Science

Science at Lapage

Science at Lapage

Exploring, Questioning and Discovering the World Around Us

At Lapage, we want every child to be curious about the world around them and confident enough to ask, “Why?”, “How?” and “What if?”

Science gives children the opportunity to explore the world through observation, questioning, practical investigation and evidence. Our curriculum builds scientific knowledge progressively from Nursery to Year 6, while developing the skills children need to investigate, explain and make sense of the world around them.

We want our children to leave Lapage as curious, knowledgeable and confident scientists, ready to continue learning and to understand the important role science plays in our everyday lives.

 

Our Vision for Science

Our science curriculum combines knowledge, vocabulary and scientific enquiry.

Children learn important scientific concepts and develop their understanding over time. They are taught to use their knowledge to ask questions, make predictions, carry out investigations, record and interpret results, and use evidence to explain what they have discovered.

 

We aim for children to:

  • Be curious about the world around them
  • Develop secure scientific knowledge and vocabulary
  • Ask questions and suggest ways to investigate them
  • Make careful observations and accurate measurements
  • Make predictions and use evidence to draw conclusions
  • Identify patterns, similarities and differences
  • Explain their ideas using appropriate scientific vocabulary
  • Understand how science influences our lives and the world around us
  • Develop a positive attitude towards science and future learning
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What Will Children Learn?

Early Years – Nursery and Reception

In the Early Years, children develop their understanding of the world through play, exploration, observation and discussion.

Children explore:

  • Seasons and weather
  • Plants and animals
  • Growth and change
  • Materials and their properties
  • The natural environment
  • Similarities and differences in the world around them

Children begin to develop the foundations of scientific enquiry by noticing changes, asking questions, making observations and talking about what they discover.

 

Key Stage 1 – Years 1 and 2

Children develop their knowledge of the world around them through topics including:

  • Animals, including humans
  • Everyday materials
  • Plants
  • Seasonal changes
  • Living things and their habitats

They learn to observe closely, identify and classify, compare and group, ask questions and carry out simple investigations.

 

Lower Key Stage 2 – Years 3 and 4

Children build on their scientific knowledge and begin to apply it more independently through topics including:

  • Rocks and soils
  • States of matter
  • Light
  • Sound
  • Electricity
  • Animals, including humans
  • Living things and their habitats

Children develop their ability to plan investigations, make predictions, record results, identify patterns and use evidence to explain their findings.

 

Upper Key Stage 2 – Years 5 and 6

Children deepen and extend their scientific understanding through topics including:

  • Forces
  • Earth and space
  • Evolution and inheritance
  • Properties and changes of materials
  • Living things and their habitats
  • Classification

They increasingly work independently, selecting appropriate ways to investigate questions, record and analyse data, evaluate results and use evidence to support scientific explanations.

 

Science in Action at Lapage

Science at Lapage is about more than learning facts. Children learn by doing, observing, questioning and thinking.

You might see our children:

· Investigating which materials are waterproof

· Growing and observing plants

· Building and testing electrical circuits

· Exploring habitats in our school grounds

· Investigating forces and movement

· Exploring light, sound and shadows

· Learning about Earth, space and our place within the universe

· Recording, presenting and analysing scientific data

· Using evidence to explain what they have discovered

Where possible, we make use of our school environment and the world around us to give children opportunities to experience science first-hand.

 

Enrichment and Wider Opportunities

Enrichment and Wider Opportunities

We believe that science should inspire children beyond the classroom.

Throughout their time at Lapage, children have opportunities to:

· Take part in Science Week and practical science challenges

· Experience educational visits and workshops

· Learn from visitors and STEM professionals

· Explore nature and biodiversity within our local environment

· Take part in investigations and hands-on practical activities

· Make connections between science and the world around them

We want children to recognise that science is not simply something they learn in a lesson. Science helps us understand the world we live in.

 

Supporting Science at Home

You do not need specialist equipment to enjoy science together.

Encourage your child to:

· Ask questions about the world around them

· Look closely at plants, animals, weather and seasonal changes

· Go on a nature walk and talk about what you notice

· Cook together and discuss how ingredients change

· Look for examples of science in everyday life

· Visit museums, zoos, science centres and places of interest

· Talk about their science learning and ask them to explain what they have discovered

Most importantly, encourage curiosity. There is often more than one question to ask and more than one thing to discover.

 

Curriculum Documents

Science Skills and Knowledge Progression Map

Insert link to PDF

 

Useful Websites

· BBC Bitesize – Science

· National Geographic Kids

 

Science-progression-of-skills.pdf

 

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