Wickersley Northfield Primary School

Wickersley Northfield Primary School

Part of White Woods Primary Academy Trust

Northfield Lane, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 2HL

enquiries@wnp.wwpat.org

01709 543704

At Wickersley Northfield Primary School, our vision is to provide a science curriculum, which allows children to be engaged, excited and interested in the world around them; finding out new things that might surprise them.

Science Principles

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Science at Wickersley Northfield

KS1 Science

Working Scientifically: During years 1 and 2, pupils are taught to use practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways

observing closely,

using simple equipment

performing simple tests

identifying and classifying

using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions

  • Living Things and their habitats 
  • Plants 
  • Animals including Humans  
  • Everyday materials  
  • Seasonal Changes 

Lower KS2 (Y3 & Y4) Science

Working Scientifically: During years 3 and 4, pupils are taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them

setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests

making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of

equipment, including thermometers and data loggers

gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions

recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables

reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions

using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions

identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes

using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.

  • Living Things and their habitats
  • Animals including Humans
  • Light & Sound
  • Electricity 

 

Upper KS2 (Y5 & Y6) Science

Working Scientifically: During years 5 and 6, pupils are taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary

taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate

recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs

using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests

reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations

identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

  • Living Things and Their Habitats 
  • Animals including Humans
  • Evolution and Inheritance 
  • Properties and changes of materials 
  • Light 
  • Earth & Space
  • Forces 
  • Electricity 

Concepts

Complete coverage of the concepts is ensured; Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Biology includes four areas; Understanding Plants, Understanding Animals, Investigating Living Things and Understanding Evolution and Inheritance. Chemistry includes Investigating Materials. Physics includes five areas; Understanding Movement, Forces and Magnets, Understanding Light and Seeing, Understanding Sound and Hearing, Understanding Electrical Circuits and Understanding the Earth’s Movement in Space.

Wickersley Northfield Primary School Awarded Primary Science Quality Mark

Primary Science Quality Marks have been awarded to 160 infant, junior, primary, middle and special schools to celebrate a commitment to excellence in science teaching and learning.  So far, since its national launch in 2010, over 4000 schools across the UK have achieved a prestigious Primary Science Quality Mark.  

The Primary School Quality Mark programme ensures effective leadership of science, enables schools to work together to share good practice and is supported by professional development led by local experts. It encourages teacher autonomy and innovation while at the same time offering a clear framework for development in science subject leadership, teaching and learning. Schools that achieve PSQM demonstrate commitment and expertise in science leadership, teaching and learning. 

The Primary Science Quality Mark is led by the University of Hertfordshire, School of Education in collaboration with the Primary Science Teaching Trust.

Associate Professor Jane Turner, PSQM National Director said: “There was never a more important time for primary children to have a high-quality science education. The Coronavirus Pandemic has made everyone aware of the impact of science on our daily lives.  Primary schools have an important role to ensure that children understand how science works and keeps us healthy and safe. Schools that have achieved a Primary Science Quality Mark have demonstrated a significant commitment to science teaching and learning, even at this challenging time for schools.  The profile and quality of science in each awarded school is very high. Children are engaging with great science both in and outside the classroom, developing positive attitudes towards science as well as secure scientific understanding and skills. Science subject leaders, their colleagues, head teachers, children, parents and governors should be very proud.”

Year Group Long Term Plans

  • F1
  • F2
  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4
  • Year 5
  • Year 6

Intent:

Science teaching at Wickersley Northfield Primary School aims to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also an understanding of the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.

Scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each theme and these themes are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. Themes, such as Plants, are taught in Key Stage One and studied again in further detail throughout Key Stage Two. This model allows children to build upon their prior knowledge and increases their enthusiasm for the themes whilst embedding this “Science Capital” into the long-term memory.

All children are encouraged to develop and use a range of skills including observations, planning and investigations, as well as being encouraged to question the world around them and become independent learners in exploring possible answers for their scientific based questions. Specialist vocabulary for topics is taught and built up, and effective questioning to communicate ideas is encouraged. Concepts taught are reinforced by focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions.

Implementation:

At WNP we will use a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. Teaching and Learning should show progression across all key stages within the strands of Science.

Through linked lessons, children have access to key language and meanings in order to understand and readily apply to their written, mathematical and verbal communication of their skills.

Children will access resources to acquire learning through Science equipment, digital technology, practical experiences and photographs. Children will use a range of secondary resources to develop their knowledge and understanding that is integral to their learning.

Impact:

Our Science Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

  • A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes (KPI’s);
  • A celebration of learning for each term which demonstrates progression across the school;
  • Tracking of knowledge in pre and post learning assessments;
  • Pupil discussions about their learning;