Science at St Bede’s…

“Science is magic that works” – Kurt Vonnegut 

At St Bede’s we deliver a high-quality science curriculum that provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. All pupils are taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

The National Curriculum for Science aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics  
  • develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them  
  • are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Our Science curriculum provides children with both scientific knowledge and skills, this includes:

Substantive knowledge -this is the subject knowledge and explicit vocabulary used to learn about scientific content. 

 Disciplinary knowledge – this is knowing how to collect, use, interpret, understand and evaluate the evidence from scientific processes. We call it ‘Working Scientifically.’

Scientific analysis – this is identifying and classifying, pattern seeking, research, observing over time, fair and comparative testing. We call it ‘Thinking Scientifically.’ 

Substantive concepts- the teaching of concrete examples, such as ‘plant’ or more abstract ideas, such as ‘biodiversity’. Concepts are taught through explicit vocabulary instruction as well as through the direct content and context of the study.

KEY STAGE 1 

In KS1, our pupils study:

  • Seasons including conceptual understanding of how day becomes night. 
  • Changes over time.
  • Animals, including humans. 
  • Identifying and classifying materials. 
  • Living things and their habitats.
  • Uses of everyday materials.

LOWER KEY STAGE 2 

In lower KS2, our pupils study:

  • Rocks
  • Animals, including humans
  • Forces and magnets
  • Plants 
  • Living things and their habitats.
  •  Electricity
  • States of matter
  • Sound

UPPER KEY STAGE 2 

In upper KS2 our pupils study:

  • Properties and changes of materials
  • Animals including humans
  • Earth in space
  • Forces
  • Living things and their habitats
  • Light
  • Electricity
  • Evolution and inheritance