An understanding of science and the way scientists work is vital in the modern world, and we therefore value it really highly. It also provides a huge range of opportunities to develop our learning powers, particularly curiosity, independence and reflectiveness. To find out more about what we teach and how learning fits together, take a look at our skills and knowledge progression:  

• Skills and Knowledge Progression : Science
   

The aim of our Science curriculum

We want our children to have an interest in science and how it impacts our daily lives. We want them to constantly be asking questions, both ‘big’ and ‘small’, as they seek to better understand the world they live in and the fundamental scientific laws that govern it, from gravity to evolution to the way light travels. Moreover, we want to ensure that they understand the role that science (and scientists) has played in our past and how it will continue to play a vital role in our future, especially in the areas of healthcare and the environment. By the time that they leave education, we want all children to have become informed, curious, scientifically literate citizens, and our science curriculum is designed to build the broad foundations of that goal.

During science lessons, we will ensure that children are given the opportunity to ask ambitious questions and then plan and conduct investigations with the aim of answering these questions. In Years 1 and 2 their natural curiosity should be encouraged and they will be given the opportunity to talk about what they have found out. In Years 3 and 4, children will explore, talk about, test and develop ideas and begin to make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry would be most effective. In Years 5 and 6, they will encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. Children will draw conclusions, use evidence to justify their ideas and use their understanding to explain their findings.  

Experiences we want every child to have at Bedwell:

• Observing a range of plants and animals first-hand, in the local environment, parks, garden centres, zoos and other animal centres 
• Growing their own fruits and vegetables all the way through from seed to the plate 
• Creating electrical circuits and watching something they have constructed respond to their commands 
• Make things go ‘bang’, react vigorously and create new substances through chemical reactions 
• Be surprised by what happens and excited about what they discover when working practically 
• Make discoveries through trial and error - and not being afraid to get things wrong 
• Ask ‘big questions’ about life and the universe

This term's learning

Science Week - This year's Science Week was a huge hit, with the whole school involved in a programme of workshops, investigations, challenges, competitions and quizzes!

Early Years - Reception visited Hertfordshire Zoo to support their understanding of animals, their habitats and the different things they eat. They particularly enjoyed seeing the zoo keepers feeding the penguins!

Year 3 - Rabbit class have been learning about our digestive system and our teeth. As part of this they set-up an investigation, using egg shell as 'teeth' and observing the damage caused by different liquids. They checked on the progress of the different eggs every day - and were shocked to learn that the liquid that seemed to do the most damage was sugar-free orange squash!