Teaching Science in Early Years to ensure a strong foundation
Science in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is part of Understanding the World (UTW) section of the curriculum. Children are naturally inquisitive and love to ask questions, explore new things and investigate how things work. It is vital, therefore, that we develop their passion of scientific discovery from a young age.
At Moreton Morrell C of E Primary School, we aim to deliver a well-balanced EYFS curriculum, where children can explore, investigate and ask questions about objects, people and resources within their child initiated play and also during adult led and taught sessions.
A fundamental part of the EYFS curriculum is enabling the environment so that children can fully access aspects of UTW within all areas of the classroom, both inside and out.
How we teach science at Moreton Morrell
Between one and two hours per week is devoted to the teaching of Science. In KS1 and KS2 lessons provide opportunities to carry out scientific enquiries and use relevant scientific vocabulary. We give the children the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world through first-hand experiences. The sequencing of projects ensures that children have the substantive knowledge and vocabulary to comprehend subsequent projects fully. Each project’s place in the year has also been carefully considered. For example, projects that involve growing plants or observing animals are positioned at a suitable time of year to give children the best possible opportunity to make first-hand observations. Within all the science projects, disciplinary knowledge is embedded within substantive content. Activities develop their natural curiosity about the environment around them, about how things work and about how things around us are as they are.
