We at Woodcote Primary School aim to develop a fun, practical, engaging and high-quality curriculum that inspires the next generation to succeed and excel in science. Children will develop an inquisitive approach to the world around them, underpinned by sound knowledge and vocabulary.
We will do this through fully adhering to the aims of the national curriculum and fostering a healthy curiosity and interest in the sciences. At the heart of our science curriculum is scientific investigation. Wherever possible we intend to deliver lessons where children learn through varied investigations, leading to them being equipped for life to ask and answer scientific questions about their experiences in the world. They will be able to reach logical conclusions and reason their theories effectively.
At Woodcote Primary School, all children have the opportunity to explore many aspects of the world around them through Science lessons. Starting in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) children will start to ask the big questions like ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ and, through the Early Learning Goal Understanding the World will begin to explore the world they live in. This enquiring attitude will be encouraged throughout KS1 and KS2 as the scope of their learning expands beyond just the world they can see.
In EYFS children will explore the world around them, describing what they see, hear and feel. They will begin to question why the world changes through the seasons and how there are clear differences between where they live and other places they may visit. Children will also begin to explore Living Things, including themselves, looking at their own basic hygiene and differences between themselves and other creatures they might interact with.
Through Key Stage 1, children will continue to expand upon their learning from EYFS, building that inquisitive, questioning nature. They will expand their vocabulary as they explore a variety of areas of the curriculum, focussing in the meaning of the language and how they can use it within their Science lessons. Children continue to build their understanding of the changing seasons, especially how it affects where they live and go to school. They will also begin to explore the materials that we use to construct the world around us, asking questions such as ‘Why do we use wood to make…?’ Children will also have the opportunity to look at Animals, Plants, Living Things and Habitats, exploring key differences between living things and learning how they can keep both animals and plants healthy and thriving.
As children move into Key Stage 2 they will build upon the foundations laid in previous years, expanding their knowledge of key areas such as Living Things, Forces, Light, Sound, Space and many others. Discussions in lessons are led by key questions that encourage the children to think and ask further questions about the topics they are introduced to. When first entering KS2, experiments and investigations are heavily modelled with structured write-ups, but quickly children are encouraged to complete tasks in groups, pairs or individually. Independent write-ups and carefully thought out conclusions also become a key part of Science lessons, with children encouraged to make links between lessons and topics. Children will also get the chance to use a variety of monitoring equipment to help with their investigations and allow them to produce detailed results tables and graphs that show information clearly and concisely.
The oldest children in the school will also begin to make links between Science and their RSE work, starting to understand their own changing bodies on a personal and scientific level.
Ultimately we aim to have children leave Woodcote Primary with a solid subject knowledge, a desire to question the world around them and the skills to collect and share information that will help them answer those questions.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EYFS | Materials: human-made or natural Seasons | Winter weather (freezing and melting) and changes into Spring Seasons | Hotter weather Changes in our Bodies Seasons |
| Year 1 | Animals including Humans: Our Bodies Seasons: Autumn | Seasons: Winter Seasons: Spring Plants | Everyday Materials Amazing Animals Seasons: Summer |
| Year 2 | Health & Growth Animals inc. Humans | Animals & Plants Living Things & their Habitats | Plants Living Things & their Habitats Uses of Everyday Materials |
| Year 3 | Healthy Eating Human Body | Light and Dark Forces & Magnets | Plants Rocks & Soils |
| Year 4 | States of Matter Electricity | Living Things Habitats | Animals inc. Humans Scientists & Sound |
| Year 5 | Forces Living Things & their Habitats | Animals inc. Humans Space | Materials and their Properties Naturalists & Significant Scientists |
| Year 6 | All Living Things Animals inc. Humans Evolution & Inheritance | Light Electricity | Revision of previous Topics Sound |
By the time they leave Woodcote Primary School, our children will have explored many of the scientific principles that rule the world around them. They will have taken part in fun, engaging and high-quality investigations that support direct-teaching lessons. Many children will have enjoyed and been inspired by our exploration of the world and the rules that govern it. Children will also have had the opportunity to utilise their curiosity, driving our Science learning to answer questions they have about the world.
Assessment
Assessment is ongoing via meaningful written and verbal feedback. Teachers will use skilled questioning to provide informal assessment opportunities throughout lessons and to assess individual and whole-class understanding. Subject quizzes and knowledge tests are used throughout a topic to check understanding and assessment of key vocabulary. Moderation of pupil books is used with the whole staff team to ensure consistency and progression of skills across the school.