Science

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Curriculum Design

at West Didsbury CE Primary School


Scientific discoveries have fundamentally shaped every aspect of our world. Science drives innovation, creating new knowledge to help us solve current and future problems. We strive to deliver a science curriculum that inspires and empowers children to ask scientifically valid questions and answer them through practical investigations.

Our units in science follow the National Curriculum programme of study. Key concepts of the scientific units are revisited throughout each year to ensure knowledge is secure in pupils’ long-term memories so future year groups can build on embedded concepts. We have also identified a diverse group of scientists that children learn about each half term so all of our children know that they are can be scientists too.


How Learning is Sequenced

Below are the units that children study for Science each half term.

  Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Reception Natural world observations Seasons and observations of the natural world. Hot and cold environments and climate change.
Melting.
David Attenborough
Similarities & difference between land & sea creatures.
Recycling & floating & sinking.
David Attenborough
Seasons & weather.
Observations of the natural world.
Life cycle of a butterfly.
David Attenborough
Seasons & observations of the natural world.
Year 1 BIOLOGY
Human Body & Senses
Leonardo da Vinci

PHYSICS
Everyday Materials
Chester Greenwood

PHYSICS
Everyday Materials
Chester Greenwood
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
Joan Beauchamp Procter

PHYSICS
Seasonal Changes
Jim Cantore

BIOLOGY
Plants
George Washington Carver
Year 2 BIOLOGY
Plants
Angie Burnett

BIOLOGY
Plants
Angie Burnett

BIOLOGY
Habitats
Chris Packham
CHEMISTRY
Uses of Everday Materials
Charles Macintosh
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
Daniella Dos Santos
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
Daniella Dos Santos
Year 3 CHEMISTRY
Rocks
Mary Anning
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
Marie Curie
PHYSICS
Forces & Magnets
William Gilbert
PHYSICS
Light
Percy Shaw
BIOLOGY
Plants
Jan Ingenhousz
BIOLOGY
Plants
Jan Ingenhousz
Year 4 PHYSICS
Sound
Aristotle
PHYSICS
Electricity
William Kamkwamba
CHEMISTRY
States of Matter
Anders Celsius
CHEMISTRY
States of Matter
Anders Celsius
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
Paul Sharpe
BIOLOGY
Living Things & their Habitats
Wangari Maathai
Year 5 PHYSICS
Earth & Space
Katherine Johnson
CHEMISTRY
Properties & Changes of materials
Andre Geim & Konstantin Novoselov
CHEMISTRY
Properties & Changes of materials
Andre Geim & Konstantin Novoselov
PHYSICS
Forces
Brahma Gupta
BIOLOGY
Living Things & their Habitats
David Attenborough
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
Virginia Abgar
Year 6 PHYSICS
Light
Ibn al-Haytham
PHYSICS
Electricity
Tesla
BIOLOGY
Evolution & Inheritance
Emma Dunn & Charles Darwin
BIOLOGY
Living Things & their Habitats
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
William Harvey
BIOLOGY
Animals, including Humans
William Harvey

Working Scientifically

Working Scientifically

Our science curriculum develops pupils’ knowledge of working scientifically from Reception onwards. This knowledge can be categorised in these four areas: 

  1. knowledge of methods that scientists use to answer questions
  2. knowledge of apparatus and techniques, including measurement
  3. knowledge of data analysis
  4. knowledge of how science uses evidence to develop explanations

The first two of these are particularly important and we have a clear progression is how we introduce the skills of scientific investigation.

Enquiry Types

Enquiry Types

Children have regular opportunities to practise their skills in a range of enquiries. Our enquiry types are clearly defined and we ensure a range of these enquiries happen, as far as possible and practicable, in each unit.

Enquiry Types:

  • Identifying, classifying & grouping
  • Comparative & fair testing
  • Observing over time
  • Reaserch using secondary sources
  • Pattern seeking

Discussion and Deeper Thinking

Discussion and Deeper Thinking

Every science lesson begins and ends with a discussion of prior knowledge to help with retention and to stimulate wider thinking. The use of ‘concept cartoons’ helps with this deeper level of discussion and thought – they are a visual representation of a scientific idea and they provide an accessible, motivating introduction to scientific thought.

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