At Adderley Primary School, we aim to nurture pupils’ natural curiosity about the world around them. Science provides a unique opportunity to connect practical experiences with engaging ideas, making learning accessible and exciting for all pupils. By developing and evaluating explanations through experimental evidence and scientific modelling, pupils gain a deep understanding of how scientific ideas shape technological advancements, industry, business, and medicine—ultimately improving quality of life.
Beyond scientific knowledge, pupils are encouraged to recognise the cultural and historical significance of science and its worldwide development. Learning to question, investigate, and discuss science-based issues is essential in fostering critical thinking, improving spoken vocabulary, and deepening pupils’ understanding of how science influences their lives, society, and the future of our planet.
Science at Adderley Primary School is taught through the Cornerstones Curriculum and Love to Investigate (LTI) investigations, providing pupils with an enriching and hands-on learning experience.
You can view our Science Curriculum Map here.
Intent
At Adderley Primary School, we encourage a spirit of inquiry and exploration, ensuring pupils remain inquisitive throughout their education and beyond. Our Science curriculum promotes awe and curiosity about the universe while instilling respect for both living and non-living elements of the world. Science is more than just facts; it encompasses knowledge acquisition, concept development, investigative skills, and positive attitudes.
Our curriculum is coherently sequenced to ensure pupils engage in a broad, balanced, and progressive learning journey from EYFS to Key Stage 2. Pupils develop key scientific knowledge and skills through a carefully structured programme that builds on prior learning, allowing for deeper understanding and application over time.
We provide pupils with opportunities for systematic investigations that encourage them to:
- Ask and answer meaningful scientific questions.
- Explain natural phenomena based on observations and experiments.
- Predict how things behave and analyse the causes of scientific occurrences.
By immersing pupils in scientific vocabulary, we enhance their ability to articulate ideas and engage in informed discussions. Through practical investigations and outdoor learning, pupils strengthen their scientific enquiry skills, linking theory to real-world experiences.
We are committed to ensuring all pupils, including SEND, disadvantaged, and Pupil Premium children, receive an inclusive and engaging science education that supports their individual needs while fostering a lifelong love of science.
Implementation
To ensure high-quality Science teaching and learning, we follow a coherently sequenced and progressive curriculum throughout the school. Teachers work collaboratively to plan engaging lessons that meet the requirements of:
- The National Curriculum Programmes of Study for Science (KS1 and KS2).
- ‘Understanding the World’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Key Features of Science Teaching at Adderley:
- Science is taught weekly—two hours in KS2 and one hour in KS1.
- Where possible, Science lessons are linked to cross-curricular topics, reinforcing learning through real-world applications.
- Science lessons are practical and investigative, encouraging pupils to develop their enquiry skills through hands-on learning.
- Regular learning walks, observations, and pupil voice feedback ensure high-quality provision and pupil progress.
Our Science Curriculum Aims to:
✅ Prepare pupils for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world.
✅ Develop an understanding of scientific processes and methods.
✅ Encourage curiosity by building on pupils’ natural inquisitiveness.
✅ Foster open-mindedness, perseverance, and self-assessment in scientific exploration.
✅ Teach and reinforce scientific skills such as observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, and evaluating.
✅ Promote the use of scientific vocabulary, recording techniques, and digital technologies in investigations.
✅ Create meaningful cross-curricular links between Science and subjects such as English, Maths, Geography, and Computing.
✅ Embed ‘Working Scientifically’ skills into every lesson, ensuring progression from EYFS to Year 6.
Enrichment & Wider Opportunities
To extend and enhance Science learning, pupils have access to a wide range of enrichment activities, including:
- Investigative Science Days – Hands-on activities to explore key scientific concepts.
- Live Science Demonstrations – Opportunities to witness science in action.
- Educational Visits & Trips – Visits to science museums, nature reserves, and STEM workshops.
- Guest Speakers & Workshops – Professionals from the scientific community inspiring pupils with real-world applications of science.
- Annual Science Week – A school-wide celebration where pupils engage in themed scientific challenges and off-timetable projects.
- Outdoor Learning & Eco Initiatives – Encouraging environmental responsibility through scientific enquiry.
At Adderley Primary School, we empower pupils to take ownership of their learning, fostering independent thinking and scientific literacy. Through progressive skill development, engaging lessons, and real-world applications, we ensure all pupils leave primary school with a strong scientific foundation and the confidence to explore the world around them.