Science

At our school, science begins with curiosity. From their earliest years, students are encouraged to ask questions, investigate the world around them and develop a scientific mindset through observation, experimentation and discovery.

Our bilingual curriculum combines the strengths of the French and British approaches to science education and is underpinned by La Main à la Pâte, the internationally recognised inquiry-based framework founded by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Georges Charpak. Through practical investigation and evidence-based reasoning, students learn not only scientific knowledge, but also how to think critically, solve problems and communicate their ideas with precision. These habits of enquiry support learning across the curriculum, from mathematics to geography and beyond.

Science Through the Years

Early Years

Science begins in the Early Years through the EYFS area of learning, "Understanding the World", where children's natural curiosity is nurtured through observation, exploration and play. They investigate topics such as the five senses, plants and how they grow, animals and their habitats, materials, weather and seasonal change, while learning to notice patterns, ask questions and describe what they discover. These first investigations lay the foundations for scientific thinking.

Lower Primary

From Lower Primary, students work in our purpose-built Science Laboratory, where practical investigation is at the heart of every lesson. Following the La Main à la Pâte approach, they learn to think like scientists: asking questions, formulating hypotheses, carrying out experiments, recording observations and drawing conclusions based on evidence.

Topics include the human body, plants, animal diets and habitats, materials, air, forces and the Earth in space. As students develop scientific vocabulary alongside practical laboratory skills, they also strengthen their ability to reason logically, collaborate with others and communicate their findings clearly.

Upper Primary

In Upper Primary, students tackle increasingly complex questions across the sciences. They investigate topics such as the human body and health, electricity, light and sound, the properties of materials, the solar system and environmental change. As they progress, they design experiments with greater independence, analyse data, evaluate evidence and communicate their conclusions using accurate scientific language. Building on the habits of enquiry established in the earlier years, they develop the confidence and analytical thinking needed for Middle School and beyond.

Beyond the Classroom

Science extends beyond the laboratory through experiences that bring learning to life. Visits to institutions such as the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum or Kew Gardens (among many others) enable students to explore scientific concepts in real-world contexts, from biodiversity and ecosystems to forces, materials and space. Through museum workshops, outdoor investigations and fieldwork, students are encouraged to observe carefully, ask questions and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

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A Purpose-Built Science Laboratory

From Lower Primary onwards, students carry out practical investigations in our dedicated Science Laboratory. Equipped for hands-on experimentation, it provides the ideal setting for the enquiry-based approach at the heart of our science curriculum. Here, students learn to ask questions, formulate hypotheses, test their ideas and draw conclusions based on evidence, developing the confidence and critical thinking skills of young scientists.