At Park Spring, Science starts in the Early Years (EYFS) where children begin to Know by making sense of the world around them through exploration, observation and talk. Experiences such as visiting Hesketh Farm and meeting owls and guide dogs allow our youngest learners to develop curiosity, wonder and care for living things, helping them to Grow in confidence as young scientists.

From Key Stage One and Two, Science is taught weekly through discrete lessons and enriched through cross-curricular themes when appropriate. Teachers plan engaging, challenging sequences using our progression documents, which clearly identify prior learning, later learning and opportunities to work scientifically. Lessons are delivered through investigative, enquiry-based approaches where children learn through doing, so that they can Thrive as independent, resilient and reflective learners.

Science lessons provide structured opportunities for children to work scientifically, both collaboratively and independently, through:

• pattern spotting
• grouping and classifying
• planning and carrying out comparative tests
• observing changes over time
• using secondary research to build on prior knowledge

We are committed to ensuring that children understand these enquiry skills. In both KS1 and KS2, teachers explicitly and verbally refer to these skills so pupils can recognise, apply and value them in their scientific thinking.

Our curriculum is further enriched through carefully planned hands-on experiences across the school:

• EYFS experience real-life science through visits from owls, guide dogs and their annual trip to Hesketh Farm, supporting their understanding of animals and the natural world.
• Year 1 deepen their knowledge through their weekly Farmer Time link, chatting live with a matched farmer about the journey from farm to fork and the challenges of modern agriculture.
• Year 1 also visit Yorkshire Wildlife Park, applying their learning about animals, habitats and conservation.
• Year 3 become palaeontologists as they carry out their own fossil excavations, developing careful observational and classification skills.
• Year 4 explore the science of sound through a range of musical experiments, investigating how sound travels, how vibrations work and how pitch and volume can be changed.
• Year 5 explore the wonders of space with a visit from the planetarium, bringing complex astronomical concepts to life and helping them deepen their understanding of Earth and space.
• Year 6 investigate invisible life through a microbe search, building strong foundations in biology and scientific inquiry.

Children also learn about a diverse range of scientists, past and present, to understand the significance of scientific discovery and to inspire the next generation of thinkers, problem-solvers and innovators.

During Science Week, we aim to spark even greater curiosity. Pupils are encouraged to ask their own questions, test their own ideas and discover answers through hands-on experimentation—ensuring they Grow, Know and Thrive as young scientists.

At the start of each topic, teachers plan a pre-unit activity such as a mind-map or vocabulary grid to assess knowledge and skills. Knowledge organisers are also provided at the start of each topic. Children then show their learning from the unit in a post task assessment. Children’s work in science is assessed through teacher judgements as we observe children working scientifically, asking questions and through marking their written work. Teacher judgements for each child are then recorded on a science tracker to enable teachers to make accurate judgements at the end of each key stage.

Science LTP

List of Scientists

National Curriculum for Science