Science

At Riversdale Primary School we believe that a high-quality science curriculum provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, therefore all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, analyse causes and develop a sense of excitement about natural phenomena.

Science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of thinking/working that enables them to make sense of the world in which they live. The teachers at Riversdale ensure that all pupils are exposed to high-quality science teaching and learning experiences which allow them to explore their outdoor environment and locality, thus developing their scientific enquiry and investigative skills. They are immersed in scientific vocabulary, which aids their knowledge and understanding not only of the subject matter they are studying, but of the world around them. We intend to provide all pupils with a broad and balanced science curriculum.

We ensure that all children are provided with rich learning experiences that aim to:

Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.
Help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.
Help develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.
Build on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the disciplinary skills of investigation.
Develop the use of scientific language and recording techniques.
Develop the use of computing in investigating and recording.
Make links between science and other subjects.

Curriculum Progression

At Riversdale Primary School we believe in the importance of all children developing a deep understanding of science and in embedding the substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills into their long-term memory. As such, the progression of science has been carefully mapped, with a consideration to connected subject matter and opportunities to revisit specific concepts over time.

You can find a copy of the 2024-25 Science Progression Document here.

Lesson Delivery

Pupils will undertake at least one science lesson each week. In each lesson, the children have carefully selected facts that they will learn (substantive knowledge), in conjunction with developing and consolidating specific disciplinary skills. Class teachers will use a wide range of means to impart the desired knowledge such as through the use of technology, role play and specific text books, as well as investigations that allow pupils to discover answers to questions posed by themselves, their peers or their teachers. To further support their learning, pupils have the opportunity to go on trips that complement the subject matter, including observation of local wildlife in Coronation Gardens, or a trip to the Science Museum. As the pupils progress through the school, the length of their lessons may increase, in order to support them in developing their working scientifically skills, including recording and communicating findings from an investigation in writing.

Pupils are provided with a Knowledge Organiser that:

outlines prior learning that they will be building upon,
lists the sequence of lessons so that pupils know what they are studying,
identifies the most significant knowledge that they should gain,
includes images of key concepts, or significant examples to provide additional context for the pupils,
defines the subject specific terminology that they are expected to learn and use.

You can find the 2024-25 Autumn 1 Term Knowledge Organisers for Science below: