We are scientists

Children will experience stimulating hands on lessons which excite and inspire them and give them an experience they will never forget. We will allow them to develop their scientific knowledge, skills and understanding through a range of experiments to captivate them and develop their science capital.

We teach the full National Curriculum. We follow International Primary Curriculum Topics  Children are fully immersed into their Science topics creating knowledge harvests, taking part in innovative, exciting experiments; developing their enquiry and observation skills. 

We want children to have a greater understanding of the world in which they live; to recognise problems, and to work towards their solution.  We feel that science, amongst other things, should encourage sensitivity towards living things and the environment.

Children’s attitudes are important in science.  We feel that a child’s attitude can facilitate, or limit, the application of skills and ideas.  Science is a useful vehicle for engendering attitudes of curiosity, perseverance, open-mindedness, co-operation, originality and independence in children.  In addition we hope that pupils will develop a respect for evidence.  Science activities should also help to develop a child’s self-discipline and responsibility.  We are conscious of the importance and value of questioning in primary science.  At Southborough we feel questioning should be an essential element of all science activities.

Discussion is an important aspect of primary science.  Teacher/child interaction, small group and class discussion will help the children to evaluate their work and improve understanding of scientific concepts.

Planning, recording, predicting, testing, interpreting results and proposing further investigations are the essence of science and together with suitable practical “hands on” experience, will be meaningful and enjoyable to the pupils.

Science in EYFS

In the EYFS, the exploration of science links with the ‘Understanding the World’ part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum. Science is introduced indirectly through activities designed to inspire each child to engage in exploration, problem-solving, observation, prediction, critical thinking, decision-making, and discussions about the world around them.

During their initial years at school, our young learners delve into the areas of creatures, people, plants, and objects within their natural environments. They actively observe and manipulate objects and materials, identifying differences and similarities. Utilizing their senses, they might feel dough or listen to sounds in the environment, distinguishing elements like sirens or farm animals. The curriculum encourages them to make observations of animals and plants, providing explanations for occurrences and discussing changes.

Children are prompted to pose questions about the reasons behind events and the workings of things. Engaging activities may involve adjusting the incline of a slope to observe the speed of a vehicle or disassembling a mechanical toy to understand its inner workings. In this process, children are encouraged to predict outcomes, fostering communication, planning, investigation, recording, and the evaluation of their findings. This approach instills a foundation for scientific inquiry and exploration, nurturing curiosity and laying the groundwork for further scientific understanding.