'Science is like magic but real.' Arthur. C. Clarke

At Heartwood, we encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at the school and beyond. In science, like all subjects we mirror our Heartwood Vision.  We aim to grow curious minds with a thirst for knowledge and responsible minds that always want to Make a Difference locally and globally.

The Science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. We believe science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes.

Throughout the programmes of study, the children will acquire and develop the key substantive and disciplinary knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group. The key knowledge identified by each year group is informed by the national curriculum and builds towards identified phase ‘end points’ in accordance with NC expectations.

Key skills (procedural knowledge) are also mapped for each year group and are progressive throughout the school. These too ensure systematic progression to identified skills end points which are in accordance with the Working Scientifically skills expectations of the national curriculum.

The curriculum is designed to ensure that children are able to acquire key scientific knowledge through practical experiences; using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently. Cross curricular opportunities are also identified, mapped and planned to ensure contextual relevance. Children are encouraged to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings and a love of science is nurtured through a whole school ethos and a varied science curriculum.

How do we teach Science?

Science is about exploring, finding out, testing and immersing themselves in the world around us. Our science curriculum is hands-on to enable children to fully explore and understand. This also promotes oracy and enables them to embed the key knowledge and skills and apply to different contexts. 

In early years and year 1 the children learn about science through their environment, investigation and linked within wider questions and themes. 

In Year 2-6, pupils have weekly science lessons, some discrete and some linked within wider questions and themes- closely plated with geography.

Planned knowledge and vocabulary drives the learning. Children are enriched with vocabulary and given planned opportunities to apply knowledge learned. We stimulate the children's curiosity in order for then to engage in learning and create future scientists. 

Science is taught as a discrete subject and as units to promote in-depth teaching. 

We have a strong focus on scientific enquiry and the different elements of this to test the knowledge we have acquired, this transfers to procedural knowledge. We have a progressive report writing plan in place from Nursery- KS3 to prepare children for science at secondary. This has been developed partnership with TNHA. 

Our science curriculum builds up from Nursery to prepare the children for KS3 at secondary school. The children learn science through these main concepts:

-working scientifically 

-animals, living things and their habitats 

-humans

-materials 

-plants 

-seasons 

-physics

Retrieval 

Children need know more, remember more and be an able to do more, this needs to be embedded into the long-term memory. We embed retrieval practice to ensure that the children have a secure understanding of the most important science concepts, this enables them to build in prior learning to connect concepts and to avoid potential misconceptions. 

Enrichment 

Our wonderful forest school provides a strong provision for children to have hands on learning and experiences for science. 

Each class has a growing bed where they grow and nurture plants and vegetables. They progressively learn about what plants need to grow and parts of the plant. 

We have Studio lab which the children use to work scientifically- lab coats, test tubes and goggles galore! 

Scientific Enquiry Types 

Scientific Enquiry describes the processes and skills pupils should be taught and use, to find out more about the world and how it works. It also includes the methods of enquiry and the NC encourages pupils to use a variety of (and most appropriate) approaches to answer their questions. These are built in across the science curriculum journey. 

These types of scientific enquiry include: 

We enhance learning experiences through trips and visitors:

Making a Difference 

Our children are given the scientific knowledge, understanding and vocabulary to apply to other contexts. The sustainable development goals inspire and guide this approach. The Oxfam Global Citizenship curriculum of knowledge, understanding and skills compliment this, equipping our children with the tools to make a difference locally and globaly- with a wider understanding of their impact beyond their local town. We have been awarded the Eco School's flag and Global Neighbour's awards for the children's hard work and impact. 

Learning about materials and their properties informs the children about the potential impact these have on our planet and how they can protect it through responsible consumption and recycling. They take social action through many ways, one example is reducing the use of plastic bags and creating and selling canvas bags to the community as a more sustainable option. 

Applying their knowledge of growth the children learn about sustainable development and growing their own produce.

The in-depth study on animals and humans is applied to a wider context of what these mammals need to survive and how some actions of humans prevent this ie. deforestation, global warming and over fishing. 

Our Science Ambassadors are children who have been identified as having a talent or interest in science to nurture. Their aim is to share their passion and love of science with others and support the science subject leader and teaching staff to implement the best science curriculum possible.  

Their role includes supporting their class science sessions, displays, contributing and looking at the science floor books across the school and planning science enrichment activities which they will lead. 

Their role has included attending a science club and the Royal Norfolk Show with fellow peers who have an interest in science. 

National Curriculum 

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

In the EYFS, science is included within the Understanding the World area of learning. As with other learning in Reception, your child will mainly learn about science through games and play – which objects float and sink during water play, for example. Activities such as these will help your child to develop important skills such as observation, prediction and critical thinking.

The Nicholas Hamond Academy 

Our curriculum is designed to prepare the children for the next stages in their education in each subject. Our curriculum map plans to support the declarative and procedural knowledge needed for the children to access and thrive in science in KS3

TNHA Science Curriculum KS3

TNHA Science Curriculum KS4

Implementation 

We plan for elements of Science to be taught and applied in the Forest school, creating real-life experiences.