Science Intent 

Science teaching at West Town Lane Academy 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 as well as an understanding of the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

At West Town Lane Academy science is taught in half termly units. Throughout the units, the children will acquire and develop key knowledge, as well as the application of scientific enquiry skills. We ensure that the skills of working scientifically are developed throughout children’s time at school so that they can apply their knowledge of science when using equipment, conducting experiments, debating different points of view and explaining concepts confidently.

Specialist scientific vocabulary is taught and effective questioning is implemented to encourage children to communicate their ideas. The challenging 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.

This model allows the children to reflect and build upon their prior knowledge and increases their curiosity and enthusiasm for science whilst embedding this procedural knowledge into the long-term memory.

We use the Rising Stars scheme of work to support our planning.

Implementation

How is the science curriculum in the school organised?

Science follows a clear and comprehensive scheme of work aligned with the National Curriculum and EYFS framework. This begins in our Nursery class and follows children through to year 6.  The scheme is adventurous and provides the children the opportunity to achieve our school values. Respect, Adventure, Determination, Achievement and Resilience.

Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of science involves the following;

• At West Town Lane Academy, Science is taught in half termly units which are based on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. Lessons are then planned in weekly.  Where appropriate, and beneficial to learning, links are made between Science and other curriculum areas and enquiries. Wherever possible, links are made to the local environment and our community. The sequence of lessons for each unit carefully plans for progression and depth, as well as opportunities for revisiting previously gained knowledge and applying previously taught skills.  Each lesson begins with a recap of prior learning.
• Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons, involving high-quality resources to support the understanding of conceptual knowledge.
• Teachers use precise questioning in class to monitor conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning to ensure all children make progress.
• The Working Scientifically skills are embedded into lessons to ensure these skills are being developed and new vocabulary and challenging concepts are introduced through direct teaching.
• Teachers use practical demonstrations to show the children how to use scientific equipment and the various Working Scientifically skills.
• Teachers whenever possible take advantage of our wonderful outdoor space for deepener learning opportunities to help the children develop their understanding of their surroundings.

We offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors to complement our broad and balanced curriculum. These are purposeful and link with the knowledge being taught in class.

Impact

What is the impact of the Science curriculum at the school?

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes (skills progression maps)
• Use of effective formative assessment
• Pupil voice
• Retrieval questioning and activities to track pupil progress
• Evidence of high-quality work in books
•  Evidence of high-quality planning

Teachers use Target Tracker to monitor progress and identify target pupils

If you are interested in exploring Scientific vocabulary with your children, please see the following resources on the STEM website.

Please see below a list of useful websites that you can use with your children at home;

Science Week

All the children at WTLA went on a journey through space. Funded by Friends of School Explorer Dome put on an out of this world show. What fun we had!

Nursery

Our Nursery children exploring sound. 

Reception

Here are our Reception children exploring science inside and outside of their classrooms. 

Year 1

Year 1 have been exploring the human body and their senses. They made skeletons out of dog biscuits and labelled them. They also role played being doctors.

Year 2

Year 2 have been exploring materials and testing whether they can squash, bend, twist and stretch them into new shapes. 

Year 3

Year 3 have been investigating the properties and uses of rocks, the rock family, soils and fossils using sweets. They also had university medics visit to teach them about the human body!

Year 4

Year 4 have been investigating how they can change volume and pitch over different distances.  They have been exploring making sounds on a range of objects in order to investigate how sounds are created. 

Year 5

Year 5 have been conducting experiments to show that irreversible changes result in the formation of new materials.

Year 6

 Year 6 collected leaves from the forest area to help them classify living things using their observable characteristics.