Science

Intent

At Hormead, we are proud to have recognised for the quality of Science teaching and learning we provide our children. In 2021, we were awarded the Silver Primary Science Quality Mark.

Our Science curriculum aims to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about the natural world and an understanding of how science contributes to our past, present and future. We want pupils to develop a secure knowledge of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, but also to adopt a broad range of skills whilst working scientifically, loving learning and making connections.  

Our curriculum aims to encourage critical thinking and empower pupils to question the how’s and whys of the world around them. Our child-led investigations ensure that they develop scientific enquiry skills, such as:

• observing over time;
• pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping;
• comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations);
• researching using secondary sources.

Our Hormead Science curriculum aligns with the National Curriculum and has been carefully planned and sequenced to enable all pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the national curriculum. Work is inclusive and meaningful, so all pupils experience the joy of science and make links between their science learning in school and their lives outside of the classroom. Studying science allows children to appreciate how new knowledge and skills can be useful in the wider community and the world. 

We aim to promote:
A strong focus on developing knowledge alongside scientific skills across the three threads of science Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

• Curiosity and excitement about familiar and unknown observations.
• Challenging misconceptions 
• Continuous progression by building on practical and investigative skills throughout the entire curriculum. 
• Critical thinking, with the ability to ask perceptive questions and explain and analyse evidence.
• Development of scientific literacy using wide-ranging, specialist vocabulary. 
• Building positive relationships through collaborative work.

Science Knowledge Organisers

Subject leaders have prepared knowledge organisers for each unit of work, to help children know and remember more; the 'sticky' knowledge of each topic. Each document contains the essential knowledge and vocabulary that children will need to know as part of the new topic they will be studying in class. These Knowledge Organisers are designed to be used at home by parents and in class to help children learn the information contained within. We want every pupil to be able to recall the information on these sheets off by heart by the end of the topic.

The latest teaching research has found that it is important to keep revisiting the information that has already been learned in previous weeks to keep it fresh in the memory.  We are confident that these Knowledge Organisers will help our children to develop knowledge on a wide range of topics and will significantly improve their vocabulary. This in turn will make them more confident in class and help them to develop their reading and writing skills.