At St Ippolyts, we want every child to develop a strong understanding of the world around them and see themselves as scientists. Our science curriculum is based on Oak National Academy units of work, which provide a clear sequence and range of resources, but teachers use these flexibly to ensure learning is purposeful, manageable and responsive to the needs of each class.
The curriculum is carefully mapped to the National Curriculum and follows a spiral approach, allowing pupils to revisit, deepen and build on their scientific knowledge and understanding as they progress through the school. Alongside developing scientific knowledge, pupils are taught to work scientifically through meaningful opportunities to ask questions, observe, measure, classify, investigate, record results and draw conclusions.
Practical and enquiry-based learning is an important part of our science curriculum, with investigations selected to develop scientific thinking and help children apply their knowledge in real contexts. Our mixed-age classes mean that teachers carefully consider pupils’ prior learning and adapt teaching to ensure appropriate progression and challenge.
In the EYFS, scientific learning is developed through Understanding the World, with children learning through continuous provision, practical exploration, observation and first-hand experiences of the natural world. Across the school, we aim to nurture children’s curiosity, develop their scientific vocabulary and understanding, and inspire them to recognise the importance of science in their everyday lives and the wider world.
