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In Science, the scientific skills are set out at the beginning of each section of the programmes of study (Y1, Y2, Lower KS2, Upper KS2 and KS3).
Here is an example from Lower Key Stage 2.
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2. © Curriculum Foundation

3. © Curriculum Foundation
These skills can then be developed and deployed in the range of ‘content’ that is specified in the programme of study (the ‘knowledge context’).
Here is an example from Year 4.
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4. © Curriculum Foundation
And why does KS3 have a “subject content” section whilst KS 1 & 2 have “statutory requirements”?
Were they written in separate rooms by different people who did not speak to each other?
However, most of the “Statutory Requirements” for science are specified as knowledge. (Have a look for yourself!)
You may have spotted that whilst the first and third bullet points require knowledge and understanding, the second bullet point is phrased as a skill anyway – although it goes on to specify knowledge (“identify and name”).
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5. © Curriculum Foundation
Of course, although these approaches enable us to assess against the new criteria, and allow us to take account of subject skills as well as knowledge and understanding ….. they do not enable us to attribute a Level or to work out how many levels of progress have been made.
This is why, rather belatedly, the DFE is working on its four new “Performance Descriptors” that we mentioned in Unit 1.
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