Woodthorpe Church of England Primary School
Learning & Growing Together To Be The Best We Can Be
Science
At Woodthorpe C of E Primary School we aim to develop pupils’ enjoyment and interest in science and an appreciation of its contribution to all aspects of everyday life. We wish to build on pupils’ curiosity and sense of awe of the natural world through the use of a planned range of investigations and practical activities. At the same time, the children will be able to develop their ability to plan fair tests, make predictions, record results using computing, diagrams, graphs, tables and charts and to make generalisations about their learning. We also value the use of scientific vocabulary and model this with our children, encouraging them to use it to explain their scientific thinking. We make cross curricular links where possible with other subjects including Maths, Literacy, Computing and Design Technology.
Our whole school follow a topic-based approach to learning, using Cornerstones. In the Foundation Stage, Science is taught through providing opportunities for our children to explore and ask questions instilling a curious nature to the world around them. Many learning opportunities are provided through our continuous provision and on occasions is adult led to steer through specific questions and investigations.
In KS1 and KS2 Science, we follow objectives set out in the National Curriculum. We cover Science either through our topic work or stand-alone Science lessons, whichever the topics lend themselves to.
Each term, each class will learn about at least one famous Scientist. This will enable the children to find out more about these famous individuals as people, learners and inspiring individuals in history.
Curriculum Intent
At Woodthorpe C of E Primary School, our children are SCIENTISTS! Our intent is to give every child a broad and balanced Science curriculum which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they develop a deeper understanding of the world in which we live in. We want our children to engage completely and love their Science lessons. We want them to be ambitious and grow up wanting to be astronauts, forensic scientists, chemists and biologists. We want our children to remember their science lessons in our school, to cherish these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities they are presented with! To achieve this, it involves exciting, practical hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. At Woodthorpe, we have a curriculum which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the science National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
To read more on our Intent, Implementation and Impact statements, please view our 3I's document below:
Woodthorpe Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement
Curriculum Coverage
Our curriculum is structured around topics based on the Cornerstones Curriculum Maestro, which is a creative and thematic approach to learning- delivered through imaginative learning and companion projects. These provide a rich menu of exciting and motivating learning activities that make creative links between all aspects of our children’s learning. The scientists that we study are linked carefully to the topics we are learning about, and we ensure that we provide our children with a variety of interesting (and not always well-known) individuals to learn from and about. We work on a one-year cycle in Reception, a two-year cycle in Key Stage 1, a three-year cycle for Year 3, 4 and 5, and a one-year cycle for Year 6. Please click on the link below to see an overview of our curriculum for this academic year.
Whole School topic overview 2022-2023, including significant individuals
We have ensured that our curriculum is progressive and that we build on prior learning and regularly recap and review previous knowledge and skills. Please click on the links below to access our progression grids.
2022-23 Core Knowledge grid for Science
2022-23 Progression of Knowledge and skills grid for Science
Please click on the links below to find further information related to our Science curriculum, that support and enhance our children's discovery and investigative work.
Science Primary National Curriculum : Key Stages 1 and 2
STEM learning at home. Click on the links below to find fun experiments and investigations that can be carried out at home:
EYFS (All about me, materials, natural world, physical processes)
Year 1 (Plants, animals including humans, everyday materials, seasonal changes)
Year 2 (Living things and their habitats, plants, animals including humans, everyday materials)
Year 3 (Plants, animals including humans, rocks, light, forces)
Year 4 (Living things and habitats, animals including humans, states of matter, sound, electricity)
Year 5 (Living things and habitats, animals including humans, materials, Earth and Space, forces)
Year 6 (Living things and habitats, animals including humans, evolution, light, electricity)
Photos from Autumn term 2022
