Willoughton Primary School

Science

Science at Willoughton:

At Willoughton Primary School, we are committed to creating life-long learners who will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and drive to contribute positively to an ever-changing world. Our vision is to create budding, confident scientists, with inquisitive, questioning minds and well developed critical-thinking skills.  We recognise the importance of science in every aspect of daily life and aim to foster engaged exploration, considered inquiry and reflective evaluation so that children can develop a full understanding of the knowledge and skills essential to successful learning in science and in their ongoing life.

Our Intent:

At Willoughton Primary School, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. As one of the core subjects taught in Primary Schools, we give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires. The scientific area of learning is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. It will develop the natural curiosity of the child, encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment and provide opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence.

At Willoughton Primary School, in conjunction with the aims of the National Curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, our Science teaching offers opportunities for children to:

• Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding.
• Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of Science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them. Including pattern seeking, research, fair testing, observation over time, and identifying and classifying.
• Be equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.
• Develop the essential working scientifically enquiry skills to deepen their scientific knowledge.
• Use a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner, including I.C.T., diagrams, graphs and charts.
• Develop a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own, and other children’s safety.
• Develop an enthusiasm and enjoyment of scientific learning and discovery.

We endeavour to ensure that the Science curriculum we provide will give children the confidence and motivation to continue to further develop their skills into the next stage of their education and life experiences.

How we implement this:

In the foundation Stage, children are taught science through the key area of learning set out within the EYFS Statutory Framework. Through a broad range of teacher-led, child initiated and continuous learning opportunities, children will be taught to:

• Use their senses to investigate a range of objects and materials.
• Find out about, identify and observe the different features of living things, objects and worldly events.
• Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change.
• Ask questions about why things happen and why things work.
• Develop their communication and cooperation skills.
• Talk about findings, sometimes recording them.
• Identify and find out about features of the place they live and in the natural world around them.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, Science is taught by another class teacher with a clear and comprehensive planned scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. Science is taught every week for 2 hours, with enhanced enrichment days and visits where and when possible. Science is planned in blocks which ensures the progression of children’s knowledge and skills within the different strands of Science and within working scientifically. Our teaching and learning of Science will help the children to:

• Have access to subject specific language and their meanings in order to understand and readily apply across the curriculum.
• Use a range of resources to develop their knowledge and understanding integral to their learning and develop their understanding of working scientifically.
• Have opportunities for problem solving and practical investigations as we believe in a hands-on approach to build resilience and creative critical thinkers.
• Reflect on previous learning and be able to build on prior learning to link ideas together, enabling them to question and become enquiry-based learners.

Regular events such as Science Week and Science Fairs allow all pupils to come off timetable, to provide broader provision and the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills.

The impact:

The successful Science approach at Willoughton Primary School will result in fun, engaging, high-quality science education that provides children with the foundations and knowledge for understanding our world. Our children love Science!

The children will know more, remember more and understand more about Science. The children will retain prior learning and explicitly make connections between what they have previously learned and what they are currently learning.

All children will have:

• A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry skills.
• A richer vocabulary which will enable them to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
• Confidence and a love of learning for all things Science.

For any queries relating to Science at Willoughton Primary School, please contact Miss Odette Clarke our Subject Leader.