At Northfield our children work in a scientific manner with a genuine curiosity and interest in the world around them whilst developing skills to explore those things.  Through teaching science, we help our pupils make sense of the world around them, preparing them for life in modern Britain,  for example leadership, respect and tolerance, belonging, healthy lifestyle, equity and aspiration and caring for the planet.

Our science curriculum supports the development of deepening pupils’ understanding of the key scientific concepts and ideas taught, alongside skills required for being a scientist. Developing skills around observation and measurements, recording data and presenting findings enables pupils to decide whether their findings support predictions or ideas. This is before practical investigations take place. It is our school’s intent that pupils develop a rich body of knowledge about the world around them in the biology curriculum, they will have explored sound, electricity and forces in the physics curriculum; they will have developed a good understanding of states of matter and how they change in the chemistry curriculum. Over time at Northfield Primary School the knowledge, skills and understanding will be woven together to enable pupils to be scientists, working scientifically. The children learn about scientists, who have pursued this subject, committing themselves to life-long learning and work developing their expertise, in modern Britain. Our science curriculum also aims to provide pupils with the knowledge needed to be healthy, teaching them about the impact of diet, exercise, hygiene, drugs and lifestyle on their bodies and how they can live a healthy life, which is a focus for the ‘be healthy’ school key driver.

Therefore, by Year 6, pupils will have a deeper understanding of the scientific ideas taught as part of our curriculum to prepare them for KS3 and beyond. They will ask questions about the world around them and know a variety of different methods to use to collect evidence, along with the skills needed to plan and carry out investigations, collect, record, analyse and present data and to draw conclusions about what they have found out. Children will also know a diverse range of scientists, who have committed or continue to commit their life to the world of science, and how their work has impacted or impacts on community, being healthy, learning and the four corners of the world – the 4 key drivers at Northfield.