Science

Curriculum Intent 

At Elmtree Infant and Nursery School, we believe that every child is a scientist. We recognise that young children are naturally curious and are driven to explore, question and make sense of the world around them. Our ambition is to provide a rich, inclusive and inspiring Science curriculum that nurtures this curiosity and lays the foundations for lifelong scientific learning. 

Our science curriculum is designed to be accessible to all learners, regardless of background, starting point or additional need. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, children develop substantive scientific knowledge alongside the disciplinary skills needed to work scientifically. We aim to ensure that all pupils acquire the knowledge, skills and vocabulary required to understand and engage with the world around them with confidence. 

Science at Elmtree is rooted in first-hand experiences. We believe that children learn best through practical, exploratory and enquiry-based opportunities that encourage them to ask questions, investigate, observe, compare, classify, predict and communicate their findings. Through meaningful hands-on experiences, pupils develop resilience, independence and critical thinking skills, whilst learning that mistakes and unexpected outcomes are an important part of scientific discovery. 

We place a strong emphasis on developing children's scientific language. High-quality talk is embedded throughout our curriculum, enabling pupils to articulate their ideas, justify their thinking and engage in collaborative learning. By explicitly teaching and revisiting ambitious scientific vocabulary, we support children in becoming effective communicators and confident scientists.