Science Curriculum Overview 2024-25

Our vision for science is for pupils to become enthusiastic science learners who develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about science and acquire an understanding of the natural and humanly-constructed world around them.

The science curriculum at Minet Infant and Nursery School plays a central role in ‘raising aspirations,’ and ingraining the school’s values of respect, resilience and responsibility. We deliver the National Curriculum objectives ensuring pupils learn about materials, plants, habitats, and the changing seasons through hands on, practical learning. We aim to bring science to life by providing pupils opportunities to explore the world around them, and ask simple questions, recognising that they can be answered in different ways. The teaching of science is immersive and focuses on seeing learning in action as pupils are taught to plan, conduct and evaluate scientific experiments. Pupils will work scientifically to group and classify objects, materials and living things and use secondary sources of information to answer questions. Through first hand practical experiences, pupils will be equipped with the skills to use simple equipment to carry out simple tests and record and communicate results using simple scientific language. This active teaching approach promotes engagement with the topic and reinforces understanding of ideas and concepts.

Teaching and learning is not limited to the classroom but is enriched and enhanced through a range of experiences, for example pupils are taken on nature walks to locations such as Minet Country Park where they are encouraged to explore and interact with the natural world. We also cultivate a passion for science within our children by holding an annual science week in which we deliver exciting, interactive and educational workshops.

Learning is tailored to incorporate high level vocabulary that is challenging yet age-appropriate. Scientific terminology is introduced gradually throughout EYFS and KS1 and upon completion pupils are expected to be able to correctly define and use a wide range of scientific vocabulary.

Pupils are encouraged to think critically as science teaching at Minet is heavily enquiry based. Children are naturally curious about the world around them and this is channeled into their learning by allowing them to form questions after introducing a topic and after a series of lessons the aim is for these questions to be answered. This approach allows learning to become individualised and therefore engaging. Lesson planning is also designed to allow children to draw links between different taught concepts across the entire curriculum, further supporting children to think critically.

Science Policy

Our science learning - Summer term 2025

During the Summer Term, Nursery children have been developing their scientific thinking through hands-on, practical experiences. As part of our Nursery Curriculum Goals, children followed simple recipes, like making playdough, by listening to and remembering key steps, building their confidence and independence. They also explored using everyday tools safely and purposefully, such as rolling pins in the malleable area and butter knives during snack time. 

This half term the children in Reception have enjoyed learning all about the four different seasons and how they change throughout the year. They explored how each season is different and looked closely at the signs of seasonal change. The children compared different types of weather and particularly enjoyed creating factual posters related to each of the season. They also matched different items of clothing to the appropriate seasons by looking at pictures of coats, sunglasses, scarves, wellington boots and sunhats then carefully deciding which items would be most suitable for each type of weather. This science topic has supported the children’s understanding of the natural world around them and encouraged them to discuss the world we live in.

This term, Year 1 have been getting hands-on with nature as part of their science learning. The children have been busy identifying and naming a variety of common wild and garden plants, including learning the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees. They’ve also explored the structure of flowering plants,—from roots to petals—and even trees! Through nature walks, sorting activities and observations, Year 1 are beginning to understand and appreciate the rich plant life around them.

In the second term, Year 1 started learning all about seasonal change, beginning with a focus on summer. The children were observing what summer looks and feels like—thinking about the weather, clothing, plants, and how we enjoy the outdoors at this time of year. Children then began to compare the different seasons, noticing how the world around them changes across the year.

We’re so proud of their curiosity and growing scientific vocabulary.

In Summer in Year 2, children have been learning all about plants. In the first half term, children learnt about bulbs and seeds. They set up experiments to test the best conditions for germination, made close observations and concluded results based on their observations of the seeds and bulbs over time. The children learnt about the difference between bulbs and seeds and dove deeper into the parts of each. In the second half term, the children conducted experiments to test how certain conditions affect the growth of mature plants. We tested how temperature, water and light affects the growth of mature plants. The children set up fair tests, recorded their results in tables and discussed conclusions. They learnt how to identify healthy and unhealthy plants and used their knowledge of parts of a plant to help with this. We are proud of their scientific enquiry skills and their use of scientific vocabulary.

Science Week 2025

What a brilliant day we had as part of Science Week. The school was visited by an energetic professor who delivered a science tour through workshops. Children learnt about elements and pressure as well as experiencing some explosions!

Our science learning - Spring term 2025

Nursery this half term continued to work towards their curriculum goal of following a simple recipe to make playdough. As part of this, they visited Sainsbury's to purchase the ingredients they needed and then came back to school and learnt how to mix them together. They also enjoyed making mud pies in the mud kitchen outside. 

Reception's science learning this half term was all about the season of winter. They observed and described the weather on a winter's day and talked about how cold weather affects our bodies and how to keep warm during the winter months. 

Year 1 have been learning about the properties and uses of materials this half term in science. They learnt about the materials different objects are made from and used their growing scientific vocabulary to describe the properties of shapes as such 'transparent' and 'opaque.' They also compared and grouped together a range of different materials on the basis of their properties. 

Year 2 have been learning about changing materials this half term in science. They explored different materials and completed investigations to find our how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching. 

Our science learning - Autumn term 2024

This term in science children in the Nursery having been learning about wildlife and minibeasts. As part of this learning, they observed caterpillars turning into butterflies and they also had lots of opportunity to explore objects that can be found in the natural environment.

Children's science learning this term in Reception has focused on exploring objects in the natural world and learning about how they change during the different seasons. They also planted their own seeds and learnt how to look after plants to help them grow and be healthy. 

In Year 1, children have been learning about the human body and senses in science. They explored all of the scenes through different activities including putting their hand in a box to guess the object inside using the sense of touch. 

Children in Year 2 have been learning about materials in science. They recalled the names of different materials and described their properties. They thought about how the properties of materials make them useful for particular purposes and completed scientific investigations to find out the best materials to use. 

Science Week 2024

Minet Infants celebrated British Science Week 2024 with a bang! We learnt all about Volcanic eruptions and how they are caused over time. Children had a fantastic time in the workshop, building their own erupting volcanoes. Throughout the day, classes also did fun, practical science that everyone could really get their hands into.

Take a look at some of our wonderful learning in science: