Welcome to our Lydd Primary Science Page!

Children in Year 4 enjoying a fair test enquiry about friction

Intent

At Lydd Primary School, we aim to equip the children with the knowledge, understanding, experiences and skills to become super Scientists! We offer a Science Curriculum that evokes the children’s curiosity, excitement and understanding about the world around them. We encourage the children to ask questions to develop their naturally inquisitive minds so that they further their analytical thinking as they progress though Lydd Primary.

By offering first-hand scientific experiences that reflect the children’s interests from the beginning of their learning journey in EYFS, the children are able to develop their enquiry skills alongside challenging opportunities in KS1 and KS2. We build upon scientific concepts within our Science learning and wish them to become educated citizens of the future with a growth mindset; knowing that there are no limits to their learning and that they can build resilience. Trial and improvement have an important place within Science.  

We intend the children to experience vocabulary rich teaching. We believe this allows them to be equipped with the communication and discussion skills to explore how, why and in addition, understand the uses and implications for Science; from the past, today and in the future. The classroom Science displays reflect the vocabulary for the current topic and are interactive to encourage the correct spelling and use within science work.

The children are able to benefit from school clubs and Whole School Science themed days. This allows the children to see Science in action alongside giving them career aspirations. We are incredibly lucky to have our Blossom Tree Garden area within our school grounds where the children are able to enjoy pond dipping in our pond, plant and flower identification, growing fruit and vegetables and seasonal walks.

Implementation

Teachers at Lydd Primary School create a positive attitude to Science learning within their classrooms and reinforce the expectation that all pupils are capable of achieving high standards in Science. Our whole school approach to teaching and learning in Science is as follows:

Early Years Foundation Stage

Children are taught Science through the key areas set out within the Development Matters document under the strand 'Understanding the World'; following the guidance from the Early Year Statutory Framework. Through a broad range of teacher-led activities, child-initiated activities and continuous provision children will be guided to make sense of their physical world:

• Understand ‘why’ questions, like: “Why do you think the caterpillar got so big?” 
• Make healthy choices about food, drink, activity and toothbrushing. 
• Use all their senses in hands-on exploration of natural materials.
• Describe what they can feel, hear and see whilst outside. 
• Explore collections of materials with similar and/or different properties.
• Talk about what they see, using a wide vocabulary.
• Explore how things work.
• Explore the natural world around them.
• Plant seeds and care for growing plants.
• Understand the key features of the life cycle of a plant and an animal.
• Begin to understand the need to respect and care for the natural environment and all living things.
• Explore and talk about different forces they can feel.
• Talk about the differences between materials and changes they notice.
• Recognise some environments that are different to the one in which they live.
• Understand the effect of the changing seasons on the natural world around them.

Two EYFS children are exploring and talking about the ice that appeared overnight in the tuff spot. 

Key Stage 1 and 2

In Key Stage 1 and 2, Science is taught from the Kent Scheme with supporting resources, in alignment with the guidelines set out in the National Curriculum. It is planned and arranged in topic blocks as a two year rolling programme. These are, where appropriate, linked to the Year group’s overall Topic theme. Children have weekly Science lessons, with teachers following the scheme of work, but adapting lessons where necessary to suit the needs of their class.

Substantive Science (Scientific Knowledge):

Existing knowledge is checked at the beginning of each topic to identify misconceptions and gaps from previous learning. In KS1 and KS2 teachers use Knowledge Organisers to aid pre-learning to enable the children to become familiar with the Key Vocabulary and concepts which will be taught. This also ensures that teaching is informed by the children’s starting points and that it takes account of pupil voice.

Scientific Vocabulary is discovered at the beginning of each new topic through vocabulary activities and RAG rated at the end of a topic to ensure new vocabulary is used, understood and retained by the children.

Disciplinary Science (Working Scientifically):

Children at Lydd Primary enjoy working scientifically, experiencing the five enquiry types as set out below. Problem Solving encompasses a variety of these Enquiry types within challenges, such as the Investigation Unit in Year 6.                                                
                                         

                                                                                                 (Sourced from PSTT)

Within these strands children have the opportunity to develop their scientific skills:

                                                                                                     (Sourced from PSTT)

Children have the opportunity to discover the work of important scientists from a diverse range of cultures, including historical figures of importance and key scientists that are still alive today. This allows the children to practice key research skills and produce an extended piece of writing, to consolidate writing skills and allow for a deeper and broader understanding of how and when to use specific grammar, punctuation and spelling objectives.

Assessment of Science in EYFS, KS1 & KS2 comes in a variety of forms, at the start of the topic where prior learning is assessed and throughout the topic (such as success criteria at lesson level). This ensures misconceptions are addressed and questions or further enquiries can be explored, alongside highlighting examples from the world around us. Parent’s Evenings and End of Year reports give the opportunity for teachers to discuss children’s scientific progress with parents.

Impact

With the implementation of the children’s scientific journey being well established and taught thoroughly throughout the school, children are becoming more knowledgeable and confident scientists and by the time they are in upper Key Stage 2. They gain confidence with their collaborative and independent enquiry skills; articulating their scientific questions, predictions, observations, conclusions, reflections and reasoning clearly; based upon the scientific knowledge that they have gained.

We hope that as children move on from Lydd to further their education and learning, their passion for Science and high aspirations travels with them and continues to grow and develop as they do.