Cranborne Middle School
  • Home
  • About us
    • Mission, Values and Vision
    • Headteacher's Welcome
    • Meet the staff >
      • Teaching Staff
      • Teaching Assistants
      • Support Staff
    • Opening hours
    • SEND
    • Prospectus
    • Governors >
      • Welcome from the Chair
      • Meet the Governors
      • Governor Commitees
      • Published Reports
      • Governor Portal
    • Ofsted
    • Pupil Performance
    • British Values
    • PTFA
    • School Council
    • Fundraising >
      • Easyfundraising
  • Safeguarding
  • Admissions
    • Apply to join
    • In-year transfer
  • Curriculum
    • Our approach
    • Curriculum overviews
    • Subject pages
    • Careers
    • Remote Education
  • Parents
    • Parental involvement
    • ParentMail
    • Term Dates
    • Attendance
    • Crumbs Cafe
    • Uniform
    • Clubs
    • Transport
    • Homework
    • Online Safety
    • Medical Needs
  • Reports & Policies
    • Pupil Premium
    • PE & Sports Premium
    • Catch-up Premium
    • Policies
    • Financial benchmarking
    • GDPR
  • Contact us
    • Vacancies
    • Facility Hire
  • Home
  • About us
    • Mission, Values and Vision
    • Headteacher's Welcome
    • Meet the staff >
      • Teaching Staff
      • Teaching Assistants
      • Support Staff
    • Opening hours
    • SEND
    • Prospectus
    • Governors >
      • Welcome from the Chair
      • Meet the Governors
      • Governor Commitees
      • Published Reports
      • Governor Portal
    • Ofsted
    • Pupil Performance
    • British Values
    • PTFA
    • School Council
    • Fundraising >
      • Easyfundraising
  • Safeguarding
  • Admissions
    • Apply to join
    • In-year transfer
  • Curriculum
    • Our approach
    • Curriculum overviews
    • Subject pages
    • Careers
    • Remote Education
  • Parents
    • Parental involvement
    • ParentMail
    • Term Dates
    • Attendance
    • Crumbs Cafe
    • Uniform
    • Clubs
    • Transport
    • Homework
    • Online Safety
    • Medical Needs
  • Reports & Policies
    • Pupil Premium
    • PE & Sports Premium
    • Catch-up Premium
    • Policies
    • Financial benchmarking
    • GDPR
  • Contact us
    • Vacancies
    • Facility Hire

Science

​What is 'science'?

According to The Science Council:
“Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence”.
Within the school context, science knowledge is split between the three main fields of:
  • Biology - the study of life, with reference to the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution and distribution of living organisms.
  • Chemistry - the study of matter, its properties, how and why substances combine or separate to form other substances.
  • Physics - the study of energy, defining the most fundamental measurable quantities in the universe and finding relationships between them.
Picture

Why do we study science?

​In the words of the 2014 National Curriculum:
"A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes."

What are our intentions?

At Cranborne Middle School,  our intent is to give all pupils a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

How do we achieve this?

Teachers create a positive attitude to science learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in science. Our mastery approach to the teaching and learning of science involves:
  • A clear and comprehensive programme of study is used in accordance with the requirements of the 2014 National Curriculums for KS2 and KS3, that supports the 5-year AQA KS3/4 programme of study used in our main upper schools.
  • Topics are sequenced by the subject leader to interlink and build upon the learning and enquiry skills developed from previous years. Sequential learning enables pupils to gain a greater understanding of subject knowledge and improved retention of key concepts. By reflecting on and linking prior learning, pupils will become enquiry-based learners.
  • Teachers demonstrate how to use scientific equipment, and model key skills within the scientific enquiry process, in order to embed scientific understanding. Enquiry process skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed throughout the pupil’s school career.
  • Pupils are encouraged to ask their own questions and be given opportunities to use their scientific skills and research to discover the answers. As the pupil’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more proficient in selecting, using scientific equipment, collating and interpreting results, they become increasingly confident in their growing ability to come to conclusions based on real evidence.
  • Teachers deliver engaging lessons, using high-quality resources and models to aid understanding of conceptual knowledge. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.
  • Scientific vocabulary is introduced through direct teaching and used consistently in all lessons. Pupils have access to key language glossaries to develop their understanding and support their application in written, mathematical and verbal communication.
Science overview.pdf
File Size: 413 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

KS2 National Curriculum
File Size: 250 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

KS3 National Curriculum
File Size: 165 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

AQA KS3 Science
File Size: 608 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Recommended websites

BBC Bitesize is a free online study support resource designed to help with learning, revision and homework! 
SciberMonkey is currently supported and run by the Society of Biology. It was originally created by the Biochemical Society. 
Planet Science exists to offer young scientists of school age the inspiration and excitement that will support their study of science at school and beyond.
School Science is sponsored by industrial and research partners  who provide free on-line science resources for teachers and students.
​

Recommended Youtube channels

BBC Teach offers free classroom resources to schools throughout the UK.
Crash Course Kids is a new channel from the creators of Crash Course - science videos for secondary pupils.
Peekaboo is a cheerful destination with colourful animation for all the Happy Children of the world! 
FuseSchool is a global Open Education charity brought to life by leading Social Learning organisation Fuse Universal.

Science glossaries

Year 5
Year 6
5A: Living things and their habitats
File Size: 1545 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

5B: Animals, including humans
File Size: 437 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

5C: Properties and changes of materials
File Size: 1650 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

5D: Earth and space
File Size: 4188 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

5E: Forces
File Size: 1964 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

6B: Animals, including humans
File Size: 701 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

6C: Evolution and inheritance
File Size: 1568 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

6D: Light
File Size: 1309 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

6E: Electricity
File Size: 564 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Year 7
1: Forces (1) - Speed & gravity
File Size: 61 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

2: Electromagnets (1) - Potential difference, resistance & current
File Size: 103 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

3: Energy (1) - Energy costs & energy transfers
File Size: 129 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

4: Waves (1) - Sound & Light
File Size: 168 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

5: Matter (1) - Particle model & separating mixtures
File Size: 70 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

6: Reactions (1) - Acids/alkalis & metals/non-metals
File Size: 114 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

7: Earth (1) - Earth structure & universe
File Size: 152 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

8: Organisms (1) - Movement & cells
File Size: 71 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

9: Ecosystems (1) - Interdependence & plant reproduction
File Size: 102 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

10: Genes (1) - Variation & human reproduction
File Size: 150 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Year 8
1: Forces (2) - Contact forces & pressure
File Size: 141 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

2: Electromagnets (2) - Magnetism & electromagnets
File Size: 127 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

3: Energy (2) - Work & heating/cooling
File Size: 128 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

4: Waves (2) - Wave effects & wave properties
File Size: 129 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

5: Matter (2) - Elements & periodic table
File Size: 138 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

6: Reactions (2) - Types of reaction & chemical energy
File Size: 134 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

7: Earth (2) - Climate & Earth resources
File Size: 130 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

8: Organisms (2) - Breathing & digestion
File Size: 157 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

9: Ecosystems (2) - Respiration & photosynthesis
File Size: 129 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

10: Genes (2) - Evolution & inheritance
File Size: 137 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Our partners


Cranborne Middle School
Cranborne
Wimborne
​Dorset
BH21 5RP
​
01725 517348