Lower key stage 2 - years 3-4
The principal focus of science teaching in lower key stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out.
'Working scientifically' is described separately at the beginning of the programme of study and will be taught throughout the curriculum and embedded alongside the knowledge-based content outlined. Throughout the notes and guidance, examples show how scientific methods and skills might be linked to specific elements of the content.
Pupils should read and spell scientific vocabulary correctly and with confidence, using their growing word reading and spelling knowledge.
Working scientifically
Lower key stage 2 programme of study (statutory requirements) |
Working scientifically During years 3 and 4, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
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Year 3
Year 3 programme of study (statutory requirements) |
Plants Pupils should be taught to:
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Animals, including humans Pupils should be taught to:
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Rocks Pupils should be taught to:
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Light Pupils should be taught to:
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Forces and magnets Pupils should be taught to:
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Year 4
Year 4 programme of study (statutory requirements) |
All living things Pupils should be taught to:
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Animals, including humans Pupils should be taught to:
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States of matter Pupils should be taught to:
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Sound Pupils should be taught to:
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Electricity Pupils should be taught to:
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Upper key stage 2 – years 5-6
The principal focus of science teaching in upper key stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. At upper key stage 2, they should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. They should select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information. Pupils should draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.
'Working and thinking scientifically' is described separately at the beginning of the programme of study, but must always be taught through and clearly related to substantive science content in the programme of study. Throughout the notes and guidance, examples show how scientific methods and skills might be linked to specific elements of the content.
Pupils should read, spell and pronounce scientific vocabulary correctly.
Working scientifically
Upper key stage 2 programme of study (statutory requirements) |
Working scientifically During years 5 and 6, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
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Year 5
Year 5 programme of study (statutory requirements) |
All living things Pupils should be taught to:
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Animals, including humans Pupils should be taught to:
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Properties and changes of materials Pupils should be taught to:
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Earth and space Pupils should be taught to:
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Forces Pupils should be taught to:
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Year 6
Year 6 programme of study (statutory requirements) |
All living things Pupils should be taught to:
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Animals including humans Pupils should taught to:
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Evolution and inheritance Pupils should be taught to:
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Light Pupils should be taught to:
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Electricity Pupils should be taught to:
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