Hillside Primary School

Being a scientist: 

Science is an important part of our curriculum here at Hillside. It teaches us how to predict, experiment and conclude. We learn that it’s important to investigate fairly and reliably, to spot errors in data and how it’s vital to make mistakes: when science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie but just learned more. Science gives us the opportunity to improve our measuring, communication and thinking skills, while creating exciting memories. We love learning new things in science and being the best scientists that we can be! 

Our Science curriculum focuses on the three fundamental scientific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics, giving pupils a rounded understanding to appreciate and enquire about the world around them. It inspires pupils, develops their curiosity about their world and encourages them to ask questions and then suggest ways of answering them.   

Working scientifically is essential, these skills are embedded throughout each unit so that in addition to the core knowledge and vocabulary, children develop skills of observation, comparative testing, investigation, fair testing, researching, identifying, and classifying, pattern-seeking and data handling. They will also develop the skills to explore how scientists and scientific ideas have changed over time.  

Every Science unit follows the structure of Development Matters progressing to the National Curriculum programmes of study for each Year group. The planning of each year group and unit has been completed by a team of science leaders within the Trust. These explicitly set out progressive learning objectives, enquiry questions, key vocabulary, working scientifically skills and expectations. The structure enables children to broaden their scientific knowledge, and enquiry skills are developed with increasing depth and challenge as children move through the school The sequence of lessons helps to embed scientific knowledge and skills, with each lesson building on previous learning.