At St. Joseph’s, our intention is that every child becomes an interested, inquisitive and confident scientist, with a strong understanding of the world around them.

Our Science curriculum is based on the National Curriculum programmes of study for each year group and is designed to develop the very best young scientists, well equipped to continue their studies as they progress through education. Pupils are encouraged to think, act and speak like scientists, through a consistent and progressive approach across all year groups.

We aim to ensure that all pupils:

  • Develop a natural curiosity about the world and confidence to ask questions
  • Build secure scientific knowledge and understanding
  • Use scientific enquiry skills to predict, observe, test and draw conclusions
  • Understand how science has shaped the past, present and future
  • Recognise how scientific knowledge links to real world applications and careers

Our curriculum nurtures a love of science, encourages critical thinking and supports pupils in becoming reflective, questioning learners.

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Implementation

Science at St. Joseph’s is taught through carefully sequenced units of work, which build knowledge and skills progressively over time. Scientific knowledge and working scientifically skills are developed across sequences of lessons, allowing pupils to practise, apply and master key concepts.

Pupils are provided with:

  • Hands on practical opportunities to explore scientific ideas
  • Opportunities to plan and carry out fair tests
  • Time to observe, record, analyse results and identify patterns
  • Structured discussion using accurate scientific vocabulary

Learning in Science is enriched through:

  • Outdoor learning
  • Educational visits
  • Visitors and workshops involving people working in scientific fields, providing real life context and building cultural capital

Science is meaningfully linked with other areas of the curriculum, including:

  • Reading and writing scientific explanations
  • Recording and interpreting results in Mathematics
  • Using Computing to collect, present and analyse data

These cross curricular links deepen understanding and reinforce core skills.

Science and Careers

Explicit teaching of career links is embedded within each Science unit.

Pupils are taught how scientific knowledge and skills are used in real world contexts and explore careers associated with each area of study. These may include:

  • Scientists and laboratory researchers
  • Doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals
  • Engineers and inventors
  • Environmental scientists and conservationists
  • Astronomers, geologists and meteorologists
  • Technicians, data analysts and STEM professionals

By exploring these roles, pupils understand the purpose of learning Science, develop aspiration and recognise the relevance of science to future education, employment and everyday life.

Impact

By the time pupils leave St. Joseph’s, they will have:

  • Developed secure scientific knowledge across biology, chemistry and physics
  • Built strong scientific enquiry skills, including questioning, testing and concluding
  • Gained confidence in planning investigations and fair tests
  • Used scientific vocabulary accurately when talking, writing and explaining
  • Made meaningful links between scientific topics and prior learning
  • Developed awareness of science related careers and future pathways

Pupil dialogue and work demonstrate a high standard of scientific understanding, with curiosity and enjoyment clearly visible. Pupils leave St. Joseph’s able to think, read and write like scientists, with a deep and lasting foundation of scientific knowledge, ready for Key Stage 3 and beyond.