Science
At Helmsley Community Primary School, we nurture children’s natural curiosity and inspire them to explore, question and discover the world around them.
Our science curriculum encourages children to think like scientists—asking questions, testing ideas, and making sense of what they see and experience.
Intent:
We aim to:
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Build strong scientific knowledge through the key areas of biology, chemistry and physics.
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Develop children’s enquiry skills through hands-on investigations and real-life questions.
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Show how science relates to everyday life and its importance for the future.
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Encourage respect for living things, the environment, and safe handling of equipment.
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Ensure all children, including those with SEND, access a meaningful and inclusive science curriculum.
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Close any learning gaps to help all children meet age-related expectations.
Implementation:
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Science is taught weekly through engaging, practical lessons linked to the National Curriculum and EYFS goals.
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Learning builds progressively, using key vocabulary, prior knowledge, and enquiry skills across all year groups.
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High-quality work is recorded in science books, supported by knowledge organisers and vocabulary bookmarks from the Ryedale Learning Trust.
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Children regularly revisit and build on learning through retrieval activities.
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Working walls, photos, and diagrams make learning visible and support vocabulary development.
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Scientific enquiry is at the heart of each unit—children explore, test, observe, and reflect.
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All pupils experience outdoor learning through our forest environment and benefit from visits and expert-led workshops.
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Teacher assessment and tracking ensure progress and identify areas for support or challenge.
