Science Aim

At Heathfields Infants and Wilnecote Junior Academies we aim to encourage children to develop scientific knowledge in order to understand the fascinating world around them and ensure we build on their natural curiosity and enthusiasm for the world they live in.

Science Intent

In the Early Years, we build the foundations of Science through 'Understanding the World'. Children will develop their scientific skills through a balance of staff-initiated and child-initiated activities. At the end of Early Years children will have had the opportunity to investigate the scientific skills of observing, exploring, predicting, enquiry and critical thinking. This will be taught in a language-rich environment where new scientific vocabulary is introduced and promoted with children. Children will have explored the natural world around them, know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments. Children will understand some important processes and recognise changes in the natural world, including the seasons and changing states of matter.

In Key Stage 1 children follow the programmes of study from the National Curriculum for Science, which will build on the knowledge acquired in the Early Years. At the end of Key stage 1 children will have developed more in-depth scientific skills, such as asking questions, making more detailed observations, classifying, performing simple tests and gathering and recording their data. Children will also gain knowledge in the following areas – Animals including humans, Plants, Everyday Materials, Seasonal Changes, Living Things and their Habitats.

In Key Stage 2 children continue to follow the programmes of study from the National Curriculum for Science, and they work scientifically: planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, recording data and results, using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests, reporting and presenting findings from enquiries and identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

A child who has attended Heathfields and Wilnecote will have gained knowledge in all areas of the science curriculum:

• Animals, including humans
• Living things and their habitats
• Evolution and inheritance
• Rocks
• Plants
• Light
• Forces and Magnets
• Electricity
• Sound
• States of matter Properties and changes of materials
• Earth and Space

Science Implementation

At Heathfields Academy

At our school children will experience science through a range of opportunities including:

• Outdoor learning sessions.
• Trips to local areas and visits from local people in our community.
• Science lessons are well planned and show clear progression.
• Children are all encouraged to participate actively in lessons which are planned to ensure they are accessible for all.
• The importance of science in our world is promoted in lessons, with links being made between how science and scientific skills are vital in our everyday life.
• We have selected a scientist for each year group to focus on, these scientists reflect the diversity of our community.

At WIlnecote Academy

At our school children will experience science through a range of opportunities including:

• The opportunity to explore and investigate independently in experiments using all types of scientific enquiry.
• Access to science with interactive learning walls including questions, vocabulary and science capital, demonstrating how science is applied in real life through people that the children know.
• Science is well planned and resourced with clear structure in order to sustain pupils’ natural curiosity so that they are eager to learn and develop investigative skills.
• Science is all-inclusive and diverse where any misconceptions are addressed to enhance science concepts.
• Learning relates to real life experiences of the children so that they are able to apply their understanding to the real world. 
• We have selected a scientist for each year group to focus on, these scientists reflect the diversity of our community.

Science Impact

Early Years and Key Stage One - In science children will have developed scientific knowledge and ability to question and investigate things around them. We will prepare children for the next stage in their life, inspiring them to have a real interest in their world around them.

Key Stage Two - In science our children will progress in line with or exceeding their potential when we consider the varied starting points of our children. We measure this carefully using a range of materials, but always considering age related expectations. We intend that the impact is that children will be prepared for life in their next school stage, in Modern Britain and the wider world.

National curriculum in England: science programmes of study - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)