Building scientific thinkers through inquiry and language: Rethinking assessment in primary science

In primary science, the most effective learning happens when students are encouraged to think critically, ask questions and explain their reasoning, not just recall facts.

Assessing scientific thinking, not just knowledge

Assessing scientific thinking elevates learning from basic recall to deeper analysis and understanding. It asks students to explain patterns, justify decisions and talk about evidence. This shift helps learners move from simply describing what happened in an investigation to understanding why it happened.

An inquiry-based approach plays a key role here. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, inquiry-based science encourages fluency in scientific processes and ways of thinking. Teachers are supported to ask questions that probe understanding, such as:

• What changed?
• What stayed the same?
• What does this result tell us?
• Does it fit an expected pattern?

This approach builds confidence by reframing mistakes as learning opportunities. Errors become diagnostic, helping teachers and learners understand thinking more clearly. Importantly, these skills don’t stop at science, they are transferable across subjects and support wider academic development.

The role of language in science assessment

Language plays a crucial role in assessment, particularly for learners with English as an additional language. Command words such as describe, explain, compare and conclude have specific meanings, and consistency matters.

When learners are exposed to clear, consistent assessment language over time, they become more confident in understanding what is being asked of them and how to respond. This familiarity supports both learning and assessment.

Scientific vocabulary is also most effective when introduced gradually and in meaningful contexts. Linking new terminology to real‑world experiences helps learners make sense of unfamiliar words and use them accurately in discussion and written work.

For many learners, this may be their first encounter with scientific language. A low‑stakes, contextual introduction helps build confidence and supports successful use of terminology as learning progresses.

Closing the loop to support next steps

Now let's explore how assessment evidence can be used purposefully, closing the loop between assessment and teaching to support every learner’s next steps.

Assessment is most powerful when it leads to action. In primary science, effective assessment is not about performance for its own sake. It is about understanding where learning is headed, where learners are now, and how best to support their next steps.

Making assessment purposeful, not performative

Using assessment to inform teaching means closing the loop. Rather than collecting data and moving on, teachers use assessment insights to adapt lessons, revisit key skills and provide appropriate challenge.

At the heart of this approach are three guiding questions:

• Where is the learning going?
• Where are learners now?
• How do we help them get there?

When these questions shape assessment practice, it becomes a meaningful part of the learning process rather than an added pressure.

Combining formative assessment and progress tests

Short progress tests at the end of each topic work alongside ongoing formative assessment. These tests provide a structured checkpoint, helping teachers review progress at key moments across the year.

In primary science, practical evidence is just as valuable as written work. A student explaining their thinking during an investigation, adapting a method in response to results, or using evidence to justify a conclusion can demonstrate scientific understanding as clearly as a test response.

Turning assessment insights into action

When formative evidence and progress test data are used together, they give teachers a fuller picture of learning. This combined insight helps to:

• Identify skills that need revisiting
• Decide when to slow the pace of learning
• Recognise pupils ready for greater challenge or extension

By responding to assessment in this way, teachers ensure that learning remains responsive and inclusive, meeting pupils where they are and supporting progress for all.

Low pressure assessment that supports learning

Effective assessment in primary science does not need to be high-stakes or time-consuming. When assessment is regular, embedded in classroom practice and used to guide teaching decisions, it becomes low pressure for both teachers and learners.

Ultimately, closing the assessment loop ensures that assessment does what it is meant to do: genuinely support learning and help every child move forward with confidence.

Pearson International Primary Science 

Pearson International Primary Science is a primary science programme for international learners aged 5–11, with a strong focus on inquiry and investigative skills as learners progress towards Lower Secondary and beyond.

Aligned to the skills of the English National Curriculum, the course is written around Pearson’s iPrimary Curriculum – an international programme for learners aged 3-11, which is built on British best practice and supports progression to iLowerSecondary and beyond. In the iPrimary programme, written progress tests at the end of each topic sit alongside ongoing formative assessment, providing a structured checkpoint at the end of a topic or year.

Find out more about Pearson’s iPrimary Curriculum and experience it first-hand by watching the interactive iPrimary demo.

Further reading

Read the first post in this series: Practical, formative and purposeful: Rethinking assessment in primary science and Discover enquiry prompts for primary science students.