Science Curriculum Design at Brookfield Community Primary School

Curriculum Area: Science    

Subject Leader: Mrs Leonie Pritchard  

Intent

At Brookfield Community Primary School, our science curriculum is designed to equip children with the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to thrive in an ever-changing world beyond primary education.

We aim to nurture a natural curiosity in our pupils, encouraging them to explore and question the world around them. Our science teaching fosters a deep sense of wonder about the universe while promoting respect for all living things and the environment.

The national curriculum for Science ensures that all pupils develop:

• A strong foundation of scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding across biology, chemistry, and physics.
• An understanding of the nature, processes, and methods of science through a variety of scientific enquiries that enable them to investigate and explain the world around them.
• The scientific skills necessary to appreciate the uses and implications of science today and in the future.

At Brookfield, we strive to motivate and inspire every child through a curriculum that is stimulating, engaging, and appropriately challenging.

Our science curriculum is carefully structured to develop key knowledge and scientific skills across all year groups. We ensure that ‘Working Scientifically’ skills are progressively built upon so that pupils can confidently apply their understanding—using equipment accurately, conducting experiments, forming logical arguments, and explaining scientific concepts clearly. Subject-specific vocabulary is explicitly taught, reinforced, and embedded through effective questioning and discussion to help pupils communicate their ideas with precision and confidence.

Our School Mission Statement of ‘Many hearts make a school’ and our School Values, are at the heart of our curriculum and all that we do at Brookfield Community Primary School.

Implementation

At Brookfield Community Primary School, we implement an inclusive science curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those who are more able.

Our curriculum is progressive and carefully designed to reflect the needs and interests of our children. Working Scientifically skills are embedded throughout lessons to deepen understanding and enable pupils to apply their scientific knowledge with increasing independence and confidence.

At the start of each unit, pupils share their prior knowledge, allowing teachers to identify misconceptions and tailor planning to meet learning needs effectively. Each unit is delivered through a sequence of engaging and well-structured lessons, built around clear knowledge- and skills-based objectives. Key scientific vocabulary is explicitly taught and reinforced, and is detailed within our termly knowledge organisers to support pupils’ learning and recall.

End-of-unit assessment tasks are used to demonstrate progress in both scientific knowledge and skills. Teachers continually assess pupils’ understanding against these objectives to ensure that learning is secure and that all pupils are appropriately challenged and supported.

Our science curriculum is delivered through high-quality, ‘quality first teaching’ as outlined in our Teaching and Learning Policy. Enrichment opportunities including visits from inspirational speakers, hands-on workshops, and educational trips further enhance children’s learning experiences, deepen their understanding, and nurture a lifelong enthusiasm for science.

Impact

Our well-planned science curriculum ensures that all children acquire the essential knowledge, skills, and understanding they need to think and work scientifically. Learning in science is progressive, developmental, and stimulating, enabling pupils to build on prior knowledge and make meaningful connections across topics and year groups.

Through high-quality teaching, children develop curiosity, resilience, and a sense of responsibility for the world around them. They gain the confidence to question, investigate, and explain scientific concepts using appropriate vocabulary and methods.

We measure the impact of our science curriculum through a range of strategies, including formative and summative assessments, pupil voice, and the monitoring of children’s work. These approaches help us ensure that pupils not only know more and remember more but can also apply their scientific understanding to real-life contexts.

Ultimately, our science teaching equips children with the skills, knowledge, and learning attitudes needed to be inquisitive, independent thinkers — empowering them to be the best they can be and to approach the wider world with curiosity and confidence.