Intent

At Maltby Manor, we recognise science as a fundamental subject that shapes our understanding of the world. As one of the core subjects in primary education, we prioritise high-quality teaching and learning in science to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills, and curiosity about the natural world.

Our science curriculum is designed to promote enquiry-based learning, enabling children to develop essential working scientifically skills alongside substantive scientific knowledge. We nurture children’s natural curiosity, encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment, and foster critical thinking through evidence evaluation.

We aim to equip every pupil with the confidence and motivation to build on their scientific knowledge and skills as they progress through their education and into life beyond school.

Implementation

Science at Maltby Manor involves the systematic acquisition of knowledge, concepts, and skills that build positive attitudes toward the world. Our curriculum ensures progressive development of scientific knowledge and enquiry skills from EYFS through Year 6, enabling pupils to confidently select and use equipment, conduct investigations, interpret data, and draw evidence-based conclusions.

We use detailed progression grids to map prior knowledge, vocabulary, and skills, ensuring clear continuity and progression year on year. These grids guide teachers in structuring lessons and embedding both new and prior learning, building pupils’ scientific vocabulary and conceptual understanding over time.

EYFS: Science learning is integrated within ‘Understanding the World’ and ‘Communication and Language,’ with teaching grounded in first-hand experiences and exploratory play. Our indoor and outdoor environments, including weekly Forest School sessions, provide rich opportunities for sensory exploration, observation, and inquiry, fostering awe, wonder, and scientific thinking from an early age.

KS1 and KS2: Science is planned using comprehensive subject overviews aligned with the National Curriculum. Each unit is centred on enquiry questions that promote meaningful, real-world scientific investigation and enhance Science Capital. Lessons are highly practical and designed to engage learners through hands-on activities, problem-solving, and opportunities to apply oracy skills for questioning and discussion.

Teachers follow a structured lesson format: starting with a ‘sharp start’ to recall prior learning, introducing new vocabulary and concepts through high-quality resources, providing scaffolded examples, enabling pupils to explore enquiry questions through investigation, and concluding with challenge tasks to deepen understanding. Regular live assessment through precise questioning allows teachers to identify misconceptions and adapt teaching to ensure all pupils keep up.

This approach ensures a coherent and progressive delivery of the science curriculum throughout the school.

impact

Our science curriculum empowers pupils to become confident, independent, and inquisitive learners who understand and can explain scientific concepts relating to biology, chemistry, and physics. Pupils leave Maltby Manor with strong scientific enquiry skills, enabling them to ask questions, gather and interpret evidence, and reach well-reasoned conclusions.

Assessment in science is ongoing and multifaceted, combining formative teacher judgements with summative assessments at the end of each unit. This approach enables teachers to closely monitor pupil progress against year group expectations and the curriculum. At the end of the year, teachers make a clear judgement of each child’s attainment to inform future teaching and ensure continuity into the next stage of education.

Through a rigorous, progressive science curriculum, we prepare our pupils to succeed in secondary education and to engage thoughtfully and confidently with the scientific aspects of the world around them.