Science

At Tetsworth Primary School, our intent for science learning is to instil a deep sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world in all our learners. We aim to provide a rich, engaging, and inclusive curriculum that fosters a love for science, encourages inquiry-based learning, and develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Science at Tetsworth is taught in line with the National Curriculum, ensuring that all statutory requirements are met and that pupils acquire a broad and balanced understanding of key scientific concepts. We use the Cornerstones Curriculum to support and enhance our teaching, providing engaging, thematic projects that bring science to life and promote meaningful cross-curricular connections.

As a small school with mixed-age classes, our science curriculum is carefully structured to ensure clear progression and continuity of learning across year groups. Lessons are designed to revisit and deepen prior knowledge, allowing pupils to build upon previous understanding and make links between different areas of science.

Our overarching goal is to nurture lifelong scientific literacy and an appreciation of how science influences and shapes the world around us.

At Tetsworth Primary School, science is taught through the National Curriculum, supported by the Cornerstones Curriculum, which provides thematic, knowledge-rich projects that integrate science with other subjects where appropriate. This approach makes learning purposeful, coherent, and exciting for our pupils.

In our mixed-age classes, teachers plan learning sequences carefully to ensure progression in scientific knowledge and skills for all pupils. Lessons are adapted and differentiated to meet the needs of every learner, ensuring that all children—regardless of age or ability—receive appropriate support and challenge.

Practical, hands-on experiences are central to our science teaching. Pupils are encouraged to question, investigate, observe, predict, test, record, and draw conclusions, developing both their understanding and their ability to think and work scientifically.

We make extensive use of our school grounds and local environment to provide opportunities for outdoor learning and real-world exploration. Children regularly engage in experiments, fieldwork, and investigations that connect scientific learning to their immediate world.

Teachers use a wide range of resources—including experiments, multimedia materials, and digital tools—to enrich lessons. Assessment is ongoing and varied, combining formative assessments (such as observations, questioning, and discussions) that capture pupils’ understanding and progress across mixed-age cohorts.

Science at Tetsworth Primary School inspires pupils to become curious, independent, and reflective learners. Through our teaching of the National Curriculum, enriched by the Cornerstones approach, pupils develop strong investigative and reasoning skills. They learn to ask thoughtful questions, test ideas, and communicate their findings clearly and confidently.

Our small-school ethos ensures that every pupil is known, supported, and valued as an individual. Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm for science and show resilience in problem-solving. They understand how science applies to real life, from their local environment to the wider world, and they recognise its importance in everyday decision-making and future careers.

By the time pupils leave Tetsworth Primary School, they have a secure foundation of scientific knowledge and enquiry skills. Most importantly, they carry with them a lasting sense of curiosity, confidence, and respect for the natural world—qualities that prepare them to be informed, responsible, and inquisitive citizens in an ever-evolving scientific and technological society.