Science
“Science is not something that belongs to a few people – it is something that belongs to everyone.”
At Grafton Primary School, we believe that every child is a scientist.
Children are born with an extraordinary sense of curiosity. They ask questions, notice patterns, make predictions and delight in discovering how the world works. Our role is to nurture that natural curiosity, helping children develop the confidence, knowledge and skills to explore the world with open minds and a lifelong love of learning.
Science is about far more than learning facts. It is about encouraging children to ask "Why?", "What if...?" and "How do we know?". It teaches them to think critically, to solve problems, to challenge ideas and to discover that finding the answer often begins with asking a thoughtful question.
Science is for Everyone
At Grafton, we want every child to feel that science is for them.
Whether they grow up to become an engineer, doctor, environmental scientist, designer, teacher or artist, scientific thinking helps children make sense of the world around them. We want every child to leave primary school believing that they have the confidence to investigate, question, evaluate evidence and solve problems.
Science belongs to everyone — not just to those who think they are "good at science".
Learning by Doing
Science is something children experience, not simply something they read about.
Our classrooms are places of discovery, where children explore, observe, build, test, measure and investigate. They are encouraged to make predictions, carry out fair tests, gather evidence and explain their thinking using increasingly precise scientific vocabulary.
Sometimes investigations confirm what children expected. Sometimes they don't. Both outcomes are equally valuable because every investigation helps children understand the scientific process more deeply.
Science is a verb. Children learn by doing.
Science Lead, Roz Porter-Tibbey
Learning from Mistakes
One of the most valuable lessons science teaches is that mistakes are not failures.
Children should be curious before they are correct.
Many of the greatest scientific discoveries have come from unexpected results, and we want children to experience that for themselves. When an investigation doesn't go as planned, children are encouraged to ask:
- "Why did that happen?"
- "What could we change?"
- "What should we try next?"
Through this process they develop resilience, perseverance and the confidence to keep asking questions.
Working Scientifically
Alongside developing scientific knowledge, children learn how scientists think and work.
As they move through the school they become increasingly confident in:
- asking thoughtful questions
- planning and carrying out investigations
- making careful observations
- measuring accurately
- recognising patterns
- recording and presenting data
- drawing conclusions from evidence
- evaluating the reliability of their results
These enquiry skills develop progressively from Reception through to Year 6, becoming more sophisticated as children's knowledge and independence grow.
Building Knowledge That Lasts
Our carefully sequenced curriculum revisits important scientific ideas throughout children's time at Grafton, allowing knowledge to deepen year by year.
Children explore biology, chemistry, physics and earth science through exciting topics that build on prior learning, making connections between concepts and helping them develop a secure understanding of the world around them.
By revisiting ideas in increasing depth, children develop confidence as well as understanding.
Every Child Included
We believe every child should have access to an ambitious science education.
Rather than lowering expectations, we adapt the way learning is presented so that every child can succeed. Practical investigations, discussion, visual resources, outdoor learning and flexible ways of recording understanding enable all children to participate fully and develop as young scientists.
Because science is about thinking — not simply writing.
Snap Science
Science at Grafton follows the Snap Science (published by Collins) model. Snap Science is one of the UK's leading primary science programmes. It is built explicitly around a spiral curriculum design, meaning that core scientific concepts (biology, chemistry, and physics) are revisited in increasing depth as children progress from Year 1 to Year 6.
The framework balances Conceptual Knowledge (taught across 6 modular blocks per year) with Working Scientifically Skills, which are embedded into every single lesson.
Conceptual Knowledge
An introduction to the big ideas of science
Life processes: How living things grow, survive, and rely on their environments.
Materials and matter: How different materials behave, why we use them, and how they change.
Physical phenomena: The basics of forces, light, sound, electricity, and the Earth's place in the solar system.
Developing confidence and agency: We want every child — regardless of gender, background, or academic ability — to leave primary school believing that science is "for them." They should achieve the confidence to challenge claims, demand evidence and realize that they have the agency to solve problems in their world.
Progression in Knowledge (Year 1 – Year 6)
Skills Progression
We want children to master the basic foundational tools of a working like a scientist.
Asking questions: "Why is the sky blue?" to "Does the colour of a surface affect how warm it gets in the sun?"
Fair testing: Understanding the concept of variables (e.g., "If we are testing which paper towel is strongest, we must use the same amount of water on each.").
Observation and data gathering: Using simple tools (rulers, thermometers, timers) to measure accurately and record findings in drawings, charts, or graphs.
Skills Progression Document (EYFS, Year 1 – Year 6)
Science Through Our Values
Love – Developing a lifelong fascination with the natural world and a genuine enjoyment of discovery.
Creativity – Thinking imaginatively, solving problems and exploring new possibilities through scientific enquiry.
Kindness – Working collaboratively, respecting different ideas and recognising the importance of science in improving lives and protecting our planet.
Inclusion – Ensuring every child has the opportunity to participate, investigate and succeed.
Resilience – Learning that perseverance, reflection and trying again are essential parts of every scientific journey.
Empowerment – Giving children the confidence to question, investigate, evaluate evidence and believe that science is something they can do.
By the time children leave Grafton Primary School, we hope they leave with much more than scientific knowledge.
- We hope they leave with eyes that notice.
- A mind that questions.
- The confidence to challenge ideas with evidence.
- The resilience to learn from mistakes.
- And a lasting sense of wonder about the extraordinary world around them.
We want to send children into secondary school not just with a folder full of neat notes, but with eyes that truly observe, a mind that questions and a heart that is fascinated by the natural world.
Science Lead, Roz Porter Tibbey