientific understanding can be fundamental to solving arising global challenges, such as climate change.
An emphasis on practical scientific activity supports children to understand the world in which they live and so thrive in STEM subjects throughout their learning journey. We have identified 3 ‘big ideas’ that run through our science curriculum; Cause and Effect, Change and Structure & Functions and these threads run through the year groups. Drawing on their own experiences and natural curiosity, children are encouraged to regularly observe, study, question, plan, investigate and experiment, developing their skills progressively from EYFS to the end of year 2.
Our primary curriculum helps children to step into their greatness through:
- ‘Siezing the science wonder!’
- Enabling critical thinking and empowering questioning
- Developing knowledge alongside scientific skills
- Challenging misconceptions and demystifying truths
- Understanding and using a wide range of specialist, scientific vocabulary
- Carefully planned opportunities to re-visit knowledge and deepen understanding
- Understanding the influence of the science community from past and present
As with all areas of our curriculum, we have drawn on research evidence to shape our teaching and learning pedagogy. For more information, please see our Greensand Pace Model.
What the children have said about science at Holmesdale
"I like learning science because I can figure out lots of things".
"I enjoyed the scientist."
"I know the seasons."
"I like learning how to make stuff."
"I like experiments, seeing how it works."
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