Bathford Church School 
Science
Science helps children make sense of the world around them. Through exploring, investigating and asking questions, children develop a sense of wonder about the natural world and an understanding of how science shapes our everyday lives.
Our Vision for Science
At Bathford Church School, our vision of Grow, Care, Serve, Share is at the heart of our Science curriculum. We want children to be curious, confident learners who enjoy finding things out and are excited to explore the world around them.
Science encourages children to develop respect for living things, an appreciation of the environment and an understanding of how they can play a positive role in caring for the world both now and in the future.
What Do Children Learn?
Throughout their time at Bathford, children develop their understanding of:
- Animals, including humans
- Living things and their habitats
- Plants
- Materials
- Forces
- Energy
- Earth and space
- Sound
- Electricity
- Evolution and inheritance
Children revisit and build upon key scientific concepts as they move through the school, helping them make connections and deepen their understanding over time.
Thinking Like Scientists
Throughout the curriculum, children are encouraged to think and work like scientists. They learn how to ask questions, make predictions, observe carefully, gather evidence and draw conclusions.
Scientific enquiry is woven through every unit of learning, helping children develop curiosity, critical thinking and an evidence-based approach to understanding the world around them.
How Do Children Learn?
Science learning is practical, engaging and enquiry-based.
Children are encouraged to:
- Ask questions
- Make predictions
- Observe closely
- Carry out investigations
- Record findings
- Interpret evidence
- Draw conclusions
Through hands-on experiences, discussion and exploration, children learn to think and work like scientists.
In Key Stage 2, science is taught as part of our mixed-age afternoon learning model. This provides opportunities for children to learn alongside peers from different year groups, work collaboratively, share ideas and develop independence and leadership skills.
What Will Children Take Away?
Through science, children develop:
- A secure understanding of key scientific knowledge
- Curiosity and a love of learning
- Confidence in investigating and solving problems
- Scientific vocabulary and communication skills
- Critical thinking and reasoning
- An appreciation of the importance of caring for the natural world
We want our children to leave Bathford with a lasting curiosity about the world around them and the confidence to continue asking questions, exploring ideas and learning throughout their lives.
Science Curriculum Documents
To help parents understand our Science curriculum, we have provided both our Long-Term Plan and Progression Map below.
The Long-Term Plan shows the science topics children learn across the school and how these are organised throughout the year.
The Progression Map shows how scientific knowledge, vocabulary and enquiry skills develop from Reception to Year 6, ensuring children build on previous learning and deepen their understanding over time.
Together, these documents provide a clear picture of both what children learn in Science and how their learning develops throughout their journey at Bathford Church School.