Science Rationale

Intent

At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, our Science curriculum nurtures curiosity, deepens understanding and helps children make sense of the natural world God has created. We want pupils to develop secure scientific knowledge across biology, chemistry and physics, building progressively from early exploration to confident, reasoned scientific thinking. Through rich enquiry, purposeful talk and hands‑on investigation, children learn to ask meaningful questions, test ideas and recognise how scientific discoveries shape everyday life.

From EYFS to Year 6, pupils are immersed in scientific vocabulary that strengthens their understanding of key concepts and supports access to a progressive, balanced curriculum. Our intent is to develop articulate young scientists who can observe closely, think critically and explain their understanding with clarity. We aim for every child to feel included, capable and excited by science, developing a sense of wonder about how and why things happen.

Implementation

In EYFS, science forms a core part of Understanding the World, supporting children’s early exploration, play and observation of natural phenomena. They begin to develop the foundations of ‘working scientifically’ through curiosity, questioning and simple investigative play.

Across KS1 and KS2, science is taught through a carefully sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge and working scientifically skills year on year. Each unit strengthens pupils’ understanding of key scientific ideas and develops their ability to carry out enquiries, fair tests and investigations. Teachers model high‑quality scientific thinking, encouraging pupils to predict, observe, measure, record and evaluate with increasing precision.

Practical investigation sits at the heart of our approach, supported by high‑quality resources, outdoor learning and opportunities to explore real‑world phenomena. Oracy is woven throughout lessons so pupils can articulate ideas, justify conclusions and engage in thoughtful scientific discussion. Adaptive teaching ensures all pupils can access and enjoy science through clear scaffolding, vocabulary support and structured collaborative work. Our curriculum reflects both local context and wider scientific relevance, helping children see science as meaningful, purposeful and connected to their lives.

Impact

We believe our children will:

• acquire a love and enjoyment of science
• follow a progressive curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils
• develop secure and connected scientific knowledge, confidently explaining key ideas across biology, chemistry and physics using precise vocabulary
• become skilled in working scientifically — able to plan enquiries, take accurate measurements, analyse results and draw reasoned conclusions
• talk confidently about scientific concepts, investigations and discoveries, showing curiosity, resilience and a growing sense of how science shapes the world