CPPS Science Curriculum Overview

Curious. Inspired. Resilient.

At Covingham Park Primary School, science is a joyful, hands‑on and highly purposeful part of our curriculum. We want every child to leave CPPS with a deep sense of curiosity about the world, the confidence to ask questions, and the knowledge and skills they need to think and investigate like real scientists.

Our science curriculum is carefully planned from EYFS to Year 6, ensuring that pupils build knowledge step by step — revisiting important ideas, connecting learning across topics, and developing strong scientific skills that allow them to test, explore, observe and explain the world around them.

Our Vision for Science

We want every child to become:

Curious thinkers

Children who notice things, ask thoughtful questions, make predictions and wonder “What would happen if…?”

Inspired learners

Children who learn through meaningful experiences — practical investigations, hands‑on experiments, outdoor learning, and rich stories about scientists and discoveries.

Resilient investigators

Children who keep going when tests don’t work the first time, who look closely at evidence, and who understand that in science mistakes help us learn.

What Science Looks Like at CPPS

In our school there is a coherent journey from EYFS to Year 6; Our curriculum builds knowledge gradually. Children study all the key areas of the National Curriculum:

• Biology (plants, animals including humans, living things and their habitats, evolution)
• Chemistry (materials, states of matter, properties and changes)
• Physics (forces, magnets, light, sound, electricity, Earth and space)

Key concepts are revisited as children move up the school — for example, materials in KS1 → states of matter in Y4 → reversible and irreversible changes in Y5.

Practical science every term

We believe children learn science best when they do science. Each unit includes opportunities for investigation, exploration and hands‑on enquiry. For example:

• testing which materials keep things warm
• exploring circuits and switches
• investigating magnets and forces
• dissecting flowers
• observing seasonal change
• creating and interpreting classification keys
• building simple models to test predictions

Developing ‘Working Scientifically’ skills

Alongside learning scientific knowledge, children are explicitly taught how to work like scientists. This includes:

• asking questions
• setting up investigations
• observing closely over time
• gathering and recording data
• identifying, classifying & grouping
• comparative & fair testing
• researching
• looking for patterns
• drawing conclusions from evidence

These skills grow in sophistication each year, leading to fully independent enquiries by Year 6.

How We Structure Learning

Each year group studies science in termly units. Every unit includes:

• key knowledge children need to learn
• important vocabulary explained and practised
• common misconceptions addressed early
• opportunities for practical investigation
• real‑life examples linking science to the wider world
• short assessments to check understanding

We also link science to wider curriculum themes where this enriches learning — for example, exploring insulation during a Nordic geography topic, or studying classification while learning about Himalayan habitats.

How We Support All Learners

We want every child — including those with SEND, EAL or additional needs — to succeed in science. Teachers provide:

• clear explanations using models, diagrams and demonstrations
• vocabulary support through visuals, stem sentences and repeated practice
• practical tasks where all pupils can take an active role
• flexible recording options (pictures, tables, diagrams, sentences)
• challenge questions that deepen thinking

Our ambition is the same for every child: to take part fully in scientific thinking and practical enquiry.

How We Assess Science

Assessment in science in our school is purposeful. Teachers check understanding through:

• questioning during lessons
• pupils’ practical work, diagrams and explanations
• short quizzes
• end‑of‑unit tasks
• samples of investigations shared at moderation points

These checks help us understand what pupils know, address gaps and make sure learning is secure.

 Why Our Curriculum Matters

By the time children leave CPPS, they will have:

• strong knowledge of key scientific ideas
• confidence in planning and carrying out investigations
• experience interpreting real data and evidence
• a growing understanding of how science shapes our world
• a deep sense of curiosity — noticing patterns, asking thoughtful questions and wanting to understand more
• an inspired outlook — seeing science as exciting, relevant and full of possibility
• a resilient approach — understanding that scientific thinking involves testing, refining and learning from mistakes

Most importantly, they recognise themselves as scientists — thinkers, questioners, problem solvers and explorers.