Science

Intent: A Curriculum Rooted in Curiosity and Discovery

At St. Michael’s, our science curriculum is designed to equip pupils with a strong foundation for understanding the natural world through the disciplines of biology, chemistry, and physics. We aim to foster curiosity, encourage enquiry, and build scientific thinking from the earliest years.

Science is taught in a hands-on, practical way, encouraging children to explore concepts through questioning, prediction, observation, and investigation. We promote a spiral curriculum, where key knowledge is revisited and deepened over time, allowing children to make increasingly complex connections.

Our bespoke pupil workbooks, aligned to the Hamilton Trust Scheme, support learning in Years 2–6. In EYFS, science is developed weekly through the ‘Understanding the World’ strand of the curriculum.

Each lesson is framed by a key question, which pupils are expected to answer by the end of the session using newly acquired knowledge. Children engage with all aspects of scientific enquiry, including:

• Asking questions and making predictions
• Planning and carrying out tests
• Observing, recording, and interpreting results
• Identifying, classifying, and drawing conclusions

We distinguish between two types of knowledge:

• Substantive Knowledge: Core scientific concepts, facts, laws, and theories
• Disciplinary Knowledge: The ability to ‘work scientifically’—using methods of investigation and understanding evidence

By combining both, children not only know the science, but also understand how it is discovered and applied.

Implementation: A Structured and Engaging Approach

Science is delivered through dedicated Science Weeks each half term (Years 1–6), enabling immersive and focused learning. This approach helps ensure:

• Depth of understanding through uninterrupted blocks
• Time for misconceptions to be explored and addressed
• Efficient use of resources for investigations
• A meaningful balance between recall, revision, and new learning

In EYFS, science is explored through play-based, exploratory learning in both indoor and outdoor settings. Learning is documented through observations, dialogue, and photographic evidence linked to the Development Matters framework.

Our curriculum is enriched with:

• Consistent use of technical vocabulary, revisited and developed year by year
• Knowledge organisers to support retention and independent study
• Assessment for learning, including quizzes, mind maps, and creative tasks
• Outdoor learning and Forest School, fostering environmental awareness and real-world connections
• Workshops, visitors, and educational trips that bring science to life

Impact: Confident, Curious, and Capable Scientists

By the end of their time at St. Michael’s, pupils will:

• Possess a strong grasp of scientific knowledge and methods of enquiry
• Be able to apply prior learning to explore new scientific questions
• Use a broad and ambitious vocabulary to articulate ideas with clarity
• Approach learning with curiosity, confidence, and high aspirations for further study and future careers in science and beyond