Being a Scientist

We aim for our children to develop an interest and enthusiasm for Science. We aim to give all our children the opportunity to explore aspects of the world around them thus increasing their understanding of it. We aspire to foster a spirit of enquiry alongside children acquiring a range of scientific skills that will help them to answer a variety of questions. These skills will help them to think scientifically, to gain an understanding of the purpose of scientific enquiry and to understand how these might be applied in the world of science both now and in the future.

Concepts taught are reinforced by focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. We are developing the following types of scientific enquiry:

• observing over time;
• pattern seeking;
• identifying, classifying and grouping;
• comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations);
• and researching using secondary sources.

Specialist vocabulary for topics is taught and built up, and effective questioning to communicate ideas is encouraged.

Key questions for pupils about working scientifically:

Asking Questions - Can I ask interesting questions about the world around me?

Observing, identifying and classifying – Can I make careful observations to inform my ideas?

Practical enquiry and fair testing – Can I plan and carry out an experiment safely and fairly?

Predicting and Interpreting – Can I predict what I think will happen? Can I explain and draw conclusions from my results or data?