EYFS
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), science is explored through the "Understanding the World" area of learning, where young children are encouraged to observe, explore, and ask questions about the world around them. Through hands-on play and investigation, children begin to notice changes in seasons, weather, plants, and animals, and talk about what they see, hear, and feel using simple scientific language. They learn to name basic body parts, understand how to keep themselves healthy, and explore their five senses through everyday experiences. Children are introduced to the concept of growth and life cycles by observing plants and animals and talking about how things change over time. They also start to explore materials, noticing different textures, properties, and uses. Through stories, outdoor learning, and guided activities, children build curiosity, develop observation skills, and begin to make simple predictions—laying the groundwork for scientific thinking in later years.
Year One
In Year 1 of the science curriculum, children begin to explore and make sense of the world around them through observation, discussion, and hands-on experiences. They learn to identify, name, and describe the basic parts of the human body and link them to the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Children also learn to name and group a variety of common animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and understand whether they are herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. They explore everyday materials such as wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock, describing their simple physical properties and sorting them based on these characteristics. In the plants and seasons topics, children identify common plants and trees, describe their basic parts, and begin to notice seasonal changes across the year, including changes in weather and day length. Throughout all topics, they are encouraged to ask questions, make simple predictions, observe closely, record findings using drawings or charts, and talk about what they notice, laying the foundation for scientific thinking.
Animals
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Animals
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Animals
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Animals
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Animals - Minibeast Hunting
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Animals - Minibeast Hunting
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Animals - Minibeast Hunting
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Year Two
In Year 2 of the primary science curriculum, children deepen their understanding of the natural world through hands-on exploration and observation. They study living things and their habitats, learning to compare living, dead, and never-living things, and explore how different habitats meet the needs of various animals and plants. They also examine simple food chains and microhabitats. In the plants unit, pupils observe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants and investigate the conditions—such as water, light, and temperature—needed for healthy growth. When studying animals, including humans, they learn about life cycles, basic needs for survival (food, water, air), and the importance of exercise, diet, and hygiene. In materials science, children identify and compare the suitability of everyday materials like wood, metal, and plastic for different uses, and explore how the shapes of solid objects can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting, or stretching. Throughout these topics, pupils develop their scientific enquiry skills by asking questions, making observations, conducting simple tests, recording data, and using their findings to suggest answers. This year lays a strong foundation for scientific thinking and curiosity, preparing children for more advanced concepts in later years.
Year Three
In Year 3 of the primary science curriculum, children delve into a variety of scientific topics to broaden their understanding of the natural world and develop key investigative skills. They study plants, learning about their functions, requirements for life and growth, and the process of pollination and seed dispersal. In the 'Animals, including humans' unit, pupils explore nutrition, the importance of a balanced diet, and the role of skeletons and muscles in movement. The 'Rocks' topic introduces them to different types of rocks, the rock cycle, and how fossils are formed. Through the study of 'Light', children investigate how light is reflected, how shadows are formed, and the dangers of sunlight. In 'Forces and magnets', they examine how objects move on different surfaces, explore magnetic materials, and understand magnetic poles. Throughout these topics, pupils are encouraged to work scientifically by asking questions, conducting simple experiments, making observations, and recording their findings using appropriate methods. This hands-on approach fosters curiosity and lays a strong foundation for scientific learning in subsequent years.
Light
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Light
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Rocks and Soils
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Rocks and Soils
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Rocks and Soils
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Rocks and Soils
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Rocks and Soils
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Rocks and Soils
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Year Four
In Year 4 of the primary science curriculum, children continue to develop their scientific understanding and enquiry skills through a range of engaging topics. They explore electricity, learning how to construct simple circuits and identify components such as bulbs, wires, switches, and buzzers. In sound, they investigate how sounds are made, how they travel, and how pitch and volume can change. In biology, children study animals, including humans, focusing on the digestive system, teeth, and food chains. They also explore living things and their habitats, learning to group organisms and understand how environments can change. In the states of matter topic, pupils learn about solids, liquids, and gases, observe how materials change state, and understand the water cycle, including the processes of evaporation and condensation. Throughout the year, children carry out investigations, make careful observations, record results using charts and diagrams, and explain what they have found using scientific language, helping them build a strong foundation for more advanced science learning in later years.
Animals including Humans - the Digestive System
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Animals including Humans - the Digestive System
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Sound
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Sound
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Sound
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Year Five
In Year 5 of the primary science curriculum, children explore a range of scientific topics in greater depth and develop their ability to work scientifically. They study the properties and changes of materials, learning to compare and group materials based on their properties such as hardness, solubility, and conductivity, and investigate reversible and irreversible changes. In biology, they learn about the life cycles of different animals and plants, including reproduction in some plants and animals. They also study Earth and space, gaining an understanding of the movement of the Earth, Moon, and planets, and how this affects day and night. In physics, they investigate forces, including gravity, air resistance, water resistance, and friction, and explore mechanisms like levers, pulleys, and gears. Children are encouraged to plan fair tests, make predictions, take careful measurements, record data using tables and graphs, and draw conclusions based on evidence. Through these topics, they begin to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts and develop a deeper understanding of the scientific processes behind everyday phenomena.
Year Six
In Year 6 of the primary science curriculum, children build on their previous learning by exploring more complex scientific ideas and developing their investigative skills. They study topics such as electricity, learning how to build circuits and understand the function of components like switches, bulbs, and buzzers. In biology, they explore the human circulatory system, understanding the roles of the heart, blood, and lungs, and learn how diet, exercise, drugs, and lifestyle impact health. They study evolution and inheritance, discovering how living things adapt to their environments and how characteristics are passed from parents to offspring. Children also revisit and deepen their understanding of light, investigating how it travels and how shadows are formed, and they explore how we see things. Through hands-on investigations, they develop their ability to plan experiments, control variables, take accurate measurements, record results in a variety of ways, and draw conclusions from their findings. Throughout the year, pupils are encouraged to think critically, ask scientific questions, and use evidence to support their ideas, preparing them for the transition to secondary science.