Science
2024-2025
Our Science curriculum aims to engage and give children an opportunity to experience awe and wonder within science and to want to be curious about the world around them. We want them to make sense of the world by using scientific enquiry skills. Through our progressive, enquiry-based framework, children will develop knowledge of scientists and take part in science events. Concepts taught should be reinforced by focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. Alongside developing their scientific skills, pupils will develop a strong sense of how science shapes many everyday things and how Science and STEM will impact on their future.
A high-quality Science education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Science in context and how it can be applied in the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more and seek to ask questions.
Our aims at Ryvers are based on the 2014 National Curriculum and are intended to ensure that all pupils: The overall aim of science teaching at Ryvers is to nurture ‘science happy’ children with active and enquiring minds to help them understand the fascinating world around them. Our specific scientific aims are to help our pupils: -
-To ask questions about scientific phenomena.
- To question and discuss the moral and social implications of science.
- To have fun.
- To present our results in a variety of appropriate ways.
- To carry out fair and safe investigations.
- To use appropriate scientific vocabulary and ideas when describing scientific processes and phenomena.
- To increase scientific knowledge and make links with other subjects such as Mathematical knowledge and skills.
- To be aware of how the lives and work of famous scientists have impacted on our lives and the lives of others.
- To identify patterns in scientific data.
We want to encourage
- Open mindedness
- Perseverance
- Tolerance
- Curiosity
- Respect for peers
- Teamwork
- Respect for living things and the environment
- Confidence.
Oracy and science
At Ryvers, the integration of oracy into science teaching is vital for developing pupils' communication skills alongside their scientific understanding. Oracy, the ability to express oneself fluently and coherently in spoken language, plays a crucial role in helping children articulate their observations, explain processes, and engage in scientific reasoning. Through activities like group discussions, presentations, and debates on scientific topics, pupils learn to use subject-specific vocabulary and improve their critical thinking skills. Encouraging pupils to verbalize their ideas fosters deeper comprehension and builds confidence in tackling complex concepts. Moreover, oracy supports collaborative learning, enabling children to share perspectives and refine their ideas through dialogue, which aligns with the broader aims of the UK curriculum to create reflective, articulate learners.
Science Curriculum Overview 2024-2025
Science Knowledge Categories
Here's what some of the children had to say about Science teaching and learning at Ryvers.
"Investigations are interesting and challenging"
"We were investigating to see how fast solids dissolve but the caster sugar remained stuck to the bottom of the cup and the same thing happened with the icing sugar which was interesting."
"Our teacher uses practical activities which are memorable."
"I know I am making progress because I am remembering key words like condensation, evaporation and metamorphosis."
"I like to explain my thinking when I look at concept cartoons because my teacher tells me there is no right or wrong answer."
Coming up soon...............
Science Week
Celebrating the week of 7th -16th March 2025
The theme will be 'Adapt and Change'
POSTER COMPETITION
Your teachers have already spoken to about the topics but if you have forgotten please read the attached carefully (or ask your adult if you are not sure)
Year 5
How to support your child with their Science learning at home:
Science is a way of understanding the world, a perspective, and a pattern of thinking that begins in the very earliest years. That is why parental involvement is so important in a child’s Science education.
Families who explore the world together nurture scientific thinkers.
Do Science in Your Home
Observing: Invite your children to notice small details.
- “What shapes do you see in that spider web?”
- “Does the crust on this bread feel different from the crust on that one?”
- “Let’s sort the socks by colour.”
- “Can you think of a way to divide your toys according to a pattern?”
Predicting: Put ideas about how the world works into words and test them.
- “How long will an ice cube last sitting on the table?”
- “Will it last longer on another surface?”
Quantifying: Encourage children to quantify the world around them.
- “Who is the shortest person in the family? By how much?”
- “How many steps big is your room? The living room?”
Myths about Science
Myth #1: Science teaching is better left to the science teacher.
A parent is a child's first and most important teacher. Whether you know it or not, your child has been learning from you since the moment he or she was born. Many parents, however, would rather leave Science teaching to the teacher. Parents play a very important role and have the ability to significantly increase a child's interest and performance in Science. With a little creativity, you can work Science into your child's everyday life and find many opportunities for you and your child to explore and learn together.
Myth #2: Science is difficult.
It would be difficult to know all the facts of Science. But Science isn’t just facts. It’s a way of seeing the world around us and solving problems. Doing science is for everyone! That’s why “being scientific” is a great family activity.
Myth #3: Science is all about facts and not very interesting.
SCIENCE IS FUN! Science teaching today is a lot different than it was years ago. Today's emphasis is on inquiry, which means children are encouraged to explore their own natural curiosities about the world around them. Science museums and centers are sprouting up around the country because they allow children to conduct independent investigations on their own … and children have a lot of fun!
Myth #4: Science requires equipment.
Science is everywhere! The skills of science can be practiced in any environment, including the kitchen or the park. The best way to begin is through conversation.
Useful Science Websites