The Curriculum Leader for science is: Mr R Hunt
Our aim at Redstart is to engage children in science at a young age, encouraging lots of practical activities and scientific questioning and reasoning. By the end of Year 6, children should have the confidence to ask and answer questions for themselves using a variety of enquiry techniques. They should be able to use and explain the meaning of key vocabulary that will support them to find out about the world around them.
In line with the National Curriculum we intend to:
Displayed principles of teaching science at Redstart for parents/visitors:
Science at Redstart is mostly taught weekly in half-termly units of work. However, occasionally, teachers may choose to block a unit into a science week or day if it is felt that this would achieve higher outcomes due to the time of the year/resources/investigations planned etc. When appropriate a science unit will be taught as the main topic for that half term e.g. ‘Electric shocks’ in Year 4 or ‘Earth and Space’ in Year 5. Science teaching is also supported by our Forest School initiative, with each class taking their learning outside for a whole day once a fortnight. Class teachers and Forest School leaders liaise to facilitate this.
In order to ensure that children develop their knowledge systematically and broadly Redstart has a year by year plan of science topics covering biological, physical and chemical branches:
| Animals(inc humans) | Plants, living things and habitats | Rocks/states of matter/materials | Light and sound | Forces and magnets | Electricity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yr 1 | Label animal and human body
Senses and relevant organ Growing |
Plants
Structure of flowers, trees etc Seasonal changes |
Materials
Classify by basic properties, identify and name wood, rock, paper, plastic, glass, metal etc |
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| Yr 2 | Basic needs for life, offspring to adult
Super-food Importance of exercise, food and hygiene |
Plants
Need for water, light and temperature Seeds and bulbs to plant Habitats Living, dead, never alive |
Changing materials
Identify and compare suitability of above Squash, bend, stretch, twist etc |
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| Yr 3 | Food and nutrition
Skeletons and muscles Teeth |
Parts of flowering plants
Plants requirements Water movement in plants Life cycle of flowering plants |
Different types of rocks and their properties
Fossils Soil |
Reflection, light and dark
Sun is dangerous Shadows |
Effect of surface on movement
Force by contact vs magnetic force Magnets, poles and materials Attracting and repelling |
|
| Yr 4 | Digestive system
Food chains Teeth |
Classification of living things
Environmental change – dangers to life |
Solids, liquids and gases
Changes caused by heating and cooling Water cycle, condensation, evaporation |
How sound is made
Vibration, Pitch Effect of distance on sound Correlation between volume and vibrations |
Circuits with bulbs, buzzers, batteries etc
Pictorial representations Create simple electric devices |
|
| Yr 5 | Changes through ages up to old age | Differing life cycles of mammal, amphibian, insect, bird
Describe process of reproduction in some plants and animals |
Properties of materials (hardness, transparency etc)
Dissolving and solutions Separation by filtering, sieving, evaporating Fair tests Reversible changes & irreversible changes |
EARTH AND SPACE
Sun, moon and planets – the solar system |
Gravity, effect of
Air resistance, water resistance and friction The mechanics of Levers, pulleys and gears |
|
| Yr 6 | Circulation system
Impact of diet, exercise, drugs etc How humans and animals transport nutrients |
Changes in living things, fossils
Offspring and change Adaptation, evolution Classification, reasons for and methods of |
Light travels in straight lines
Light sources and reflected light How we see Shadows |
Circuits with bulbs, buzzers, batteries etc
Using conventional symbols to represent a circuit Create simple electric devices |
Statements taken from:
Science programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2, National curriculum in England (2013) DFE
Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (2017) DFE
| EYFS | KS1 | Lower KS2 | Upper KS2 | |
| Plan | choose the resources they need for their chosen activities and say when they do or don’t need help | ask simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways | ask relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests |
plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary |
| Do | know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things
make observations of animals and plants explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. select and use technology for particular purposes |
observe closely, using simple equipment
perform simple tests identify and classify |
make systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, take accurate measurements using standard units, use a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers | take measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate |
| Record | represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories | gather and record data to help in answering questions. | gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
record findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables |
record data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs |
| Review | talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another
explain why some things occur and talk about changes |
use their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions | report on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions
use results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes use straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings |
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 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 |
The impact of science at Redstart is seen in a number of ways.
This will be evidenced from:
Records of these are kept in subject leader files and on the school drive.
