At its heart, science is about being curious about the world, asking questions and using evidence to discover how and why things happen.
At Beech Grove, we believe that science enables children to make sense of the world around them and inspires them to keep asking why. Through an ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum, children build secure scientific knowledge and vocabulary across biology, chemistry and physics, developing their understanding of living things, materials and the physical processes that shape our world. From observing plants, animals, materials and seasonal change in the early years of their scientific learning to exploring increasingly complex ideas such as forces, electricity, Earth and space, evolution and the human body, we equip children with the knowledge and curiosity to explain what they observe and make connections between different areas of science.
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Through practical and purposeful enquiry, we teach children to think and work like scientists. They learn to ask scientific questions, make careful observations, identify patterns, make predictions and plan investigations that help them find answers. Children learn to select and use equipment appropriately, measure accurately, record and present their findings and use results and evidence to draw conclusions. As they progress through school, they become increasingly confident in deciding how to investigate a question, recognising the importance of fair and comparative testing, considering the reliability of evidence and using their scientific knowledge to explain what they have discovered. We encourage children to question ideas, learn from unexpected results and understand that scientific knowledge develops through curiosity, investigation, evidence and explanation.
Learning is enr
iched by making purposeful use of the local environment and community so that children can experience science beyond the classroom. Wellington's community farm provides valuable opportunities to investigate living things, habitats and the relationships between organisms and their environments, while children in Years 3 and 4 use the local solar farm to connect their learning with science and technology in the world around them.
Across the school, our local area becomes a place for observation and enquiry as children investigate seasonal change and notice how plants, animals, weather and environments alter over time. These first-hand experiences help children recognise that science is not confined to a lesson or laboratory: it is happening all around them. Through observing closely, investigating practically and applying their knowledge to real places and experiences, children develop curiosity, independence and a growing sense of responsibility for the natural world.
Through engaging opportunities to question, investigate and discover, pupils are enriched by experiences that develop curiosity, independence and critical thinking, gaining the knowledge, skills and confidence to excel as thoughtful, enquiring and scientifically literate learners.
