Disciplinary balance in primary science education: The Greek curriculum in a European comparative perspective

Primary school science education promotes scientific literacy, curiosity, and understanding of natural phenomena. European educational reforms have prioritized inquiry-based learning, multidisciplinary approaches, and the development of competencies to solve current social and environmental issues. Despite these common goals, national curricula structure scientific knowledge and distribute discipline information differently. This study investigates primary science education in selected European countries, focusing on the place of physics in the national curriculum. The study evaluates official curriculum frameworks and policy documents from Greece, Finland, the UK, France, and Germany using qualitative comparative document analysis. The analysis examines science subject organization, topic distribution, and physics’ relative importance to biology, chemistry, and earth sciences. The findings show that most European curricula use integrated science models that evenly distribute knowledge across disciplines to enhance interdisciplinary understanding and scientific literacy. In contrast, the Greek curriculum places physics at the center of the upper primary classes, introducing scientific principles. This approach encourages the development of causal reasoning and supports experimental investigation, but it may limit students’ exposure to other scientific fields that are increasingly vital for understanding global concerns. The study emphasizes balanced representation of disciplines and provides ideas for primary science curriculum development.