EYFS Science
In EYFS we build the Foundations of Science through Understanding the World which encompasses the Natural World. We aim to encourage curiosity about and foster a love of the natural world, developing early scientific skills such as observing and identifying, asking and answering questions, performing tests and gathering data.
Our EYFS curriculum ensures we cover the foundations of each of the strands of the NC in KS1. Prerequisite skills for Science in the Early Years are mainly taught through the following areas of learning:
- Communication and Language
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Understanding the World
In planning and guiding what children learn, we reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust our practice appropriately. Scientific Enquiry links to the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning by:
- Providing children with frequent opportunities for outdoor play and exploration.
- Encouraging interactions with the outdoors to foster curiosity and give children freedom to touch, smell and hear the natural world around them during hands-on experiences.
- Encouraging focused observation of the natural world.
- Listening to children describing and commenting on things they have seen whilst outside, including plants and animals and seasonal change.
The table below outlines the most relevant statements taken from the Early Learning Goals in the EYFS statutory framework and the Development Matters age ranges for Three and Four-Year-Olds and Reception to match our programme of study for science:
By the end of the EYFS, our children will be able to:
