Vision 

Our vision for our children is for them to be inspired to be life-long scientists by developing a curiosity for finding out about the world around them. Through high-quality, engaging lessons, themed days and offsite visits, children will develop the key aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.   

Our children believe that:  

“We explore and find out about the world around us so that we can become life-long scientists.” 

“Science isn’t about being smart, it’s about trying your best.” 

How is our curriculum unique to St Mark’s? 

At St Mark’s, we believe that understanding how our energy is powered and its effect on the environment is imperative for both children’s education and their futures. Children therefore learn about the impact of Hinkley Point on our everyday lives and the environment. We want to ensure that children are aware of where the future of electricity is going and the relative locality of the station to where the children live.  

In our science curriculum we maximise the opportunity to explore our local area by learning about how the moon causes the tide to change. Having a focused study on Weston-super-Mare incorporates a familiar setting into their learning experience. By ensuring the children have relevance in their curriculum, children are then able to link their learning to real-life experiences.  

At the end of Year 6 our children will be able to: 

• Use enquiry skills to explore and answer questions to find out about the world around them. 

• Understand that scientific concepts change as new evidence comes to light (people are always investigating new scientific ideas.) 

• Create their own hypotheses based on prior knowledge and curiosity. 

• Explain the 5 scientific enquiry types and confidently know when and how to use them to investigate hypotheses. 

• Know that science is all around us. 

What does it mean to be a scientist? 

Science can connect us to the world around us. It can help us to understand how the world works. As Scientists, we are investigators, asking questions about how and why ideas work and exploring this through 5 different enquiry types. We compare and fair test. We are researchers and observers. We pattern-seek and we identify, group and classify. We use these to problem solve and answer the questions that we have raised about the world.  

Studying science can lead to a wide range of STEM career opportunities including, researcher, archaeologist, chemist, doctor, vet, engineer and even a pilot! We use science in everything that we do and so the possibilities are endless.  

Our curriculum 

We use a variety of teaching styles in science lessons.  Our principal aim is to develop children’s  knowledge, skills, and understanding.  Sometimes, we do this through whole-class teaching, while  at other times, we engage the children in an enquiry-based research activity.  We encourage the  children to ask, as well as answer, scientific questions.  They have the opportunity to use a variety  of data, such as statistics, graphs, pictures, and photographs. They use ICT in science lessons   

where it enhances their learning. They take part in role-play and discussions, and they present  reports to the rest of the class. They engage in a wide variety of problem-solving activities.  Wherever possible, we involve the pupils in real scientific activities, such as investigating a local  environmental problem or carrying out a practical experiment and analysing the results.  

All science lessons focus on two learning objectives, a working scientifically objective, specifically  focusing on skills needing to be taught and a knowledge objective. Children are also taught the  importance of why specific skills are taught alongside the knowledge.   

Children have the opportunity to lead their science investigations through post-it note planning.  Children plan their investigation in small groups or as a whole class by discussing possible enquiry  questions and variables that they could change. The children gain valuable vocabulary through  carrying out these investigations.   

Science forms a part of our school project approach. Children respond to key vocabulary with  enquiry questions for the termly projects. Teachers use these questions to support their planning  and teaching. Children’s enquiry questions allow for teachers to plan and carry out a curriculum  that children are interested in and engage with.   

Children are immersed in the subject of science in alignment with British Science Week. Activities  are coordinated to inspire children and give them experiences that link to our curriculum. It aims to  further children’s understanding of the working scientifically skills and to teach them about the  wider world around us.   

At St Mark’s the children in EYFS follow the curriculum set out in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Science is taught through the area of learning ‘Understanding the World’ and assessed against the Early Learning Goals. Science is an enquiry based subject, involving lots of questioning and investigation, that children have the opportunity to explore through play from the beginning of their primary school experience.  

At St Mark’s, we recognise that in all classes, children have a wide range of scientific understanding, and we ensure that all lessons are adapted accordingly to meet the needs of the children, including those with SEND.