Science

At The Willows, we aim for our high quality science curriculum to provide the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Willows' Scientists are encouraged to be inquisitive and become independent learners by exploring possible answers for their scientific based questions. Through exploring key foundational knowledge and concepts, our pupils are encouraged to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity through child led enquires. Children will be taught through real life context to enable them to make links between science in the classroom and science in the real world.

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The National Curriculum

The National Curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:

develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
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
are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future

At The Willows Primary School, we use a scheme called Developing Experts scheme which plans lessons and ensures all children learn and retain knowledge throughout the programmes of study. Developing experts is delivered through a sequence curriculum designed to enable our children to experience a coherent curriculum. Our curriculum maps from EYFS – Y6 outline the knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils should be taught within their year groups. The curriculum is progressive and allows for the children to build on the skills they learn each year and also allows teachers to recap learning and address any misconceptions that may arise. In each lesson, pupils are given key facts and knowledge through a storytelling approach to learning. Each lesson offers Rocket Words, these are key words and meanings to learn; vocabulary which is then repeated throughout the lesson, quizzed on at the end and repeated at the beginning of the following lesson. All our lessons contain a balance of the different ‘Working Scientifically Skills’ and ‘Scientific Enquiry’ types, so that children practise a broad range of skills throughout the curriculum.

Science in Early Years

Science in KS1

Science in KS2

British Science Week

We had a fantastic time celebrating British Science Week! The week was filled with exciting experiments, hands-on investigations, and fun activities that sparked curiosity and inspired our young scientists here at The Willows. Our whole school theme was 'Change and Adapt'. The children across school took part in a live lesson with developing experts where they took part in special challenges which encouraged children to ask questions, make predictions, and think like real scientists. It was a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the importance of science in everyday life and to show our pupils just how exciting learning can be!

Here are some of our incredible inventions for our Science Competition across school. We were very impressed!