Our School

Parent Information

Teaching and learning

Science

Here at St. Stephen’s we strive to ensure that our pupils have access to an encouraging and enriching science curriculum that feeds their natural inquisitiveness and builds their scientific understanding.

Teachers plan engaging, educational and relevant opportunities for the children to explore, investigate and develop an understanding of their local and wider environments. This enables them to learn and practise a wide range of scientific skills; and to acquire open, critical and responsible attitudes to science.

Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help enhance and extend our pupils scientific knowledge and vocabulary. We believe that these opportunities will ensure that our children are confident, life-long learners who continue to have an active role in science. As children grow up in an increasingly technologically and scientifically advanced world, they need to be scientifically literate to succeed. We are surrounded by technology and the products of science every day.

Children are naturally curious and at St. Stephen’s we nurture this curiosity by enabling children to explore the ever changing world around them. Children are given the time, expertise and resources to engage in thought-provoking science lessons. This allows children of all ages to ask scientific questions and cultivate the skills they need to answer those questions. Problem-solving and critical thinking are two of the most important skills students learn in school that they will use throughout their lives.

All year groups experience weekly science lessons that make the most of the school’s stimulating science curriculum. There is a clear progression of transferable science skills taught from Nursery right through to Year 6. The school’s science assessment system carefully checks and supports children’s progress in Science.

We follow the National Curriculum (2013) for Science.

 

Science Curriculum Links

Scientist-in-Residence

Each year group is fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a Scientist-in-Residence. In smaller groups, students get to explore a topic area in more detail to kindle their curiosity, help them think differently about their world and inspire them to dream big about their future careers. The school also runs weekly Science clubs for both Key Stages 1 & 2 and a Gardening Club where children help to take care of our school garden growing delicious fresh produce.

Meet our Scientist-in-Residence

2023-2024 Newsletters

SIR Year 3 Forces and Magnets Newsletter

SIR Year 1 Materials Newsletter

SIR Year 4 Electricity Newsletter

SIR Year 2 Growth and Survival Newsletter

SIR Year 6 Organisms Newsletter

SIR Reception Senses Newsletter

2022-2023 Newsletters

SIR Year 1 Materials Newsletter

SIR Year 2 Plants Newsletter

SIR Year 3 What Scientists Do Newsletter

SIR Year 4 Habitats Newsletter

SIR Year 5 Materials Newsletter

SIR Year 6 Healthy Bodies Newsletter

Science Events

Science events for all the family!

A list of Science Centres to visit as a family during weekends and holidays to inspire and engage children in the world of STEM.

FAMILY SCIENCE EVENTS

 

British Science Week: 13th – 17th March 2023

We are proud to be part of British Science Week – a celebration of STEM – co-ordinated by the British Science Association to spark enthusiasm and raise awareness of all the wonderful STEM work and people around the UK. We launched the Week with a bang-tastic Collective Worship led by Mercedes, our Scientist-in-Residence, and some of her Science Club students.

https://www.ststephensce.lbhf.sch.uk/british-science-week-launch-successful/

Spring bulb daffodil growing competition:

Last year, all children went home with a daffodil bulb to plant in pots for a chance to win prizes for the school thanks to the London Children’s Flower Society. This month over 50 glorious daffodils were brought back in and judged by the Society and we’re pleased to announce that we had 16 bronze, 19 silver and a whopping 23 gold certificates awarded. Congratulations to all our green-fingered gardeners and watch out for details of the Summer growing competition shortly.

https://www.ststephensce.lbhf.sch.uk/daffodil-growing-competition-the-results/

 

Previous Science Events at St. Stephen’s

In July 22, Y4 & 5 students were lucky enough to be invited to a Science Enrichment day at St Paul’s Girls’ School with experiments and demonstrations aplenty.

Science Enrichment Day at St Paul’s Girls’ School

 

This June Y5 & 6 students were invited to the Science on Stage event at the Royal Institution organised by the Ri and Benjamin Franklin House to witness experiments involving tesla rods, liquid nitrogen and fire! Read more here:

Y5/6 Science trip to the Royal Institution – don’t try this at home!

 

In March & June 2022, students from St Stephens were invited to the Royal Observatory Greenwich to help the organisation plan for their forthcoming 350th anniversary! Read more about our ‘out of this world’ trips below.

A Visit to the Royal Observatory
A Second Invite from the Royal Observatory

 

For Mars Hour this March, Y3 & 4 students took part in a special session at the Geological Society handling 4.5billion year old rocks! Read more from the link below.

Mars Hour – Y3 & 4 Trip to the Geological Society

In February 2022, students across the school took part in the RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch counting how many birds we could spot around the school over one hour. We were lucky enough to be visited and filmed by City News to launch the initiative. Watch the film from the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcynH1VUjeo

 

In October 2021 our celebration of Black Voices Week shone a light on the achievements of scientists, engineers and inventors from around the world both past and present to inspire and engage our students in the world of STEM.

BVW newsletter 2021