Rationale

Our science curriculum promotes curiosity and a genuine thirst for learning. It is ambitious and designed to empower children to become independent, resilient learners. Pupils are encouraged to question, debate and reflect on scientific issues that may impact their own lives, society and the future of our world.

Intent

Key scientific concepts are reinforced through a strong emphasis on the features of scientific enquiry, ensuring that pupils learn to use a range of approaches to investigate and answer relevant scientific questions. Teachers are supported by detailed knowledge organisers, which highlight the essential ‘sticky knowledge’ pupils are expected to secure. This ensures continuity, coherence and ambition throughout their school journey and equips children with the scientific understanding they will carry forward into later life.

Implementation

Science is carefully planned and sequenced within our Cornerstones topics, and the coverage checker ensures that all National Curriculum objectives are systematically taught. Investigative science is woven into lesson sequences and provide meaningful opportunities for children to develop scientific enquiry skills both inside and outside the classroom. The investigations are innovative and engaging, capturing children’s curiosity and encouraging them to explore everyday materials, such as mud.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the Early Learning Goal for Understanding the World is delivered through carefully planned hands-on experiences, supported by adult-guided questioning and observation. Indoor and outdoor learning opportunities are thoughtfully balanced. Children observe real-life cycles in action, such as chicks and ducks hatching in the classroom and tadpoles developing into frogs. Educational visits further enrich learning. For example, exploring plants from around the world in the glasshouses at Wisley or handling minibeasts to deepen understanding.

In Key Stage Two, learning is further enhanced through extra-curricular trips and workshops, such as visits Thorpe Park in Year 6 where children take part in a STEAM event (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). In Year 5, children visit Chessington World of Adventure to support their science topic of forces. This topic  looks at the physics behind the design and workings of roller coasters.

Children observe and participate in investigations in class, for example, exploring the effects of fizzy drinks on teeth, and are encouraged to extend this learning independently at home by setting up their own investigations and recording results.

Pupils are assessed in science against two key criteria for each unit: knowledge and understanding of the topic, and scientific enquiry skills developed during the unit. Science leaders analyse this data to gain a whole-school overview of attainment and progression.

Teachers are allocated additional non-contact time to monitor science provision, review assessment data, conduct learning walks, organise pupil conferencing and moderate both written and photographic evidence. This ensures consistency, high standards and a clear understanding of progression across the school.

Impact

The successful approach to science at Holy Trinity results in a fun, engaging and purposeful science education that equips children with secure foundations and the knowledge they need to understand the world around them. This year, all year groups participated in Science Week, which focused on taking science learning outdoors. The week included a visit from TeacherREx in 2024 where pupils engaged in hands-on workshops that further inspired curiosity and enthusiasm for scientific exploration.

To continue developing our science provision, we recognise the importance of strengthening pupils’ higher-order thinking skills. By exposing children to a wider range of open-ended questions and investigative situations, we aim to deepen their reasoning and problem-solving abilities. The use of concept cartoons will further support this by encouraging discussion, debate and critical thinking. In addition, placing greater emphasis on explicitly teaching and refining specific investigative skills within lessons will further enhance pupils’ scientific competence and confidence.

Our science curriculum is high-quality, carefully sequenced and designed to demonstrate clear progression in both knowledge and enquiry skills. When children keep up with the curriculum, they are considered to be making good or better progress. The impact of our curriculum is measured through a range of robust assessment methods, including:

• Pre- and post-learning quizzes to assess sticky knowledge’
• Termly celebrations of learning to demonstrate progression
• Pupil voice discussions about learning

These approaches ensure that we monitor attainment, secure progression and continually refine our provision so that all pupils develop as confident, capable young scientists.     

The Science Curriculum and Provision of Pupils with SEND

At Holy Trinity, we are committed to ensuring that every pupil, including those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), receives a high-quality, ambitious and inclusive education. We provide a broad, balanced and coherently planned curriculum that enables all pupils to learn and achieve well, regardless of their starting points.

For pupils with SEND, we carefully identify needs at the earliest opportunity and provide targeted, evidence-informed support to enable them to access the full curriculum. High-quality teaching is the first response to meeting additional needs. In line with the SEND Code of Practice, we recognise that every teacher is a teacher of SEND. Class teachers retain responsibility for the progress and attainment of pupils with SEND and work closely with the SENDCo, support staff, parents and external professionals to ensure provision is purposeful and impactful.

Learning is thoughtfully scaffolded and adapted through reasonable adjustments and adaptive teaching strategies. These are designed to remove barriers to learning while maintaining high expectations. Support is regularly reviewed and evaluated to ensure it leads to sustained progress, increased independence and improved outcomes over time.

We place strong emphasis on inclusion, belonging and pupil voice. Our pupils with SEND are fully integrated into the life of the school and are supported to participate in all aspects of school life. Through personalised provision and a culture of high aspirations, we ensure that pupils with SEND feel valued, confident and equipped to succeed both academically and socially.

The  Science curriculum can be adapted to meet the needs of children with SEND in the following ways.

• Word Banks for pre-learning and to support during topics and themes.
• Writing frames and scaffolding
• Print out portions of work to minimise writing
• Close to adult support where possible and appropriate.
• Breaking down lessons into short, manageable chunks
• Visual and Picture aids Mixed ability groups – using peers as support and role models.
• Allow talk time for those who find recording difficult.
• Using another student as a reader/support
• Keeping instructions short and one at a time
• Draw answers or explanations
• Equipment adapted for needs (books, scissors, pencils, whiteboard)
• Use of a scribe where appropriate
• Recording devices to record their answers/sentences – talking tins, iPad

When planning for Science, class teachers should adapt their lessons where necessary using ideas taken from this list. However, it is important to remember this list is not exhaustive and other adaptations may be needed for children with specific needs.