Science

 What does Science look like at Mossgate?

“Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why.” – Bernard Baruch

At Mossgate, Science is more than just a subject - it’s an exciting journey of discovery. Our aim is to spark curiosity and wonder, helping children build a strong foundation of knowledge and develop the critical thinking skills they need to make sense of the world around them. 

We have thoughtfully designed a Science curriculum that encourages children to become enquiry-based learners. Through hands-on investigations, research, questioning and reflection, our pupils collaborate and explore while developing a deep respect for living things and the environment. 

Thanks to the expertise of our teachers and the engaging curriculum we have built, all children experience high-quality science learning that is exciting, inclusive and meaningful. Children are encouraged to ask questions, investigate their ideas and apply what they learn to real-life contexts. They learn how science helps us explain what’s happening in the world, make predictions, and analyse causes and effects. Our curriculum also integrates mathematical skills such as measuring, recording, and analysing data - helping pupils understand how science and maths connect in everyday life. 

Throughout every topic, children are immersed in scientific vocabulary, which is taught explicitly and referred to regularly. This helps pupils gain confidence in using scientific language to talk about their ideas, write up investigations and present their findings clearly and accurately. 

“A scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he’s one who asks the right questions.” – Claude Lévi-Strauss

How is our Science curriculum designed to meet the needs of Mossgate pupils? 

We use our own Key Learning documents, carefully adapted from the Lancashire Science KLIPs, to ensure that each unit is tailored to the needs of our children. Our Long-Term Overviews provide full coverage of the National Curriculum and are designed to ensure a clear progression of knowledge and skills from Nursery to Year 6. 

Each unit provides the right balance between learning scientific facts and working scientifically. This ensures children are not only building up what they know but also learning how to think, question and behave like scientists. 

The skills of working scientifically are explicitly taught and mapped across the school, ensuring progression and consistency. Children develop their ability to carry out different types of enquiry, including: 

• Observing over time 

• Identifying and classifying 

• Using secondary sources for research 

• Seeking patterns 

• Conducting fair tests 

These skills are taught through practical activities that allow children to explore, talk, test and reflect. As pupils progress, they are encouraged to ask their own scientific questions and consider which type of enquiry would best help them find the answers. 

Key Learning

What does Science teaching look like in the classroom? 

“Science is fun. Science is curiosity. We all have natural curiosity. Science is a process of investigating. It’s posing questions and coming up with a method. It’s delving in.” – Sally Ride

EYFS

In Nursery and Reception, children develop as young scientists through a curriculum that is rooted in curiosity, exploration and understanding the world around them. Through first-hand experiences, children explore life cycles of humans and plants, noticing changes over time and making simple connections to their own lives. They investigate natural and everyday materials by collecting, sorting and exploring their properties, developing early skills of observation and questioning.

Our provision encourages children to respect and care for the environment and all living things, nurturing a sense of responsibility and wonder for the natural world. Children are supported to explore how things work through hands-on investigation, problem-solving and play. Adults plan responsively, working in the moment to capture a child’s spark of interest and turn it into a meaningful, teachable moment. Through open-ended questioning and sensitive guidance, adults extend learning by following the child’s lead, deepening understanding and fostering a love of scientific exploration.

Year 1 - Year 6

Each unit begins with a prior learning task, allowing teachers to assess what children already know and plan lessons that build on this knowledge. Lessons are designed to help children make links between ideas, deepen understanding and apply their learning in increasingly complex ways. 

Throughout each topic, we identify and plan for three key areas: 

• Substantive knowledge (the key facts and concepts) 

• Working scientifically skills (how children think and behave like scientists) 

• Scientific enquiry types (how children investigate questions) 

To support learning, we use clear key vocabulary and sticky knowledge, which is displayed in the classroom and used throughout the unit. Children are encouraged to use this language when writing up experiments, explaining findings and discussing ideas. 

Teachers use formative assessment throughout every unit to monitor progress, address misconceptions and ensure all children are supported and challenged appropriately. This ensures children leave each unit with a secure understanding of both the content and the scientific skills they have developed. 

What are the outcomes of our Science curriculum? 

Our approach ensures that Science at Mossgate is: 

• Engaging and enjoyable, sparking a lifelong love of learning 

• Inclusive, ensuring all children develop confidence in their ability to explore, question and explain 

• Knowledge-rich, building strong foundations in biology, chemistry and physics 

• Skill-focused, ensuring pupils leave with a secure understanding of how to work scientifically 

• Meaningful, connecting science to the real world and preparing pupils for life beyond primary school 

Assessment at Mossgate is primarily teacher-based, using both informal and formal strategies. By focusing on formative assessment, we can quickly identify and address misconceptions, ensuring pupils are building on solid scientific foundations rather than insecure knowledge. 

In Summary 

Science at Mossgate is a vibrant, exciting part of our curriculum. It empowers children to explore their world, think critically and grow into confident, curious learners. Whether they are growing vegetables in the school grounds, investigating circuits in classrooms or classifying animals at the school pond, our pupils are always encouraged to think like scientists, and enjoy every step of the journey.