Come along and visit St Scholastica's! Remember, you do not need to be a Catholic to attend our school. We welcome children and families of all of faiths and none.
Come along and visit St Scholastica's! Remember, you do not need to be a Catholic to attend our school. We welcome children and families of all of faiths and none.
St Scholastica’s School

Science

"The important thing is to never stop questioning" -

Albert Einstein

Our Vision for Science 

At St Scholastica’s, we encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at the school and the next stage of their development. The science curriculum fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living things. Throughout the programmes of study, the children will acquire and develop the key knowledge that has been identified within each unit and across each year group, as well as the application of scientific skills. We ensure that the Working Scientifically skills and Enquiry skills are built-on and developed throughout children’s time at school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, and explaining concepts confidently and continue to ask questions and be curious about their surroundings.

How Science is taught at St Scholastica's

At St Scholastica’s, our curriculum covers all the areas required in the National Curriculum. Through high-quality teaching, we develop the following essential characteristics of Science: 

  • Biology: Understanding living organisms, their habitats, life cycles, and interdependence.
  • Chemistry: Exploring materials, their properties, changes, and reactions.
  • Physics: Investigating forces, energy, motion, and fundamental physical concepts.
  • Working Scientifically: Developing inquiry, observation, testing, data analysis, and communication skills.


Being a Scientist at St Scholastica's means:

  • Having the ability to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings
  • Showing confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out scientific investigations.
  • Using excellent scientific knowledge and understanding which is demonstrated in written and verbal explanations, solving challenging problems and reporting scientific findings
  • High levels of imagination or innovation in the application of skills
  • The ability to undertake practical work in a variety of contexts, including fieldwork
  • A passion for science and its application in past, present and future technologies

Science Trips, Visits and Workshops

At St Scholastica's, we undeerstand the use of trips, visits and visitors can be highly effective in complementing the national curriculum by bringing classroom learning to life.

Throughout their time with us our pupils have the opportunity to visit:

  • Gillespie Park and Ecology Centre 
  • Hackney City Farm
  • Hackney Downs
  • Hatfield House
  • Kench Hill and the Rare Breeds Centre
  • King Henry's Walk Garden
  • London Zoo


We wish to enhance understanding of habitats, adaptation, and food chains as outlined in the curriculum as well as supporting learning about plants, ecosystems, and sustainability and deepen pupils’ knowledge of classification and animal behaviour. 

By bringing visitors into the school such as scientists, engineers, or conservationists children particiapte in tailored workshops or presentations that aim to inspire pupils and offer real-world applications of their learning. 

Our apparaoach of  integrating trips, visits, and visitors into their our curriculum provides our pupils with enriched learning experiences that inspire curiosity and bring abstract concepts to life.

Science at Home

You and your child can explore simple science at home using everyday materials. They can observe chemical reactions by making a baking soda and vinegar volcano or test density with floating and sinking experiments. Light refraction can be demonstrated by creating rainbows with water and mirrors, while growing plants from seeds teaches about life cycles. Fun activities like writing with invisible ink using lemon juice or launching balloon rockets illustrate chemical changes and forces in motion. Other ideas, like ice cube races with salt, demonstrate how substances affect melting rates.