Science

Bede’s pupils are active learners and acquire knowledge and skills through ‘seeking’ and ‘doing’. This practice begins in the Early Years and continues and is built upon in Year 1 and 2, where children are encouraged to take risks and ponder open-ended questions. The beautiful environment that surrounds Bede’s Prep is the perfect place to inspire the exploration of Science in the curriculum. There are also a variety of visits and activities that will enable the children to broaden their experience.

At Bedes we focus on the individual child and work to support their needs and interests through support and extension tasks, so that all children become the best scientists they can be!

What skills will my child develop?

• Asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways

• Observing closely, using simple equipment

• Performing simple tests

• Identifying and classifying

• Using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions

• Gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.

Hints & Tips for Home

Encourage the children to make predictions when out and about by posing questions such as ‘I wonder what would happen if…?’

Talk about the changes observed in the environment, including seasonal changes and weather.

Websites: www.bbcbitesize.co.uk

Helen Rich Head of Science

In Years 1 and 2 science is taught through a creative and engaging curriculum which encourages awe and wonder and gives the children opportunities to focus on the world around them and the question why things happen and make predictions. Across Key stage One the children will learn about Seasonal Changes, Plants, Animals (including humans), Materials, Living Things and Habitats.

The Bede’s local environment provides the perfect place for the children to explore the many different habitats that animals may live in. Regular trips to the beach and the South Downs allow us to study these in depth and encourages children to give reasons as to how animals adapt to their environment.

The highlights of the year in Science lessons are always practical experiments, whether this is planting seeds and seeing in what conditions they grow best, or testing different materials for a purpose e.g. which material will make the best boat to help the Gingerbread Man cross the river to escape the fox. This also provides excellent links to our English learning.

During the ‘Animals’ unit the children will classify and put animals into groups e.g. carnivore, herbivore, omnivore etc and investigate the different animal groups such as reptile, mammal and amphibian. In Year 2 there is continuous progression and the children move their learning on the life processes and living things and use MRSGREN mnemonic to help them in sorting objects into ‘living’, ‘dead’, and ‘never alive’. Classifying a pencil as ‘dead’ has always resulted in much confusion!