Science at Oldfield
The Science Curriculum at Oldfield follows the National Curriculum, aiming to provide pupils with a strong foundation in scientific knowledge, skills, and understanding of the natural world. It encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and practical investigation while fostering an understanding of the key concepts in biology, chemistry, and physics.
Aims of the Science Curriculum
The curriculum ensures that all pupils:
Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding across biology, chemistry, and physics.
Build an understanding of the nature, processes, and methods of science through practical enquiry and investigation.
Apply their scientific knowledge to understand the uses and implications of science in the real world.
Develop skills in observation, prediction, experimentation, and analysis.
Key Stage 1 (Ages 5-7)
In Key Stage 1, pupils develop their understanding of basic scientific concepts through exploration and observation of the world around them. They focus on:
Plants – Identifying common plants and their basic structure.
Animals, including humans – Understanding the classification of animals, human body parts, and basic needs for survival.
Everyday materials – Recognising and describing materials, their properties, and how they can be changed.
Seasonal changes – Observing and describing weather patterns and day length across the seasons.
Practical Activities: Pupils explore questions such as “What do plants need to grow?” or “How do materials behave when heated or cooled?” through hands-on activities.
Lower Key Stage 2 (Ages 7-9)
In Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4), pupils develop a broader knowledge of scientific ideas, focusing on:
Plants – Investigating plant functions, growth, and life cycles.
Animals, including humans – Studying nutrition, skeletons, muscles, and digestive systems.
Rocks – Comparing and grouping different rocks and understanding fossils.
Light – Recognising how light travels, reflection, and shadows.
Forces and magnets – Exploring magnetic forces, gravity, and simple motion.
States of matter – Understanding solids, liquids, gases, and changes in states.
Upper Key Stage 2 (Ages 9-11)
In Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6), pupils build on their knowledge and deepen their understanding of scientific processes and concepts. They study:
Living things and their habitats – Classifying organisms and exploring life cycles and reproduction.
Animals, including humans – Understanding the circulatory system, diet, exercise, and the impact of lifestyle choices on health.
Properties and changes of materials – Exploring reversible and irreversible changes, solubility, and mixtures.
Earth and space – Learning about the solar system, day and night, and Earth’s movement in space.
Forces – Investigating gravity, friction, air resistance, and mechanisms like levers and pulleys.
Electricity – Constructing circuits, understanding conductors and insulators, and exploring circuit components.
Evolution and inheritance – Learning about adaptation, natural selection, and inherited traits.
Practical Investigations: Pupils conduct experiments such as building circuits, investigating the effects of friction, or observing plant life cycles to develop scientific enquiry skills.
Scientific Enquiry and Skills
Throughout primary school, pupils develop their working scientifically skills, which include:
Asking questions and making predictions.
Conducting experiments and fair tests.
Observing and measuring changes and patterns.
Recording and interpreting data using drawings, charts, and tables.
Communicating results and forming conclusions.
Progression and Integration
The Science Curriculum follows a spiral approach, ensuring that pupils revisit and deepen their understanding of core scientific concepts. Science also links to other subjects such as maths (measuring and data handling), geography (natural processes), and design and technology (applying scientific principles).
By the end of primary school, pupils will have a strong foundation in scientific knowledge, practical skills, and critical thinking, preparing them for further scientific study in Key Stage 3 and beyond. The curriculum equips them to understand and engage with the world around them, fostering curiosity and scientific literacy.