‘To nurture talent and achievement in everyone and build the foundations for success in the 21st Century'
Science enables the children to learn and discover more about the world in which they live. We harness the child’s natural curiosity to find out about the environment through first-hand experiences, investigations and observations. This is followed by the development of a child’s ability to communicate and record his/her findings.
Our varied school grounds including our woodland area and our pond are an important resource and provide a stimulating environment in which children can learn.
Children in the foundation stage (Nursery and Reception) are encouraged to explore the world around them. As part of the Early Learning Goal Understanding the World, children learn about the environment and living things. Children explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment. Through talk and discussions, children begin to develop the skills to compare places, objects, materials and living things. Features and variations in local and the wider environment are discussed and children make observations of animals, plants and explain why some things occur and change.
During years 1 and 2, pupils are taught to use practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content. These include:
- asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways
- observing closely, using simple equipment
- performing simple tests
- identifying and classifying
- using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
- gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.
Year 1 objectives are taken from the New National Curriculum
Plants
- identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees
- identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees.
Animals, including humans
- identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
- identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores
Everyday materials
- distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock
- describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials
- compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties.
Seasonal Changes
- observe changes across the four seasons
- observe and describe weather associated with the seasons and how day length varies.
Year 2 objectives are taken from the New National Curriculum and build on many of the skills learnt in Year 1
Living things and their habitats
- explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive
- identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other
- identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including microhabitats
- describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food.
Plants
- observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants
- find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy.
Animals, including humans
- notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults
- find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air)
- describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of different types of food, and hygiene.
Uses of everyday materials
- identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses
- find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.