At Denmead Infant School we believe that a high quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science is fundamental to our modern lives, it has shaped our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity.
All children are taught essential knowledge, methods, processes and uses of everyday science. Through building up this key foundational knowledge and concepts, they are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They are encouraged to think like a Scientist – understanding how science is used to explain what is occurring, predicting how things will behave, and analysing causes and effects.
Science in our school develops 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 skills. Staff ensure all children have access to high quality teaching and learning experiences, allowing them to explore their outdoor environment and locality, thus developing their scientific enquiry and investigative skills. They are immersed in scientific vocabulary, which aids their knowledge and understanding not only of the topic they are studying, but of the world around them.
We provide all children with a broad and balanced science curriculum that inspires and generates their enthusiasm for the subject.
At Denmead Infant School we believe that through enquiry-based learning children are provided with rich learning experiences that help them to acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas. Science helps to facilitate and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. In Key Stage 1, we follow the Programmes of Study in the National Curriculum and in Year R, our provision for Science falls within the Educational Programme for the Understanding the World in Development Matters.
Our curriculum ensures that our children’s substantive and disciplinary knowledge is built upon year on year. They gain a deeper understanding by referring to what has already been taught – making connections with the new learning taking place.
Science teaching at Denmead Infant School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all children’s needs. Science is linked to class projects but is also taught as discrete units and lessons where needed, to ensure clarity and coverage. We build on our children’s natural curiosity and develop their scientific skills though an enquiry-based approach. We teach children the attitudes of open-mindedness, self-assessment and perseverance and they learn the skills of critical thinking through observation, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
The use of scientific language is planned and taught across all year groups and a range of recording methods and techniques are progressive and build on previous experiences. It is important that children connect previous knowledge to new learning.
In order to ensure equity and high quality outcomes for children, our approaches to learning are sensitive to the needs of them all, especially those who are vulnerable. We use a range of flexible and responsive teaching strategies, alongside effective assessment to ensure all children receive the support and challenge they need to be successful.
