Welcome to Science

Our vision

Science helps pupils understand the world through curiosity, evidence and explanation. Through the CUSP Science curriculum, pupils learn how the natural and physical world works and how scientific knowledge has been built over time.

Our science curriculum is ambitious, carefully sequenced and built on evidence‑led practice so that all pupils can think, work and reason like scientists.

What children learn

Science is taught from Early Years to Year 6, following the National Curriculum in a carefully sequenced and connected way. Learning builds cumulatively so that pupils revisit and deepen understanding over time.

Science is organised into three subject domains:

Biology – living things and life processes
Chemistry – materials and their properties
Physics – forces, energy, light, sound and space

Substantive knowledge

Pupils build secure scientific knowledge through clearly sequenced studies. Examples include:

Plants, animals (including humans) and habitats
Materials, states of matter and changes
Light, sound, electricity and forces
Earth and space
Evolution and inheritance

Key scientific vocabulary is taught explicitly so pupils can describe, explain and reason accurately.

Working scientifically

Alongside knowledge, pupils learn how to do science. This is known as Working Scientifically and is taught deliberately throughout the curriculum.

Pupils are taught to:

Ask scientific questions
Observe closely and measure accurately
Plan and carry out investigations
Identify and classify
Look for patterns
Use fair and comparative tests
Record, explain and evaluate results

These skills grow in complexity as pupils move through the school.

Thinking scientifically

Pupils are encouraged to think deeply using their knowledge. This includes:

Explaining cause and effect
Identifying patterns and relationships
Challenging misconceptions
Using evidence to justify conclusions

Scientific thinking is always rooted in secure knowledge, not guesswork.

A carefully sequenced curriculum

Science learning is deliberately ordered so that new knowledge builds on what pupils already know. Important concepts are revisited and strengthened over time, helping pupils develop a coherent mental model of science.

Examples of progression include:

From simple observations in Early Years
To structured investigations in Key Stage 2
To applying knowledge in increasingly abstract contexts by Year 6

Scientists and scientific stories

Pupils learn about significant scientists, past and present, to understand how scientific knowledge develops and changes. This includes scientists such as:

Galileo Galilei
Charles Darwin
Alfred Wallace
Maria Merian
Carl Linnaeus

These studies help pupils understand that science is shaped by evidence, questioning and refinement over time.

Vocabulary and reading

Strong emphasis is placed on scientific vocabulary, including both everyday and technical terms. Pupils also engage with high‑quality non‑fiction texts, helping them build background knowledge and read like scientists.

Assessment and progress

Assessment in science is ongoing and purposeful. Teachers check understanding through discussion, observation, quizzes and explanations.

Progress is measured by how well pupils:

Remember and use scientific knowledge
Apply working scientifically skills
Explain ideas clearly using evidence

The focus is on long‑term understanding, not isolated facts.

Inclusion and support

The CUSP Science curriculum is designed so that all pupils access the same ambitious curriculum. Lessons are adapted through clear explanations, visual supports, structured tasks and opportunities for oral rehearsal.