Science at Sulhamstead & Ufton Nervet CE Primary School

At Sulhamstead & Ufton Nervet CE Primary School, Science is an exciting and stimulating subject that encourages children to investigate, question and make sense of the world around them. Our science curriculum promotes curiosity and equips pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to think scientifically. Across the school—from EYFS to Year 6—children explore the fundamental disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics through engaging, hands‑on topics that build progressively year on year. Our aim is to inspire the scientists of tomorrow by developing secure scientific understanding and a love of enquiry.

The study of science at SUN helps pupils understand natural phenomena and the man‑made world, including the impact of science on people’s lives and the environment. Our curriculum covers all key areas of scientific learning: living things, plants, animals including humans, materials and their properties, changes of state, Earth and space, forces, energy, electricity, sound, and light. Pupils are taught essential scientific knowledge alongside the methods, processes and applications of science.

Learning in science is practical, hands‑on and rooted in real experience. Pupils collect first‑hand evidence through observation and experimentation, developing the skills needed to work scientifically across different branches of science.

• Solve scientific problems — explore situations where problems are posed and develop their own solutions

• Learn safe practice — develop a working understanding of safety, care and responsible investigation

• Form testable hypotheses — make predictions that can be explored through enquiry

• Use equipment accurately — decide what to measure, how to measure it and use equipment with increasing precision

• Record and interpret data — organise results, identify patterns and draw meaningful conclusions

• Communicate scientifically — develop written and oral reporting skills using appropriate scientific vocabulary

Supported by the Cornerstones curriculum, learners at SUN become equipped with the scientific knowledge needed to understand the uses and implications of science today and in the future. They learn to recognise the limitations of their own experiments and understand that science is dynamic—ideas and theories evolve over time, even when they cannot yet be fully tested.

Our aspiration is that children develop a deep curiosity about natural phenomena and gain the knowledge and concepts needed to explain what is happening, predict how things will behave and analyse causes both in and beyond school.

To be successful in Science at SUN, learners must:

• Develop scientific knowledge — build conceptual understanding across biology, chemistry and physics

• Understand scientific enquiry — use different types of investigations to answer questions about the world

• Use materials and techniques — apply practical skills and key techniques during investigations

• Evaluate scientific processes — assess materials, methods and data critically

• Use scientific vocabulary — describe observations, ideas and conclusions with accuracy

• Recognise science in society — understand how science affects people’s lives and the wider world

• Make meaningful connections — link learning across science and with subjects such as Design Technology and ICT

• Engage with ethical issues — consider the ethical implications of scientific activities and experimentation