Curiosity is at the heart of the science curriculum at Lady Joanna Thornhill (Endowed) Primary School. Our children are naturally inquisitive, full of questions about the world around them and the drive to investigate how things work. At Lady Joanna, we want to harness this innate curiosity, and nurture children’s enthusiasm for scientific discovery, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to engage with scientific learning and practice. 

It is our vision that children will leave us with the confidence to explore and discover the natural world around them and with a lifelong love of science. Our other school values; compassion, collaboration and resilience, underpin our curriculum and support the children to become socially and environmentally responsible individuals. 

Our progressive, spiral curriculum builds on children’s prior learning, supported by research-based pedagogical approaches and excellent teacher subject knowledge. Meaningful, practical activities provide the children with opportunities to develop and practice many skills and attributes including communication, collaboration, teamwork and perseverance as well as analytical, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Children begin their journey of exploration and experimentation right from the start in Early years where key scientific skills and vocabulary are introduced. These are built upon within Key Stage 1 and 2, ensuring that children are ready for their next step into Key Stage 3.  

We believe that a high-quality scientific education will not only foster a deep love of science but also will prepare children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. We aim to provide the children with meaningful context to their learning to allow them to see how science has changed our lives and how it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. This in turn, empowers them to understand that they have the capability to change the world. 

Science for the Head – children gain key knowledge and understanding of the world around them, remembering key facts and concepts.  

Science for the Heart – children are enthusiastic learners of science, demonstrating love and care for their environment and responsibility for the future of the planet. 

Science for the Hand – children learn key practical skills in planning investigations, collecting and analysing data and recording what they have learned.