Orchard Park Community Primary School

Science at Orchard Park – Growing Curious Minds

Our Intent – What We Aim to Achieve

At Orchard Park, we want all of our children to become curious, confident scientists who enjoy asking questions and exploring the world around them. We aim to spark a lifelong love of science by encouraging children to observe, explore, experiment, and find out why and how things work.

Our science lessons help children build knowledge in the key areas of biology, chemistry and physics, while developing their ability to think scientifically and ask meaningful questions. We also include lots of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) activities to give our pupils hands-on learning experiences.

We are incredibly lucky to be close to the Cambridge Science Park, giving our pupils access to real-world science — through visits, workshops, and inspiring links with scientists and local organisations. Children learn that science isn’t just something that happens in the classroom — it’s part of everyday life, and it can even shape their future careers!

We also make sure pupils learn about a wide range of scientists from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders, so that every child can see themselves as a scientist and understand the many different ways people contribute to the world of science.

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How We Teach Science – Our Implementation

We teach science every week across the school, and make it as fun, engaging and hands-on as possible. Wherever we can, science lessons are linked to the class’s current topic to make learning more connected and meaningful.

• In Early Years, children begin by exploring the world around them, through observation, play and discovery.

• In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils cover all areas of the National Curriculum and build on their knowledge each year in a structured and progressive way.

Lessons include opportunities to:

• Ask questions

• Make predictions

• Investigate

• Record findings

• Reflect and evaluate

We place a strong focus on "working scientifically" – meaning that children don’t just learn science facts, but also do science: measuring, observing, comparing results and explaining what they’ve discovered.

Children use a wide range of resources, equipment and scientific vocabulary to support their learning, and are encouraged to think critically, make connections and be open-minded in their investigations.

Teachers at Orchard Park tailor lessons to suit their classes, incorporating children’s interests and building on what they already know. Lessons are designed to be inclusive and engaging for all learners.

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The Impact – What This Means for Your Child

Our science curriculum leads to:

• Confident, enthusiastic learners who are curious about how the world works

• A strong understanding of scientific ideas and how they relate to everyday life

• Children who can ask questions, investigate, explain and reason like real scientists

• Rich scientific vocabulary that allows them to talk about and reflect on what they’ve learned

• A deep appreciation of how science has shaped the world — and how they might shape the future too!

Thanks to our links with places like Cambridge Science Centre, AstraZeneca, and STEM outreach programmes, our children meet inspiring people working in science today. These experiences show pupils the huge range of exciting and meaningful careers available in science, helping them to dream big and believe they can achieve.