Science Intent

The high-quality science teaching at Shrivenham C of E Primary School provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Science National Curriculum Aims

• By the end of Key stage 1, pupils should be taught to:

• ask 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
• gather and record data to help in answering questions.

• By the end of Key stage 2, pupils should be taught to:

• plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
• take measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
• record data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs
• use test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
• report and present findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and a degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
• identify scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments