At Broom Barns School, we want our children to have a passion for science and understand the impact it has on our daily lives. We want them to constantly be asking questions, both ‘big’ and ‘small’, as they seek to better understand the world they live in and the fundamental scientific laws that govern it, from gravity, to evolution, to the way light travels.
Our science lessons encourage children’s natural curiosity about the world to develop. Children are given the opportunity to ask ambitious questions and think about the best way to find out the answers. It is through five types of scientific enquiry that this is achieved:
Teachers support children to develop their ‘working scientifically’ skills in every lesson.
For Key Stage 1, this involves the children asking simple questions and recognising that they can find out the answers in different ways. They will perform simple tests, observe closely using simple equipment and record their findings. They will then use their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions.
In Years 3 and 4, the children are taught how to set up simple practical enquiries and begin to make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry would be most effective. They begin to conduct fair tests, make systematic observations, take accurate measurements using standard units, use a range of equipment, record their findings using simple scientific language, through drawings, labelled diagrams, bar charts, tables, and finally, they learn how to use their results to draw simple conclusions.
In Years 5 and 6, the children’s ‘working scientifically’ skills are further developed. They are now encouraged to independently plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary. When taking measurements, the children now use a range of scientific equipment confidently, with increasing accuracy and precision, and are taught to take repeat readings when appropriate. The children record data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and a range of graphs. They are taught how to use theirresults to set up further comparative and fair tests, and present and explain their findings in both oral and written form.
Visit the website below and select the year group that your child is currently in. After this, select ‘Science’. You will then see the topics your child will study in their science lessons. Spend time with your child reading through the fun learning guides and enjoy some great videos too!
