Science

Science Infant Vision:

Tibshelf Infant and Nursery School promotes curiosity and a love of science by encouraging children to explore and question the world around them.

Intent

Tibshelf Infant and Nursery School aims to deliver a high-quality, engaging science curriculum that encourages curiosity and exploration of the world. Lessons are based on scientific enquiry, with hands-on experiences and questioning to deepen understanding. The school focuses on developing key skills such as observation, communication, and teamwork, while building on prior knowledge and using scientific vocabulary. Overall, the goal is to nurture independent, lifelong learners with a passion for science and the ability to think critically about future challenges.

Early Years Foundation Stage

At Tibshelf Infant and Nursery School we intend that our curriculum will adhere to the “Understanding the World” is a specific area of learning in the EYFS framework, designed to guide children in developing curiosity and knowledge about the world around them. It encompasses three main strands:

1. The Natural World – exploring plants, animals, seasons, and natural phenomena.
2. People and Communities – learning about different people, cultures, beliefs, and occupations.
3. Past and Present – understanding personal history, family stories, and historical events.

Children are encouraged to observe, describe, and make connections between their experiences and knowledge, rather than simply memorizing facts

Key Stage One

The 2014 National Curriculum for Science aims to ensure that all children:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
• develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
• are equipped with the scientific skills required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. We understand that it is important for lessons to have a skills-based focus, and that the knowledge can be taught through this.

Implementation

Early Years Foundation Stage

In Nursery and Reception, our children are taught Science elements of Understanding the World through a mixture of:

• high quality interactions with adults
• a highly resourced and stimulating environment during continuous provision
• direct teaching in whole class or small groups

Our children are supported through teaching to become curious learners and develop respect for the environment. Where appropriate, children may access some of the Developing Experts Science scheme used from Key Stage One onwards.

Key Stage One

At Tibshelf Infant and Nursery School we implement the Developing Experts scheme to craft our lesson plans, ensuring that every child engages with and retains knowledge throughout their studies. In each session, children encounter key facts and information presented through a variety of methods. Additionally, each lesson introduces Rocket Words, which are important terms and definitions emphasised multiple times—at the lesson’s beginning, quizzed on by the end, and reviewed in the next class. Our lessons encompass various ‘Working Scientifically Skills’ and ‘Scientific Enquiry’ types, allowing children to develop a broad array of abilities across the science curriculum.

Assessment:

Children in Nursery and Reception have a class floorbook to showcase all of their wonderful learning experiences collected throughout the year. Together, with teacher judgement and observations, children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals for the Understanding the World area of learning.

In Key Stage One, subject coordinators have worked carefully within our Federation Junior School to identify key knowledge for each of the topics covered. Children are then assessed against their retention and understanding of this key knowledge at the end of each Developing Experts unit. This assessment can be made using a mixture of teacher judgements, observation and book looks. Children in Key Stage One will represent their learning through a mixture of written work and photographic evidence of practical application.

Impact

Within Science, we strive to instil an appreciation and enjoyment of Science to enrich the children’s learning experience. Our Science curriculum is high quality and is planned to demonstrate progression.

We know our curriculum is successful because children at Tibshelf Infant and Nursery School will:

• develop a passion for science
• retain relevant scientific knowledge within real-life situations
• explore and question ideas, reflecting on knowledge gained
• effectively communicate their understanding of scientific concepts while reasoning with enriched scientific language
• excel in mathematical skills by organising, recording, and interpreting results
• participate in collaborative and hands-on investigations and experiments
• meet age-related expectations in Science by the time they complete their cohort year and be ready to continue their learning as they move into Key Stage Two.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7nygk7

Hosts a wealth of games and activities split into age and topic sections so it’s easy to find one that relates to your child’s learning at school.

https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html

NASA Kids’ Club provides a plethora of space focused games, videos, images and activities to introduce and help kids learn about the world of space.

https://www.brainpop.com/science/seeall

BrainPOP offers educational animated videos and lessons covering different science topics. Each featured science topic comes with illustrative videos, quizzes, and accompanying activities.

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk

Nat Geo Kids enables science lovers to explore the world of science through a collection of apps, games, magazines, toys, videos, and many other materials

https://www.youtube.com/user/maddiemoate/featured

The popular children’s television presenter has her own YouTube channel and is delivering a daily science lesson “Let’s Go Live with Maddie & Greg”. Her channel has a wealth of educational videos.

https://www.rigb.org/learning/activities-and-resources?type=28

A series of short films, activities and resources making it fun, easy & cheap to do science experiments at home with children.

https://www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/wild-learning/resources/

A collection of downloadable resources to inspire and support science learning at school and home.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/children-and-families

10 nature activities for children to do at home.

https://www.stem.org.uk/primary/resources/collections/home-learning-support

Primary science, maths, computing and DT resources and activities to support home learning.

https://learning.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/learning-resources

Lots of learning resources including activities, games and videos.

https://wowscience.co.uk

Primary science activities, games & videos.

https://pstt.org.uk/resources/science-fun-at-home

Fun science activities to try at home.

https://www.science-sparks.com

Science Experiments for Kids.

Sublime Science

101 fun science experiments you can do at home with ‘stuff’ you’ve already got.

Things to do

Encourage your children to be questioners (not always easy we know) these inquisitive instincts are vital to all areas of science. 

Make observations both the natural world and the home environment is full of countless things to observe, from the changing of the seasons, the sound that fizzy pop bottle makes when you open to why does the TV remote not seem to work if I stand in the way? All these and countless more are opportunities to observe and do some real-world science and it can really help children appreciate science is all round us not just in the classroom.