Science for Every Child: Curiosity, Care and Confidence from Nursery to Year 6
SHC Article SHC Story SHC TeacherWritten by Donovan Richards – Science Lead and Year 4 Class Teacher at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus
Science at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus is a journey that begins with wonder and grows into confidence, reasoning, empathy and ambition. From Nursery through to Year 6, children are encouraged to explore the world around them, ask meaningful questions, and see themselves as scientists—regardless of background, language, or starting point – capable of changing the world for the better.
Our curriculum celebrates diversity of thought, experience and perspective, ensuring that every child feels represented, valued and empowered as a learner. Science here is not just about facts – it is about understanding the world, caring for it, and finding your place within it.
Wonder, Exploration and Belonging
The world is a wonder-filled place, and at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus we spark this belief from the outset of our learning journeys. Wonder, exploration and connection are the three core pillars our young scientists base their learning on. Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus Science is grounded in sensory experience and storytelling, ensuring children really feel the Science they learn.
From counting butterflies in our Forest School, to surveying biodiversity in every corner of our lush campus, children are taught to live their lives with their eyes and ears open to the world around them. They learn that both questions and answers are everywhere. By the time these questions become more complex, our learners are equipped with the tools to investigate the answers through hands-on, high-quality learning, inside and outside the classroom.
“I liked building circuits because we could solve puzzles and know we got them right without the teacher because the light bulb would turn on,” one of our Year 4 students said.
Collaborative talk and hands-on investigation gives every child a voice, while carefully sequenced vocabulary supports growing scientific precision. By the end of Year 6, children not only recognise the awe and wonder in everything around them but, as empowered changemakers, question and solve problems to ensure that our planet can continue to inspire future generations.
Collaboration and Cooperation
At Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus, students learn that Science is a shared human endeavour, shaped by cooperation as much as discovery. Varied perspectives are woven naturally into learning, including that scientific knowledge develops across cultures and over time. Scientific achievements are celebrated, but students are encouraged to use a critical eye to construct a broad landscape of scientific contributions. For example, Year 4 students celebrate the achievements of Edison and his contributions to technological advancement, but recognise that these achievements would not have been possible without Lewis Latimer developing the carbon filament, or without the approximately 11,000 people who worked for Edison’s company.
Strong Foundations for Future Scientists
From the earliest learning, children at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus develop scientific rigour, both implicitly and, with increasing age, explicitly. In Early Years, this might take the form of a controlled sample of bread without yeast to allow for a comparison of the impact yeast has on dough.
In Year 6, the controlled sample might be an accurately measured student’s heart rate at rest. This could be used to investigate the impact of exercise on the heart and the circulatory system. In all 3 Science disciplines – Biology, Chemistry and Physics – students are well prepared to think scientifically, articulate explanations clearly, and engage confidently with the demands of senior school Science pathways.
Science That Reflects Our Values
Science at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus reflects our belief that every child can be a scientist. Through curiosity, inclusion and thoughtful challenge, we nurture learners who are not only prepared for academic success, but also ready to engage responsibly with the world around them.
This is Science that inspires questions, celebrates diversity, and builds futures—one curious mind at a time.
Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus