Science at Hollywell

Children live in an age of fast-moving science and at Hollywell Primary School, we believe that this area of learning is fundamental to exploring, understanding and influencing the natural and man-made worlds in which we live. Our aim is therefore to build on the children’s enthusiasm and curiosity to help them make better sense of their environment. 

 During their time at Hollywell Primary School, the children will learn about:

• Seasonal changes
• Plants

• Humans and other animals

• Living things and their habitats

• Micro-organisms

• Forces

• Electricity

• States of matter

• Grouping and classifying materials

• Changing materials and separating mixtures of material

• Light

• Sound

• The Earth and Beyond

In the Foundation Stage, the children begin to develop an understanding of science as part of the broad area ‘Understanding the World’. Through structured play opportunities, the children explore and find out about the world around them and begin to ask questions about it.

At Key Stage 1, the children experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They are encouraged to carry out investigations, to describe what they notice and to ask questions. At this stage, most of the science learning takes place through the use of first-hand practical experiences but age appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos are gradually introduced.

In lower Key Stage 2, the children learn to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena. They explore the relationship between living things and familiar environments and they begin to develop their own ideas about functions and interactions. 

The principal focus of science teaching in upper Key Stage 2 is to enable the children to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They do this through exploring and talking about their ideas, asking their own questions about scientific phenomena and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. At this stage, the children encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. Throughout Key Stage 2, the children apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data.