At Nether Edge Primary School, we are passionate about science and the importance it plays in our pupils’ futures. Our science curriculum is designed to encourage respect for all living things and our planet, and develop pupils’ scientific vocabulary, knowledge and skills in order to prepare pupils to contribute positively to our ever-changing society. We teach pupils to recognize that science is everywhere in the world around them.  

Our science curriculum is broad and balanced and is progressively mapped out from Nursery to Year 6. It is bespoke and planned according to the needs of our school community. We are aligned with National Curriculum and therefore with Bruner’s (1960) spiral curriculum model. Learning, skills and core concepts are revisited throughout the year groups with an increasing complexity to allow for deeper understanding and application of skills. Every lesson begins with our retrieval strategy ‘Remember More’. This is an opportunity to revisit previous learning and for much of the time, when appropriate, this learning will be built upon in that lesson. 

Our curriculum is planned to develop a love of learning whilst acquiring key vocabulary, knowledge and skills. We encourage pupils to ask questions and support them to answer these through the five types of enquiry. We teach pupils the skills to be scientists in everyday life, including predicting, observing, concluding and evaluating. Throughout the year, opportunities to develop pupils’ science capital are planned for. For example, visitors in school talking to pupils about their careers linked to science, environmental walks or other trips and visits. It is important to bring science learning alive for our pupils. 

Science is taught in each of the four cycles across the academic year. Vocabulary, knowledge and working scientifically skills are mapped out to ensure progression as pupils move through each cycle and through school with a system for assessment planned out. Working scientifically is taught within the disciplines of biology, physics and chemistry. 

We make explicit links to mathematical skills, such as data collection and presentation to support the building of schema. Our science reading anthologies are used as a tool to build and deepen knowledge outside of science lessons. These are carefully planned according to the areas of scientific study for that year group, whilst also providing the opportunity to explore surrounding concepts linked to pupils’ interests. 

Pupils at Nether Edge Primary School are passionate and enthusiastic about science. They love learning about the way things work and the world around them and particularly enjoy hands on, practical science lessons centred around scientific enquiry. Children recognise the importance of science in the world and believe in their potential to achieve a career in the field of science, from being a nurse or doctor to working in scientific research.