Science

At Brierley, we want every child to be curious about the world around them and to develop the confidence, knowledge and skills to explore it scientifically. Through first-hand experiences, practical investigation, discussion and carefully planned learning, children build their scientific understanding and learn how to ask questions, investigate ideas, look at evidence and draw conclusions. We want our pupils not only to learn science, but to enjoy it, think like scientists and understand the important role science plays in everyday life and in the future.

Strong Foundations from the Beginning

Scientific learning begins as soon as children join Brierley. In the Early Years, children are encouraged to explore, observe, notice changes, ask questions and talk about the world around them. Through everyday experiences, outdoor learning, stories, practical exploration and purposeful teaching, children begin to develop early scientific ideas about seasons, materials, forces, animals, humans, plants and growth.

Adults introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to describe what they notice, make comparisons, explain their ideas and wonder why things happen.

These early experiences give children strong foundations for the scientific knowledge and enquiry skills they continue to develop as they move through school.

How We Teach Science

We want science lessons to inspire curiosity while helping children build secure and connected knowledge. Teachers introduce new ideas in manageable steps and make clear links to what children have learned before. Scientific vocabulary is taught carefully and pupils are given regular opportunities to talk about, explain and apply their learning.

Practical science is an important part of our approach, but every activity has a clear learning purpose. Children are encouraged to think about what they are investigating, what they notice and what their results tell them.

Teachers use modelling, questioning, discussion, practical activities, books, diagrams, demonstrations and digital resources to help children understand increasingly complex scientific ideas.

Building Scientific Knowledge

Our science curriculum helps children build their knowledge across biology, chemistry and physics as they move through school.

Biology includes learning about plants, animals including humans, living things and their habitats, life cycles, classification, evolution and inheritance.

Chemistry includes learning about everyday materials, their properties and uses, changes in materials, rocks and states of matter.

Physics includes learning about seasonal changes, forces and magnets, light, sound, electricity and Earth and space.

We do not want children to see these as isolated topics. Teachers help pupils make connections between what they are learning now and what they have learned before.

For example, early learning about plants and growth develops into more detailed understanding of plant structures, requirements for growth, life cycles and reproduction. Early experiences with materials develop into more complex learning about their properties, states and changes.

We want children to build up their scientific knowledge over time so that they can make connections, explain what they notice and better understand the world around them.

Working Scientifically and Scientific Enquiry

Scientific enquiry is a central part of science at Brierley. Children learn that scientists use different ways of finding things out, depending on the question they are trying to answer.

Across school, pupils progressively develop their ability to:

• observe changes over time

• look for patterns

• identify, group and classify

• carry out comparative and fair tests

• research using appropriate sources

• ask scientific questions

• make predictions using what they already know

• make careful observations and measurements

• use scientific equipment appropriately

• collect, record and present information

• interpret results

• draw conclusions from evidence

• consider whether evidence supports an idea or prediction

• think about how an investigation could be improved

As children get older, they take more responsibility for deciding how a question might be investigated, what should be measured, what equipment to use and how to record and present their findings.

We want pupils to understand that science is not simply about doing experiments. It is about asking questions, thinking carefully, looking at evidence and using what they know to develop explanations.

Scientific Vocabulary and Talk

Language is an important part of learning science. Each science unit introduces children to key scientific vocabulary so they can understand and explain new ideas more confidently. Teachers explain new words clearly, model how to use them and give children lots of opportunities to hear, say, read and use scientific language. Children are encouraged to describe observations carefully, explain their thinking, justify conclusions and discuss ideas with others.

We also help children understand that some everyday words have a more precise meaning in science. Developing scientific language helps children organise their thinking and communicate more confidently as young scientists.

Asking Questions, Investigating and Reasoning

Curiosity is at the heart of science at Brierley. We encourage children to notice, wonder and ask questions about the world around them. As their knowledge develops, pupils learn that different questions need different approaches. Some are best answered by observing over time, some by carrying out a test, some by grouping and classifying and others by researching information.

Children are given opportunities to suggest their own questions and, where appropriate, make decisions about how these could be investigated. Teachers also guide enquiry carefully so that pupils have the knowledge and skills they need to investigate successfully.

We deliberately explore misconceptions too. Children are encouraged to compare what they first thought with what they observe, measure or discover and to change their thinking when the evidence points them in a different direction.

Revisiting and Remembering

We know that important scientific knowledge needs to be revisited if children are to remember it and use it confidently. Science lessons regularly begin with a short Flashback activity, giving pupils opportunities to retrieve previous learning, revisit key vocabulary and make connections with what they are learning now.

Termly revisit opportunities allow children to return to important concepts, strengthen understanding and address any gaps or misconceptions. Key scientific ideas are revisited in greater depth as pupils move through school, with early observations of animals, plants, materials and physical processes developing into increasingly detailed scientific explanations.

Our teaching follows the principle of I do, we do, you do. Teachers initially model new learning and scientific thinking clearly, children then practise and explore with support before increasingly applying their knowledge and enquiry skills independently. Questioning, discussion, retrieval and practical application help teachers check what children remember and identify where understanding needs further strengthening.

A Sequenced Curriculum

Our science curriculum is carefully planned from the Early Years through to Year 6 so that learning builds step by step. In the Early Years, children explore the natural world, seasonal change, materials, forces, animals and plants. These experiences provide strong foundations for later science learning.

In Key Stage 1, pupils build their knowledge of plants, animals including humans, living things and habitats, everyday materials and seasonal change.

As children move into Key Stage 2, they encounter increasingly complex learning, including rocks, light, forces and magnets, states of matter, sound, electricity, Earth and space, evolution and inheritance.

At the same time, expectations for scientific enquiry increase. Children move from asking simple questions, observing and carrying out simple tests towards planning enquiries, considering variables, taking accurate measurements, interpreting data and evaluating evidence.

Supporting Every Child

We have high expectations for every child in science. Teachers consider children's starting points and make suitable adaptations so that all pupils can take part in ambitious scientific learning.

Support may include additional modelling, practical resources, diagrams and visual representations, vocabulary support, structured discussion, supported recording or extra opportunities to revisit important knowledge.

Where children have gaps in their understanding, teachers identify the knowledge that needs strengthening and provide further teaching and practice.

Children who are secure in their learning are encouraged to make deeper connections, explain ideas in more detail, evaluate evidence and apply their knowledge to more challenging questions. Our aim is always to remove barriers while keeping expectations high.

Assessment and Feedback

Assessment happens throughout science lessons. Teachers use questioning, discussion, observation, practical work and pupils' recorded work to understand what children know and how secure their understanding is. Particular attention is paid to misconceptions because incorrect ideas can make later learning more difficult. Teachers respond during lessons by clarifying ideas, revisiting knowledge, adjusting explanations or providing further challenge.

Assessment also looks at how confidently children are developing their scientific enquiry skills, including asking questions, observing, measuring, investigating, interpreting evidence and explaining conclusions. The purpose of assessment is to understand what children have learned and use this information to decide what they need next.

Science Beyond the Classroom

We believe that science is best understood when children have opportunities to experience it first-hand. Although our school grounds are limited and we do not have our own field, we make creative use of the spaces and opportunities available to us.

Our Forest School area at the nearby Cumberland Arena gives children valuable opportunities to explore the natural environment, observe seasonal change, investigate habitats and develop their understanding through real experiences.

We also value our links with local secondary schools. Over recent years, pupils have visited Ruskin Community High School, Sir William Stanier School and The Oaks Academy to take part in science lessons, practical activities and workshops. These opportunities allow children to experience specialist science environments and equipment and give them a glimpse of how science learning continues beyond primary school.

Our science enrichment also includes annual visits from the RSPCA, visits from Zoo2U every two years and practical workshops led by Xplore! Science Discovery Centre in Wrexham.

Children also have opportunities to complete CREST Awards through practical STEM challenges. These experiences help pupils understand that science is much bigger than a lesson in a classroom. It connects with animals, nature, health, technology, engineering, the environment and a wide range of future careers.

We want every child to have opportunities to experience science in different settings and begin to imagine where their own curiosity might take them.

How You Can Help Your Child at Home

Parents and carers can play an important part in encouraging children's scientific curiosity.

Supporting science at home does not require specialist knowledge or equipment. Some of the best scientific conversations begin simply by noticing something interesting and wondering why it happens.

You can help your child by:

• encouraging them to ask questions about the world around them

• exploring gardens, parks and local environments together

• noticing changes in plants, animals, weather and the seasons

• growing plants and watching how they change

• talking about different materials and their properties

• cooking together and discussing the changes that happen

• looking at the Moon, stars and night sky

• discussing how everyday objects and technology work

• visiting museums, zoos, nature reserves and science centres

• reading books and watching age appropriate programmes about science

• asking your child to explain what they think and why

You do not always need to know the answer.

Asking, "How could we find out?" can be one of the most useful questions an adult can ask a young scientist.

Science Learning Links

Families may find the following resources useful for revisiting topics, exploring new questions and enjoying science together.

For our youngest children, BBC Bitesize Understanding the World includes age appropriate activities about living things, environments, how things work and the world around us.

BBC Bitesize: Early Years Understanding the World https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7sfg2p

For children in Years 1 and 2, BBC Bitesize Key Stage 1 Science includes materials, seasonal change, plants, animals and scientific enquiry.

BBC Bitesize: Key Stage 1 Science https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z6svr82

For children in Years 3 to 6, BBC Bitesize Key Stage 2 Science provides videos, explanations, activities and games across biology, chemistry, physics and scientific enquiry.

BBC Bitesize: Key Stage 2 Science https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z2pfb9q

BBC Teach also provides curriculum-linked primary science videos which can help bring topics to life.

BBC Teach: Primary Science https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach

CREST provides practical science and STEM challenges for children.

CREST Awards https://www.crestawards.org/

Xplore! Science Discovery Centre in Wrexham provides hands-on science and STEM experiences.

Xplore! Science Discovery Centre https://www.xplorescience.co.uk/

Most importantly, we want children to remain curious. Observing, talking, questioning, investigating and wondering together can all help children develop a lasting interest in science.

Knowing Our Curriculum Is Working

We work closely with staff to make sure that the science curriculum remains ambitious, well planned and progressive. Pupils' work, assessment information, discussions with children, lesson visits and curriculum monitoring help us understand how well pupils are learning and remembering important scientific knowledge.

We consider both what children know across biology, chemistry and physics and how confidently they are developing their scientific enquiry skills. This helps us celebrate strengths, identify misconceptions or gaps and make informed decisions about future teaching and curriculum development.

We want to know that children have really understood their learning, can remember important ideas and can use what they know when they meet new scientific questions.

Curious and Confident Scientists

By the time children leave Brierley, we want them to have secure scientific foundations and a genuine curiosity about the world around them. We want pupils to ask thoughtful questions, use scientific vocabulary confidently, draw on what they know, investigate carefully and use evidence to explain their thinking.

We want children to understand that science develops through observation, investigation, evidence and reasoning and that unexpected results can often lead to new questions and discoveries. Most importantly, we want every child to see themselves as someone who can succeed in science. We aim to develop curious, knowledgeable and confident young scientists who are ready for the next stage of their education and excited by the possibilities science may offer them in the future.