Science

Science is a body of knowledge built up through experimental testing of ideas. Science is also methodology, a practical way of finding reliable answers to questions we may ask about the world around us. Science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world in which they live through investigation, as well as using and applying process (working scientifically) skills.

We believe that a broad and balanced science education is the entitlement of all children, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, class, aptitude or disability.

Our aims in teaching science include the following.

• Preparing our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world.
• Fostering concern about, and active care for, our environment.
• Helping our children acquire a growing understanding of scientific ideas.
• Helping develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.
• Developing our children’s understanding of the international and collaborative nature of science and the contribution scientists make to our lives.

Attitudes

• Encouraging the development of positive attitudes to science.
• Building on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
• Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and responsibility.
• Building our children’s self-confidence to enable them to work independently.
• Developing our children’s social skills to work cooperatively with others.
• Providing our children with an enjoyable and aspirational experience of science, so that they will develop a deep and lasting interest and may be motivated to study science further.

Skills

• Giving our children an understanding of scientific processes.
• Helping our children to acquire practical scientific skills (working scientifically).
• Developing the skills of investigation - including observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
• Developing the use of scientific language, recording and techniques.
• Developing the use of ICT in investigating and recording.
• Enabling our children to become effective communicators of scientific ideas, facts and data, including pupils using science as a focus in literacy lessons.
• Providing frequent opportunities for pupils to apply mathematical skills in a scientific context.
• Providing frequent opportunities for pupils to apply scientific understanding in a cross-curricular context; for example in design & technology, geography, history and art.