Science at Excalibur

Excalibur's Science Week 2026

We kicked off the week with an exciting whole-school assembly where teachers took centre stage to demonstrate a range of fascinating experiments. From the self-inflating balloon to the bouncy egg and the ever-popular elephant’s toothpaste, there were plenty of “wow” moments that sparked curiosity and inspired questions across all year groups.

Years 5 and 6 had a special visit from a parent working in the field of clinical trials. She led the children through their very own (very tasty!) clinical trial, introducing them to the importance of consent and fair testing. The children carefully compared different brands of chocolate digestives, applying scientific thinking while enjoying the process.

Meanwhile, Years 3 and 4 were visited by a parent working in STEM, whose company designs and manufactures robotic machinery used in factories around the world—particularly in the production of chocolate. He brought a real robot into school, giving the children a unique opportunity to explore and operate it themselves. They practised controlling its movements to mimic those used on a production line and asked a range of thoughtful and insightful questions.

Thank you to the parents who offered their support and expertise to the school. It really brought the subject to life for the children and exposed them to two areas of “Science” that they possibly hadn’t encountered before.

Across the whole school, we carried out a shared investigation to explore whether the width of a handspan affects how many cubes a person can pick up. The children worked carefully to ensure it was a fair test, making sure that results were reliable and that no class had an unfair advantage.

We have also loved seeing the fantastic science experiments shared from home via Seesaw—thank you so much for your continued support. The children have shown great pride and enthusiasm in presenting their work to their classmates.

Pupil comments

"I liked it when we used our senses to try and work out what different objects were." Year 1

"It's really important to eat a healthy balanced diet. That means little bits from each group- not just loads of one group." Year 2

"It was cool when we went outside to hunt for worms. We had to stamp on the ground. The worms thought it was the rain so they tried to come to the surface so that they didn't drown. That's what birds do so that they can hunt and eat them." Year 3

"I really enjoyed investigating whether circuits were complete or incomplete by testing to see if the bulb lit up. Most of my predictions were right because I knew that the electricity had to flow from the battery cell to the bulb and back to the battery cell." Year 4

"I found gestation periods much more interesting than I thought I would. The frog has such a short gestation period but can live for up to 20 years!" Year 5

"The heart is so interesting. I find it really amazing that our blood has plasma in it to make the blood sticky and then it forms a scab." Year 6

Preschool FS1

Reception FS2

In reception, we have talked about autumn, been on autumn walks and discussed what we noticed and why it was happening. We looked at birds' nests and made our own nests using sticks and other natural materials such as leaves. This led to us discussing bird migration, hibernation and nocturnal woodland animals.

We began to think about the life cycle of plants through collecting and studying seeds. We made observational drawings of flowers such as sunflowers and poppies and also made observational drawings of autumn finds. 

We then went on to explore light and dark through using torches to create light and hunting for different reflective materials.

Year 1

Year 1 have been exploring our bodies and our different senses. They had to guess what was in the bowl just using their sense of touch and then guess what the flavour of crisps was, using their sense of taste.

They then began classifying animals into groups, using their features to help them.

Mammals have fur/hair and give birth to live young

Birds have a beak and wings

Fish have scales and gills to help them breathe underwater

Reptiles have scaley skin and usually lay eggs

Amphibians usually have slimy skin and can live on land and in water

Year 2

In the autumn term, Year 2's science was all about animals including humans. We investigated the life cycles of a number of animals and discovered that some animals have young that look like their adults while others don't. We researched how to take care of different animals and created a guide to help someone else understand what they need to do. Linked to our PE sessions, we also investigated what happens to our bodies when we exercise. 

Rocket mice was a great investigation where we thought about what we could change in the experiment to make to mice fly higher. 

Year 3

Last half term in science, we learned about nutrition and the human body. We explored why animals, including humans, need the right types and amounts of food to stay healthy and how we get nutrients from what we eat. The children sorted foods into food groups, learned about key nutrients, and used the Eatwell Guide to compare meals. They also investigated food labels to find out about fats, sugars and other nutritional information.

We then moved on to learning about skeletons and muscles. The children classified animals into vertebrates and invertebrates and compared different types of skeletons. They investigated how bones support movement, carried out experiments linked to the human skeleton, and designed their own investigations. Finally, they made models to show how muscles work together to move bones and explained how muscles contract and relax to create movement.

Year 4

Last term in Science, Year 4 explored States of Matter, developing their understanding of solids, liquids and gases. Pupils investigated how materials can change state through heating and cooling, learning about processes such as melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation. They carried out practical experiments, made careful observations and recorded results, helping them to think scientifically and use accurate vocabulary to explain what they discovered.

Year 4 also studied Animals, including Humans, where they learned about the different groups of animals and their key characteristics. A particular focus was placed on the human body, including the main organs and their functions. Pupils explored the importance of a balanced diet, exercise and good hygiene in keeping our bodies healthy. Through discussion, research and hands-on activities, children deepened their understanding of how to look after themselves and why healthy choices matter especially when looking after their teeth. The children were shocked to see the affects different liquids had on eggs. We likened the eggs' shells to the enamel that protects our teeth. Look at the fruit juice!

Year 5

In Year 5, we developed our scientific understanding through practical investigations and engaging real-world contexts. We explored forces, learning how gravity, air resistance, water resistance and friction affected movement, and how simple mechanisms such as levers, pulleys and gears worked. As part of our learning about water resistance, we carried out an investigation where we dropped different shapes into water to observe and compare which sank the quickest.

In space, we discovered how the Earth, Moon and other planets move, learning how the Earth’s rotation creates day and night and how these movements affect what we observe in the sky. We also researched time zones around the world, developing our understanding of how the Earth’s rotation affects time in different countries. Throughout the units, we built our scientific enquiry skills by planning investigations, making observations, recording results and drawing conclusions.

Year 6

Evolution and Inheritance

As part of the Evolution & Inheritance unit, Year 6 looked at the evolution of human beings, looking at the skeleton and structure of Homo Sapiens and Austrolapithecus afarensis. They inspected the similarities and differences and considered how they had changed over time.

O-Wing Investigation

To develop their skills in carrying out scientific investigations, Year 6 constructed different sized O-Wings and measured how far each of them travelled. They then considered whether the size of the O-Wings made a different in terms of distance travelled.