Science
Hello! I am Miss Bridges and I am the science lead here at St Peter’s.
Science has relevance within our everyday lives and within the future. Science lessons encourage important skills such as problem-solving and perseverance and an interest in science can lead to many different career paths. I am very passionate about the delivery of the science curriculum at St. Peter's and proud of the many enrichment opportunities that are available for our pupils.
What is the vision for our science curriculum?
Our key curriculum documents
Our whole school curriculum overview
Our whole school curriculum progression document
What does Science look like in our school?
Pupils develop their substantive and disciplinary knowledge through a progressive science curriculum.
We deliver the National Curriculum for science through weekly science lessons. We also provide our pupils with a wide range of experiences to enrich our science curriculum. This includes a range of trips, workshops, visitors and forest school lessons that are linked to science. All classes from Reception to Year 6 also have the chance to attend at least one science-related after-school club within the academic year.
Below are just some examples of science at St. Peter's!
Science related clubs, Summer 1 2024
Reception enjoyed "Understanding the World" club with Miss Gut. Here the children have collected a range of objects to match different properties!
Key stage 1 enjoyed gardening club with Mrs Hackney.
Key stage 2 enjoyed Science club with Miss Bridges. Here the children are testing out the paper aeroplanes, gliders and helicopters that they made. The helicopters stayed in the air for the longest time!
Plants, plants everywhere! April 2024
Miss Bridges went to look at science in the Early Years and Key stage 1.
In the Early Years, the children planted a range of seeds to observe over time. The nursery class were currently in the lead with the tallest sunflower so far!
In Year 1, the children were using new scientific vocabulary as they labelled the different parts of a plant. They had also planted some seeds and were recording their observations within a plant diary.
In Year 2, the children had been growing their own cress and had been observing the effects of the different conditions that Miss Horwell's family members had grown their seeds in at home. They were planning their own investigation, to investigate the effects of the different conditions on the plants below.
Year 5 Investigating the absorbency of materials, April 2024
Year 5 planned their own investigation to find out which material would be the best for rabbit bedding for pets at home!
Year 4 recreate the digestive system, April 2024
Year 4 recreated the different stages within the digestive system in a very memorable way!
They learnt about different types of teeth and then worked scientifically by gathering and recording data in a whole class teeth survey.
Year 6 girls attend the "Women into Engineering" event at JCB Academy, April 2024
The girls in Year 6 listened to a range of guest speakers and took part in exciting challenges related to STEM.
British Science Week 'Design a Lab-coat' competition, March 2024
STEM Ambassador workshop Year 2, March 2024
Our Year 2 class were very excited to be visited by an ecologist and learn more about this career path. They learnt about living things and their habitats, supporting their current unit in science. Miss Bridges loved hearing the children share interesting facts that the children had learnt from the session!
Key Stage 1 Science Club, Spring 2 2024
Years 1 and 2 have had the chance to attend a science club after school with Miss Bridges, taking part in a range of exciting investigations.
Year 5 visit Jodrell Bank, February 2024
Year 5 visited Jodrell Bank to support their current science unit 'Earth and Space'.
Year 3 used data loggers to investigate light, February 2024
Year 3 pupils used data loggers to investigate which materials reflect more light. They found that the mirror was the best at reflecting light.
Year 6 Royal Society Book Club, February 2024
A group of Year 6 pupils have been meeting every two weeks to review 6 newly published science books and decide on their favourite. The book "Am I made of Stardust?" was their overall favourite, and they have submitted their decision alongside other primary schools across the country. The books and reviews are now available to read in the school library! Pupils said:
"I recommend the book club because it is fun to have different books every week and to vote with democracy. I recommend "Am I made of stardust?" because it is fun to read and has good pictures".
"I enjoyed the book club because it inspired me to read more and learn more about science".
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Year 6 pupils investigate real fossils, January 2024
Year 6 have been investigating real fossils from Staffordshire as part of their 'Evolution and Inheritance' unit. They used research and close observation to develop their own ideas about the fossils and what information they provide.
"It was exciting to learn about animals and plants that lived millions of years ago".
Key Stage 2 pupils use scientific equipment to support enquiry skills, December 2023
Year 4 pupils used Working Scientifically skills to record temperatures using data loggers and thermometers, with their 'States of Matter' unit.
Year 6 pupils enjoyed using pulse meters to investigate how exercise affects our heart rate, within their 'Animals including Humans' unit.
Year 5 pupils attend Keele Science Lecture, December 2023
Five science enthusiasts in Year 5 had the opportunity to attend a live-stream recording of the Royal Society Christmas Lectures within Keele Westminster Theatre.
"I found out about how A.I. is used in games. They don't use A.I. to always win in games. They try to make it fair".
Year 5 attended a science taster session at Saint Margaret Ward, December 2023
The pupils enjoyed visiting the science lab at Saint Margaret Ward to take part in a science competition. In groups, pupils used a range of materials to create a parachute to protect an egg that was then dropped from a height.
"We had a competition against the other primary schools. We used cotton to hold the eggs in place. We had a challenge to keep the egg safe and not crack it. The materials cost money. My group made a hot air balloon!".
"It was nice to go because it was a big school and there was lots to do there. There were a lot of ideas and materials to choose from".
STEM club, Autumn 2 2023
Year 3 and 4 pupils have had the chance to attend a STEM club with Mr Ratcliffe this term. Miss Bridges went to take a sneaky peek one day after school and pupils were so excited to tell her what they had been up to!
Pupils talked about a range of STEM competitions they had taken part in, including creating a boat that would float and withstand weight added to it!
Forest school links to science, Autumn term 2023
Here are some examples of how Forest School has enriched our science curriculum during the autumn term!
Year 1 made outdoor links to learning about the five senses.
Year 2 made shelters to support their learning about animal survival.
Year 3 made links to their learning about different rocks and soil and created their own fossil imprints, which were then added to the science area in their classroom.
Year 6 attended a science taster session at Saint Margaret Ward, September 2023
Year 6 pupils enjoyed having the opportunity to learn about Key Stage 3 science and explore new scientific equipment at Saint Margaret Ward.
EYFS have been learning about seasonal changes, October 2023
The children in Nursery and Reception have been learning about seasonal changes within autumn. Nursery explored seasonal changes within the school grounds and Reception walked to the local woodland. All children also took home a special autumn collection bag and checklist to look for autumn treasures.
"I saw some berries. I love the autumn because I like to pick up the leaves. I like the colour of the leaves. My favourite leaf is red".
"I went to the park and I see autumn leaves. I put them in my bag".
Year 3 Attend a British Ceramics Workshop to support their Cross Curricular Learning, September 2023
Year 3 have been learning about how their scientific knowledge of rocks and soils can be applied to the real world. They attended a British Ceramics Workshop at All Saints Church in Hanley where they discovered where clay comes from and had the chance to explore it in its natural form. They then used their Art and Design skills and created their own clay tiles with seeds in them!
St. Peter’s Science Physicist of the Year Awards, July 2023
Well done to our St. Peter's School Physicist of the Year who attended an online ceremony with Keele University for the effort and enthusiasm they have displayed towards science.
St. Peter’s take part in the Great Science Share, June 2023
We have had a fantastic day taking part in the Great Science Share. Here are some examples of what we got up to in school...
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Year 5 and 6 visit Hanley Museum for an RAF Workshop, June 2023
Our Year 5 and 6 pupils have had an amazing day attending an RAF STEM workshop where they used a range of skills to take part in STEM-related challenges throughout the day.
Severn Trent Water Assembly and Workshops, May 2023
Severn Trent visited our pupils to teach them about the journey of water.
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EYFS Observe the lifecycle of a butterfly, May 2023
The children in Nursery and Reception classes have their own caterpillars to look after over the next few weeks. This will enable them to observe, over time, the different stages within the lifecycle of a butterfly.
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Science Home Activity Bags, May 2023
Miss Bridges has really enjoyed receiving photographs of the children in Nursery and Reception classes using the mini-beast searching equipment from the science bags at home!
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Y2 Visit the Wolseley Education Centre, April 2023
Year 2 had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Wolseley Education Centre. The children had the chance to look for different habitats and explore the mini-beasts that lived there!
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Growing in EYFS, Summer 1 2023
The children in Nursery and Reception have been particularly busy in the garden area this term. The children in Nursery have been planting beans and their parents and carers were invited in to plant a bean that they could take and grow at home. The children have been taking good care of their plants at home and at school!
The children in Reception have also been busy learning about the lifecycle of a strawberry and have been planting strawberry plants.
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The Nursery children enjoyed planting different seeds and contributing to the growing area during their forest school.
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Y6 girls attend the ‘Women into Engineering’ event at the JCB Academy, April 2023
The Year 6 girls were invited to an exciting opportunity at the JCB Academy. They heard from female guest speakers who talked about their career within a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field. They then had a range of STEM challenges to complete as a team.
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Y3 and Y4 STEM Club, Summer 1 2023
This term, Year 3 and Year 4 had the chance to attend a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) club with Miss Moore. Each week they were faced with different challenges to try and solve using a range of skills! One of their challenges was to design and create a parachute that would successfully carry a small toy!
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Reception and Y1 Understanding the World Club, Summer 1 2023
Reception and Year 1 have had the chance to attend an ‘understanding the world’ club with Miss Gut. Each week they have completed a different challenge or experiment. For their first week, they explored whether different materials would float or sink and then created their own boats.
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Y5 Visit Jodrell Bank, April 2023
The children in Year 5 visited Jodrell bank to support their learning about Earth and Space.
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Science Poster Competition, April 2023
We held a Poster Competition for British Science Week. We have had so many amazing posters created at home by our super scientists at St Peter’s!
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We have created a new science display to celebrate our participation in British Science Week, that includes lots of fantastic posters made at home by the children.
Y4 Collect Data using Data Loggers, March 2023
The pupils in Year 4 used data loggers to measure and record the different temperatures of liquids, during their states of matter unit. What super scientific skills!
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British Science Week, March 2023
Pupils from Nursery to Year 6 enjoyed taking part in a drama-based science workshop for British Science Week. The theme this year was “Connections”, so each class learnt about an influential person within a science-related field and linked to their science curriculum, who had made connections which led to making a ground-breaking discovery! We hope that this fantastic day has inspired lots of our pupils to think about the connections that they can make as scientists!
Y6 visit Chester Zoo – February 2023
Year 6 pupils learnt about how different animals can be classified at Chester Zoo.
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KS2 Science Book Club – January 2023
We are very lucky to have received six fantastic newly published children’s science books. We have decided to form a Year 6 book club, who will be meeting every two weeks to share their thoughts about the book that they have taken home. Once the pupils have read each book, they will then decide on their overall favourite.
RSPB Big Bird Watch – January 2023
The children in the nursery have been exploring the natural world during Forest School. They have created bird feeders to help to feed the birds during winter.
KS1 Science Club – Spring 1 2023
This term, pupils in Year 1 and 2 had the option of attending an after-school club with Miss Bridges for Science. They completed the ‘Grow a rainbow’ experiment, made rocket mice, a raft to save the Gingerbread man, created a magnet maze, shadow puppets and more!
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