At Wilstead, we intend to develop a lifelong curiosity and interest in the Sciences and intend that our children will have the opportunity to learn through investigation, asking questions, and by exploring the world around them. To achieve this, Wilstead follows the National Curriculum objectives using both the Plan Matrices and Twinkl PlanIt resources to support teaching and learning. 

What do we look at?

In each Year group, there are 6 topics for Science. These are:

Year 1- Animals including humans, Seasonal changes (Autumn and Winter), Everyday materials, Plants, Seasonal changes (Spring and Summer) and Scientists and inventors.

Year 2- Animals including humans, Living things and their habitats, Everyday materials, Plants, The environment and Scientists and inventors. 

Year 3- Animals including humans, Rocks and soils, Light, Forces and magnets, Plants and Scientists and Inventors.

Year 4- Living things and their habitats, Animals including humans, States of matter, Understanding electricity, Sound and Scientists and inventors. 

Year 5- Living things and their habitats, Animals including humans, Properties of material and changes, Earth and space, Forces and Scientists and inventors.

Year 6- Animals including humans, Evolution and inheritance, Living things and their habitats, Light, Electricity and Scientists and inventors. 

Through these topics, children are helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. 

Our wider Science Curriculum

At Wilstead, we are very fortunate to be able to offer Forest school sessions and lots of other outdoor learning opportunities to help widen children's knowledge of and interest in Science. Where possible, Forest school sessions are tailored to help meet the National Curriculum Science objectives and children are given the opportunity to observe natural phenomena and ask questions about what they notice in our outdoor environment.

Wilstead also offers Science, Art & Writing (SAW) days throughout the school year, where children are able to delve deeper into subject areas on a given topic such as bees or birds. On these days children also focus on National Curriculum objectives for Science. 

Values Based Education

Science is taught within the context of our school values. The values of Respect, Independence, Curiosity, and Growth  all have their place in the Science curriculum where children are encouraged to be curious and explore the world around them, showing respect to others and the environment. 

Children also have the opportunity to discuss their understanding of and practice the values of communication, fairness, originality and teamwork, particularly when planning and carrying out their own investigations and experiments within their Science lessons. 

Mrs H Cordell, Science Subject Leader