Science Curriculum Aims

Kapow Primary’s Science scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to become curious, inquisitive and analytical thinkers with a broad understanding of the natural world – in other words, to think like scientists. The intention is for pupils to develop the confidence to ask questions, make observations, carry out investigations, record data in a variety of ways and analyse and present their findings.

The scheme aims to build an awareness of how science influences everyday life and drives progress in society. The hope is to encourage pupils to become reflective, responsible individuals who use scientific knowledge and skills to make informed decisions and contribute positively to the world around them.

The scheme supports teachers in developing their subject knowledge and skills, enabling the delivery of engaging, well-informed lessons with confidence. The curriculum is designed to be both accessible and ambitious, ensuring all learners’ full participation and potential achievement.

Spiral Curriculum

The Kapow Primary Science scheme was designed as a spiral curriculum with the following key principles in mind:

• Cyclical – Pupils return to the key knowledge and skills again and again in different contexts during their time in primary school.
• Increasing depth – Each time a skill is revisited, it is covered with greater complexity. Progression includes:
  • studying a specific scientific concept in detail;
  • studying further examples of a specific concept to broaden contextual knowledge;
  • studying a broader range of equipment and methods to test a hypothesis;
  • explaining abstract concepts using models;
  • making and explaining links across areas in science;
  • engaging with increasingly complex ideas and ethical dilemmas.
• Prior knowledge – Prior knowledge is used so pupils can build on previous foundations rather than starting again.

This approach reinforces knowledge and skills and supports long-term retention and progression. It allows pupils to make links between different topics, draw on their prior learning and apply it flexibly to new and increasingly complex situations.

Adaptive Teaching

The Kapow Primary Science scheme of work is designed to be fully adaptable for pupils with SEND. Every lesson includes an adaptive teaching section, providing clear guidance on how activities can be modified to meet the needs of all learners.

Children learn in various ways. As such, Kapow Primary Science lessons include a range of strategies to support and challenge every pupil, such as:

Scaffolding – activities are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing for additional support or challenge where needed.

Multi-sensory approaches – lessons incorporate different elements to engage all learners.

Clear instructions and structured tasks – ensuring clarity and reducing cognitive load for pupils who benefit from additional support.

Opportunities for collaborative and independent learning – allowing pupils to work at their own pace while building confidence and independence.

By embedding adaptive teaching throughout, the scheme ensures that all pupils, regardless of their starting points, can access and succeed in their learning.

In addition, the step-by-step curriculum design supports pupils with SEND, avoiding sudden jumps in complexity at transition points and allowing for steady, manageable progression.

Impact

Formative

Kapow Primary Science lessons include ongoing assessment opportunities, such as questioning, retrieval practice and interactive activities.

These enable teachers to assess understanding in real time and adapt their teaching accordingly.

Summative

Each unit provides an Assessment quiz and Knowledge catcher, which allow teachers to measure pupils’ understanding at key points.

These tools help gauge how well pupils have retained key knowledge and skills over time.