Science
Welcome to Science at St Botolph’s Primary School
Science
Our Vision and the Intent
At St Botolph’s Primary School, we offer the children high quality first-hand experiences which develop children’s natural curiosity. Scientific enquiry is at the heart of exciting and enriching Science lessons of biology, chemistry and physics and through this, children master both investigative and practical skills that underpin the development of scientific knowledge.
Our intent is that all of our pupils, irrelevant of their background or starting point, will be given the opportunity to ask their own questions about the world around them. Through a new carefully planned spiral curriculum, we will give the children the opportunity to develop their own interests, which will help to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena.
Our vision at St Botolph’s is to ignite pupils’ curiosity and encourage them to confidently explore and discover the world around them, so that they develop a deeper understanding of the world we live in. Through our practical and spiral curriculum, we aim to inspire and excite our children and foster a thirst for knowledge. The teaching of Science will promote and develop transferable skills such as observation, communication and teamwork and allow mathematical skills to be applied. We also ensure that the Working Scientifically skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at the school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, building arguments and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings
Meet the Subject Leader and Governor
Subject Leader: Mrs Eastwood
Science Governor: Mr Hughes
Our Curriculum Journey
Science at St Botolph’s is delivered through a carefully structured spiral curriculum, whereby key scientific concepts and knowledge are revisited and developed progressively throughout the academic year rather than being taught as discrete termly units. This approach enables pupils to build upon prior learning, deepen their understanding over time, and maximise retention of key content.
What the Children Learn
Below is our Science Roadmap, which shows how children’s scientific knowledge and skills develop throughout their time at St Botolph’s.
Subject in Action
Enrichment Opportunities
Each year at St Botolph’s, science is celebrated for a day by the whole school. In March 2026, Science Day was held to promote engagement, collaboration, and enthusiasm for scientific learning. The event provided opportunities for teachers to work with classes beyond their own year groups and facilitated collaborative learning experiences across different phases of the school. The focus of the day was “Curiosity: What is the Question?”, inspired by the theme of British Science Week. Through a range of investigative and enquiry-based activities, pupils were encouraged to develop their questioning skills, think critically, and explore scientific concepts through curiosity-led learning. The day successfully reinforced the importance of scientific enquiry and fostered a positive culture of exploration and discovery across the school. The photographs above highlight the learning undertaken.
Year 3 also went on a school trip to Magna in Rotherham, where the children undertook a workshop on magnets and explored zones on earth wind air and fire, linked to their science curriculum.
Pupil Voice
A pupil voice was conducted with Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils in July 2026. The pupils had very positive views of science. Children in all year groups, knew that there are three stands of science and were able to identify the five different areas of scientific enquiry.
‘I love science. I wish we could do it everyday!’ – Year 1 child.
‘Science can tell you things you don’t know. I like learning new things. It makes you want to be a scientist when you grow up.’ – Year 2 child.
‘Science is really interesting. I love the experiments and learning about new things’ – Year 3 child
‘Science gives us the opportunity to experiment, experience and learn new things. There is no limit what to you can do you.’ – Year 4 child.
‘I love science. Experiments are fun. The build up and predictions builds up to the exciting bit. I love doing the experiment. At the end you know you did really well. It doesn’t matter if you go wrong, you will work it out in the end.’ – Year 5 child.
‘I love that science is so hands on. The experiments are the best part!’ – Year 6 child.
Celebrating Success
More photos coming soon.
Learning at Home
Science learning at home gives children the opportunity to explore the world around them through simple experiments, observations and everyday activities. Learning at home can help children develop curiosity, problem-solving skills and a better understanding of scientific ideas. Activities such as growing plants, observing weather, exploring materials and carrying out safe experiments can make science enjoyable and practical. Parents and carers can support learning by asking questions, encouraging children to make predictions and discussing what they observe.
See the links below, for some amazing experiments and ideas that can be enjoyed at home.
Recommended Reading
There are lots of non-fiction books that cover a wide range of science topics, including space, animals, the human body, forces etc. There are also fiction books that will develop children’s scientific understanding. Below are some ideas of these.
The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark – Jill Murphy
The Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle
Bunnies in a Rocket: Blast Off! – Philip Ardagh and Ben Mantle
Monkey Puzzle – Julia Donaldson
How to Build a Chocolate Bridge – Roma Agrawal and Robert Sae-Heng
Future Friend – David Baddiel
Darwin’s Dragons – Lindsay Galvin
Pig Heart Boy – Malorie Blackman
Space Oddity – Christopher Edge