St Benedict's Catholic Primary School

At St Benedicts we provide a high-quality Science education which provides foundations for understanding the world. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity. Through building key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how key knowledge and concepts can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave and analyse causes. This understanding should be consolidated through their appreciation of applications of Science in society and the economy.
 

In teaching Science we are developing in our children:

• a positive attitude towards Science and an awareness of its fascination;
• an understanding of Science through a process of enquiry and investigation;
• confidence and competence in scientific knowledge, concepts and skills;
• an ability to reason, predict, think logically and to work systematically and accurately;
• an ability to communicate scientifically;
• the initiative to work both independently and in co-operation with others;
• the ability and meaning to use and apply science across the curriculum and real life.

School curriculum
The programmes of study for Science are set out for each class for Key Stages 1 and 2 and supported by the Plymouth Science Scheme of work. 
 

Scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding
The programmes of study describe a sequence of knowledge and concepts. While it is important that pupils make progress, it is also vitally important that they develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage.

Pupils should be able to describe associated processes and key characteristics in common language, but they should also be familiar with, and use, technical terminology accurately and precisely. They should build up an extended specialist vocabulary. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of Science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data.

The nature, processes and methods of science
‘Working scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of Science for each year group. It should not be taught as a separate strand.