At Hampstead Parochial, we believe that through the study of Science we can encourage our children to be curious and question the world around them and help them to explore and understand how it works.
The journey starts in Early Years with Knowledge and Understanding of the World. This is built upon by using the units of work set out in the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. These units are carefully considered to ensure that learning builds sequentially from one year group to the next and a carefully mapped out progression of skills ensures the children are continuously deepening their learning.
Each term, every class starts a new science unit – sometimes these units are split across the year in order to benefit from the time of year (for instance learning about ‘seasons’ in Year 1).
At the start of a unit, a knowledge harvest is gathered so that children start thinking about what they might already know on a topic and what they have previously learnt. Our Science teaching then develops their knowledge and vocabulary through investigations and practical experiments.
By working scientifically the children are given opportunities to ask and answer questions through different types of enquiry which include: making observations over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing; and research using secondary sources.
Children are given opportunities to enrich their scientific learning both in and out of school. From our own small garden inhabited by plants and ‘mini beasts’; to visits from scientists from the Francis Crick Institute carrying out investigative workshops; to benefiting from our local surroundings – from Hampstead Heath Education Centre to Kew Gardens, the Royal Observatory Greenwich and many more.
