Science at St. Mark’s
Intent
At St. Mark’s C of E Primary School, our Science curriculum is designed to foster a sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world. We aim to provide all students with a solid foundation in scientific knowledge and skills, preparing them for future inquiry and exploration. By offering a well-rounded and engaging curriculum, we encourage students to think critically, ask questions, and understand how science impacts their everyday lives. Our goal is to instill a lifelong love for science, inspiring students to see themselves as scientists and problem-solvers.
Implementation
Our structured Science curriculum is built around key scientific disciplines—biology, chemistry, and physics—ensuring that students receive a broad and balanced education. We use high-quality resources such as Hamilton Trust and White Rose Science to deliver engaging and effective lessons. These resources enable teachers to present complex concepts in an accessible manner, while hands-on activities and investigations provide students with opportunities to apply their learning.
Key areas of our Science curriculum include:
1. Exploring Living Things (Biology): In our biology lessons, students dive into the exciting world of living organisms! They learn about plants, animals, and their habitats, discovering how they grow and interact with each other. Through fun activities, students explore life cycles, the different parts of plants and animals, and how everything in nature is connected.
2. Investigating Materials (Chemistry): In chemistry, our young scientists investigate the amazing materials around them. They get hands-on as they explore different substances, learning about their properties and how they can change. From mixing ingredients to observing chemical reactions, students discover how materials make up the world we live in!
3. Understanding Forces (Physics): Our physics lessons are all about understanding the forces that shape our everyday lives. Students explore concepts like light, sound, and electricity through exciting experiments. They learn how these forces work and how we can use technology to harness them. With practical activities, students see science in action and understand how it relates to the world around them.
4. Working Scientifically: We place a strong emphasis on the scientific method, guiding students to ask questions, form hypotheses, conduct investigations, and analyse data. This approach helps develop critical thinking, observation, measurement, and data interpretation skills—equipping students with the tools they need to explore the world scientifically.
To enrich classroom learning, we offer science-related trips that align with the curriculum. These include visits to local farms, The Science Museum, and natural sites, allowing students to experience science in action. By connecting theoretical learning with real-world applications, students gain a deeper appreciation of scientific principles and their impact on everyday life.
Our school’s location in London provides a wealth of opportunities to broaden students’ scientific horizons. We regularly integrate trips to the city’s museums, scientific institutions, and natural environments into our curriculum. These visits connect classroom concepts to cutting-edge discoveries and phenomena, further enriching students’ understanding of the world around them.
Impact
The impact of our Science curriculum is evident in the enthusiasm and curiosity our students show for scientific learning. Through the structured teaching of biology, chemistry, physics, and scientific inquiry, students develop strong foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills. By engaging with real-world applications and hands-on experiments, they become confident in applying scientific concepts and methods to new situations.
Our students leave St. Mark’s with a solid understanding of the key areas of science and an appreciation for the role science plays in their lives and the world. Their experiences with inquiry-based learning, field trips, and London’s scientific resources ensure they are well-prepared for future scientific challenges and inspired to continue exploring the natural world.