“Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science.”

 Edwin Hubble.

Science for all pupils at CCCS is so important: it fosters natural curiosity, develops critical thinking and aids in building knowledge about the world. It also encourages the development of essential skills like observation, prediction and analysis, that can of course be applied in many contexts.

Science education starts in the nursery where the team aim to foster the children’s natural curiosity, through hands-on exploration, observation and experimentation in the natural world. In Pre-Prep, pupils get more of a formal introduction to Science lessons and the lab will often be utilised by them to enhance learning and ensure they are familiar with the setting.

We are very fortunate to have a dedicated space for our prep pupils to start their journey as young scientists; this allows numerous opportunities for collaborative, investigative tasks that would not be possible in other settings. 

The curriculum time given to Science lessons in the prep school is significant, starting with 3 lessons a week for Forms 3 and 4, building to 4 lessons a week for Forms 5 and 6 and finally 6 lessons a week once boys reach Forms 7 and 8. Science lessons are an equal mix of theory-based lessons and more practical sessions. The acquisition of enquiry skills is paramount to the development of our pupils as confident scientists. The spiral nature of the Science curriculum means that subject areas are revisited year after year at a slightly more advanced level as pupils progress up the school. Looking through their books, it is clear to see the progress made from year to year, and boys leaving us in Form 8 do so not only with fantastic subject knowledge but also the curiosity and investigative skills needed to progress successfully in their next schools. 

Pupils are constantly encouraged to make links with other curriculum areas and realise that Science is all around them, not just a lesson that happens in the lab. For example, Form 4 were very excited to link their enthusiasm and knowledge of the musical instruments they play with their understanding of sound and how sounds are made by the various instruments. Their enthusiasm for this task was a delight to see and truly a credit to our music department and fabulous peris!

Outside the lab, we enjoy taking advantage of our location to offer a variety of Science-focused visits over the year that support the curriculum and help bring it to life for our pupils. In recent years, Science enrichment opportunities have included visits to the Science Oxford Centre in Headington, the Oxford Museum of Natural History, the History of Science Museum, the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Crocodiles of the World… to name but a few! 

Pupils at CCCS are curious, enthusiastic and not scared to ask too many questions or make mistakes because we are enabling them the freedom and opportunity to be tenacious, interested and to explore the world in their own way. For example, at the end of a lesson about dissolving, some members of Form 5 asked if they could mix all the substances we had tested together. (Rest assured we would probably not have permitted this in a Form 8 lesson about acids and alkalis!) They then proceeded to spend 10 minutes of their break time mixing various solids and liquids with the aim of discovering their very own element. Much discussion about which boy the new element would be named after ensued, so it was probably for the best that nothing more than a sludgy pink concoction was created along with a sense of fun and autonomy over their own learning!