
science
What we say about Science at Dean Bank Primary School
“When I was in Y2, we got to go outside to look at microhabitats and the minibeasts that lived there. This was fun because we saw lots of different creatures and saw how the suited where they lived”- Orani Y3
“At the beginning of every science lesson we answer questions about what we learnt last lesson and in previous topics. This helps me remember everything we have learnt about”- Kieren Y5
“I like it in our science lessons when we get to carry out investigations linked to what we’re learning about because it helps me understand it better” – Harlie Y6
intent
Science provides the opportunity for students to better understand the world around them and to develop a range of skills that can support them throughout their lives. The science curriculum at Dean Bank Primary and Nursery School has been designed in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum. It has also been created to build children’s understanding of key concepts through the careful sequencing of learning, ensuring that knowledge and skills progress as students move through the school. Further to this, key knowledge has been carefully considered to ensure that children are gaining a good understanding of what they are studying without being cognitively overloaded. Learning is planned so that links can be made with prior knowledge so that children can develop secure mental schemas.
As well as learning about key concepts, it is important children are able to work scientifically and that their skills in this area are also progressing throughout school. The curriculum has been planned to ensure that children have many opportunities, through every topic, of working scientifically and engaging with scientific enquiries. Students are able to engage with a range of enquiry types: comparative and fair testing; research using secondary sources; identifying, classifying and grouping; observing over time and pattern seeking. Through engaging with these enquiries children are able to develop their understanding of different processes and understand the kinds of enquiries they are carrying out. Students also develop the ability to use a range of scientific equipment accurately, with teachers modelling their correct use.
Furthermore, to ensure that students are able to develop language skills and vocabulary, as well as applying their mathematical skills, key vocabulary is planned so across the curriculum so children are able to use it in order to explain their understanding of key concepts.
IMPLEMENTATION
Within science, teachers are provided with medium term planning for each term that clearly show the sequence that knowledge and skills should be taught, prior learning to be built upon, key vocabulary, possible misconceptions, activities to impart knowledge and where what they are learning will lead to in the future. Investigations have also been carefully planned to ensure children are able to engage with a range of purposeful enquiries and develop their skills when working scientifically. The focus of teachers is on preparation rather than planning so that they focus their attention on providing high-quality teaching and resources. Teachers will also plan opportunities for retrieval and recall of key knowledge to support children build secure schemas so that they can retain the new knowledge and skills taught.
Science Lessons
Science lessons at Dean Bank should follow a similar pattern in both key stage 1 and 2 in order to ensure consistency and support children in engaging successfully with the subject. In order to support children build secure mental schemas, children should have the opportunity to recall key knowledge and prior learning should be made explicit at the beginning of a lesson. After sharing of the learning objective, the introduction of key vocabulary should also take place to support understanding and manage cognitive overload (some vocabulary may not be shared if it needs to be taught alongside the concept to support understanding).
The example below outlines what a geography lesson at Dean Bank should contain:
- Activation of prior knowledge (this could be quizzes, short activities and teacher-led retrieval)
- Sharing of learning objective
- Vocabulary introduction
- Content teaching
- Tasks
- Mini-plenaries may take place throughout the tasks/lesson
Within science lessons, teachers will also support children to understand the different types of scientific enquiry and the different approaches and skills involved in each. To do this, symbols will be used to indicate the type of enquiry being taken out and children’s attention will be drawn to this to support develop their knowledge of the enquiry types. As children move through the school, they will have more opportunities to identify the enquiry types themselves using the knowledge they have gained in previous years.
Science in EYFS
Science at Foundation Stage is covered in the ‘Understanding the World’ area of the EYFS Curriculum. It is introduced indirectly through activities that encourage every child to explore, problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions and talk about the world around them.
The curriculum is planned to lay the foundations children will need to not only be successful as they move into studying science in key stage one but also in understanding the world around them. Children will have opportunities to explore creatures, people, plants and objects in their natural environments. They will observe and manipulate objects and materials to identify differences and similarities. They will also learn to use their senses and they will make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes. Children will be encouraged to ask questions about why things happen and how things work.
Enquiry Symbols





iMPACT
Teachers will be using formative assessment continually within their teaching and using this to support their teaching and support children to develop the knowledge and skills appropriate. They will then use recall and retrieval activities to support students to retain information and support their own ongoing assessment. Staff will record a student’s progress against the relevant knowledge and skills objectives for the unit on the online ‘Insight’ system. Children will be judged as working towards age-related expectations or working at age-related expectations based on the number of objectives achieved at the given assessment point.
In EYFS, teachers will use the setting’s assessment system to track progress against the prime and specific areas but will also record evidence of children developing key skills and knowledge through the use of seesaw.

science in action
our science ambassadors
Five of our year 5 girls attended science ambassador training. At this training, they were able to carry out a number of experiments and learn about different ways of working scientifically. Also, they developed their presentation skills and learned about the different roles and jobs that involve science and how these roles can be suitable for anyone, no matter gender or background. The science ambassadors will be helping promote science in school and supporting to engage children in school further in subject.