Science
Science is all around us! At Woodlands Primary School we believe that scientific investigation is one of the most powerful ways to learn; developing curiosity and perseverance as well as challenging what we know about the world. We aim to make science as practical as possible, linking it to real life contexts and giving a meaning to our learning.
At Woodlands, our Science curriculum is:
Relevant and engaging – real-life opportunities for learning are included in all year groups, children learn through investigations and experiments which spark their interest.
Active learning – we encourage children to think as scientists and make their own observations and conclusions.
Link making – by making Science relevant, children make links between their scientific knowledge and everyday life. We ensure that current affairs and scientific thinking is woven into our teaching.
Vocabulary rich – we encourage use of high-level scientific vocabulary when talking and writing about our world.
Challenging – all children are challenged through questioning and content.
Ambitious for all – we aim to spark and develop curiosity about natural phenomena in all children and allow them to develop their own interests.
Cross-curricular – we recognise the link between Science and all other subjects and our lessons include a variety of extended writing, data analysis and other cross-curricular links.
Science lessons are open-ended and practical in nature, allowing children to use a wide range of resources to lead the learning and make their own discoveries. Lessons aren’t just limited to the classroom... we make use of our incredible outdoor facilities including the woodlands, field and playground in order to maximise the children's learning experiences. This allows children to develop the key skills of investigation, problem-solving and team work, empowering children to question the world around them and become scientific thinkers.
The National Curriculum provides a structure and skills progression for the Science curriculum taught throughout the school, which is linked, where possible, to the theme topics providing a creative scheme of work, which reflects a balanced programme of study.
National Curriculum (England) Science Programmes of Study (link)
“A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.” - National Curriculum (England) 2014