Westwoodside Church of England Academy Science Curriculum
Science Vision Statement
At Westwoodside Church of England Academy, Science empowers all pupils to be curious, confident, and reflective learners who explore the world with awe, wonder, and a desire to understand God’s creation. We aim to develop pupils’ natural curiosity by encouraging them to ask questions, investigate ideas, and think critically about the world around them.
Rooted in our Christian vision — “Be the light for other people. Live so they will see the good things that you do”(Matthew 5:16) — our Science curriculum inspires pupils to use their knowledge and skills to make a positive difference in the world. Through exciting, inclusive, and enquiry-led learning, pupils gain the scientific understanding, curiosity, and moral awareness they need to shine as responsible citizens and problem-solvers of the future.
Westwoodside Science Curriculum Pledge
At Westwoodside Church of England Academy, all pupils will have the opportunity to:
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Take part in engaging, hands-on Science lessons that inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love of discovery.
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Develop their understanding of the world through practical investigations, experiments, and explorations across biology, chemistry, and physics.
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Learn to ask scientific questions, make predictions, plan investigations, record results, and explain their findings using scientific language.
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Explore the natural world through outdoor learning, school grounds investigations, and visits to local environments such as nature reserves, farms, and parks.
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Meet real scientists and STEM professionals, learning about the many ways science shapes our daily lives and future careers.
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Take part in STEM days, Science Week, and workshops that celebrate curiosity, innovation, and problem-solving.
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Use measuring tools, data loggers, and digital technology to collect and interpret scientific data.
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Discover how scientific ideas have developed over time and how scientists have changed the way we understand the world.
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Learn about the importance of care for creation and environmental responsibility, understanding how science helps us protect the planet.
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Reflect on how their learning connects to real-world issues such as sustainability, health, and technology.
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Let their light shine by using their scientific knowledge and curiosity to explore, question, and make a positive difference to others and the world around them.
Westwoodside Science Curriculum Intent
At Westwoodside Church of England Academy, we are developing the scientific thinkers of the future. Through a broad, ambitious, and coherent Science curriculum, we aim to equip all pupils with the knowledge, skills, and cultural capital needed to understand and question the world around them.
Our Science curriculum, based on the Kapow Primary scheme of work, provides full coverage of the National Curriculum and ensures clear progression in substantive knowledge (the facts and concepts of science) and disciplinary knowledge (how scientists work). The curriculum is designed to nurture a lifelong love of science by making learning purposeful, hands-on, and connected to real-life contexts.
Pupils are encouraged to:
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Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the disciplines of biology, chemistry, and physics.
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Develop understanding of the nature, processes, and methods of science through different types of scientific enquiry.
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Ask questions, make predictions, and carry out investigations to test hypotheses.
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Apply their scientific knowledge to explain, reason, and solve problems.
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Recognise the impact of science on their daily lives, the environment, and the wider world.
Our aim is to create scientifically literate pupils who are equipped with curiosity, resilience, and critical thinking — prepared for an ever-changing world.
Westwoodside Science Curriculum Implementation
At Westwoodside Church of England Academy, Science is taught through a carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum that enables all pupils to build secure understanding over time. Using the Kapow Primary scheme, learning is progressive, engaging, and underpinned by high-quality modelling, questioning, and vocabulary instruction.
Westwoodside Science Curriculum Impact
The impact of our science curriculum, as delivered through the White Rose Science Scheme, is evident in the strong understanding our students have of scientific concepts and methods, equipping them with the knowledge they need to excel in their future education. Through inquiry-based learning and hands-on investigations, our students enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for success in science and beyond. The practical, exploratory nature of our science lessons keeps students engaged and excited about their learning. This enthusiasm for science is something we strive to nurture and maintain throughout their time with us. By integrating science with other subjects, we provide a more complete educational experience that helps students make connections across different areas of learning.
SEND Provision in Science
‘High quality teaching that is differentiated and personalised will meet the individual needs of the majority of children and young people. Some children and young people need educational provision that is additional to/or different from this...special educational provision is underpinned by high quality teaching and is compromised by anything less’
‘Lessons should be planned to address potential areas of difficulty and to remove barriers to pupil achievement’ (SEND Code of Practice 2015)
In the first instance, provision for SEND children should be planned in accordance with their individual support plans, focusing specifically on areas of strength and needs and the use of reasonable adjustments. Additional strategies to support identified areas of need should be taken from The Quality First Teaching booklet. https://www.sensiblesenco.org.uk/shared-files/1903/send-quality-first-teaching-toolkit.pdf
The Quality First Teaching booklet includes practical strategies which should be used to support the following four broad areas of need:
Cognition and learning needs - specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia), moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, global delay, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Social emotional and mental health needs - behaviour, emotional and social difficulties, mental health difficulties, ADHD, depression, eating disorders, attachment disorders
Communication and interaction needs - Speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome
Sensory and/ or physical needs - Visual impairment, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, cerebral palsy Additional support and advice regarding individual SEND needs can be sought from the subject leader and SENDCO.
Enhancements within the Science curriculum
In each year group, learning in science is enhanced through trips and visitors to the school to give students first hand learning experiences and provide them with a window to the world. Each Spring students take part in Science Week activities which build upon and extend their prior knowledge of scientific concepts.
Science curriculum Parents/Career Statement
- Parents and carers will be invited to workshops, shows and other events taking place in the school.
- To engage in their child’s learning, parents can access the school website to find information about topics of study in science and view photographs of learning opportunities and experiences that the children have or are participating in.
- Parents and carers will be informed of their child’s progress and experiences, across the curriculum in parent meetings and in their child’s annual report
- Throughout the year they will receive letters and news outlining the experiences and opportunities that their children have participated in/will be participating in.
Science Curriculum Core Concepts
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Research using secondary sources |
Pupils find things out by using books, websites, videos, and other sources of information rather than carrying out a practical investigation themselves. Example: Pupils research how the solar system works by reading articles or watching science videos. |
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Observing over time |
Pupils watch and record how something changes over a period of time, such as minutes, hours, days, or weeks. Example: Pupils measure how a plant grows each week. |
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Comparative and fair testing |
Pupils compare things by changing one variable while keeping everything else the same, ensuring the test is fair. Example: Pupils test which type of paper aeroplane flies the furthest while keeping the throwing method the same. |
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Identifying, classifying and grouping |
Pupils sort objects, plants, animals, or materials into groups based on their similarities and differences. Example: Pupils group rocks according to their texture and appearance. |
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Pattern seeking |
Pupils look for patterns or relationships between different factors, without controlling all the variables as they would in a fair test. Example: Pupils investigate whether taller pupils tend to have larger feet. |
Science Long Term Plan
Year 1/2 Cycle A | Plants: Introduction to plants
Venturing outside, the children identify and name common wild and garden plants (including deciduous and evergreen trees), observe plant parts with magnifying glasses and name them, sort leaves by appearance, investigate whether beans need water to grow and identify edible plant parts. | Forces and Space: Seasonal changes
Reflecting on their experiences, the children learn about the four seasons and their associated weather, explore how seasonal changes affect trees, daylight hours and clothing and plan and present weather reports, considering the knowledge needed for the role. | Living Things: Habitats
Considering the life processes shared by all living things, the children classify objects as alive, once alive or never alive, explore a range of habitats by naming plants and animals found there, learn how different living things depend on each other for food and shelter and create food chains to show the sequence in which living things eat each other. | Animals Including Humans: Life cycles and health
Studying the life cycles of various animals, the children learn what animals need to survive, observe changes over time, collect and record data on their peers, develop measurement skills and consider how scientific knowledge supports healthy choices. | Plants: Plant Growth
Carrying out comparative tests, the children investigate the conditions for seed germination, measure stem height with rulers, record data in tables and learn through practical activities that plants need water, light and suitable temperatures to grow and stay healthy. | Making connections: Ocean protectors
Consolidating knowledge of life cycles, habitats and food chains through ocean and rock pool exploration. Investigating what happens to litter when it is left in water and role-playing as a marine biologist to better understand how we can protect the oceans. |
| Cycle B | Animals, including humans: Sensitive bodies
| Materials: Everyday materials
| Animals, including humans: Comparing animals
| Materials 2 : Uses of everyday materials
| Living things: Microhabitats
| Making connections: Fairytale science
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Year 3/4 Cycle A | Energy: Light and shadows
Identifying light sources, the children learn that light is needed to see, explore how its absence causes darkness, investigate reflection and shadow formation and create shadow puppets to explore how light can be used in the arts. | Animals including humans: Movement and nutrition
Studying the human skeleton, the children identify key bones, explore how muscle changes cause movement, learn how the body uses energy, understand what constitutes a balanced diet and discover how research informs nutritionist expertise. | Materials: Rocks and soils
Observing the appearance and physical properties of rocks, the children compare and group different rock samples, learn about fossil and soil formation and record soil drainage rates in a bar chart. | Animals including humans: Digestion and food
Using models, the children describe the function of key organs in the digestive system, identify types of human teeth, investigate factors affecting dental health, compare human teeth to those of other animals and examine animal faeces to explore diet, digestion and dentition. | Energy: Electricity and circuits
Exploring appliances that use electricity, the children learn to work safely with electricity, build circuits, investigate conductors and insulators, examine the relationship between the number of cells and bulb brightness and use real scenarios and historical discoveries to understand scientific progression and home safety. | Making connections: How does food affect muscle fatigue?
Exploring the relationship between food consumption and muscle fatigue through a comparative test, the children analyse data, draw conclusions and apply their understanding of digestion, nutrition and movement to make predictions, plan and carry out an enquiry. |
| Cycle B | Forces and space: Forces and magnets
| Materials: States of matter
| Energy: Sound and vibrations
| Living things: Classification and changing habitats
| Plants: Plant reproduction
| Making connections: How does wind force affect seed dispersal?
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Year 5/6 Cycle A | Materials: Mixtures and separation
Exploring different types of mixtures, the children learn methods of separation, dissolve various substances, investigate how temperature affects dissolving time, design and create a water filter, sieve soil and evaporate solutions. | Materials: Properties and changes
Broadening their understanding of material properties, the children investigate hardness, transparency and conductivity, explore how these properties influence material uses, study reversible changes like dissolving and changes of state and compare them to irreversible changes like rusting, burning and mixing vinegar with bicarbonate of soda. | Forces and space: Earth and space
Exploring the movement of celestial bodies in the Solar System, the children learn about the Earth, other planets and the Moon, discover how the Earth’s rotation causes night and day, understand how sundials work and investigate satellite uses and the issue of space junk. | Animals including humans: Circulation and health
Studying the human circulatory system, the children learn about the roles of the heart, blood and blood vessels, use models to demonstrate their functions, explore how lifestyle choices affect health, advise patients using secondary sources, investigate the relationship between exercise and heart rate and analyse secondary data to understand fitness. | Energy: Light and reflection
Proving that light travels in a straight line, the children explain observations of reflection and shadows, how our eyes allow us to see, how mirrors can be used in various ways and investigate factors affecting the size of shadows and the laws of reflection. | Making connections: How reflective are space blankets?
Exploring the reflectiveness of space blankets through experiments, the children analyse data, draw conclusions and apply their understanding of reflection to make predictions, plan and carry out an enquiry. |
| Cycle B | Living things: Life cycles and reproduction
| Forces and space: Unbalanced forces
| Living things : Classifying things big and small Broadening their knowledge of grouping vertebrates, invertebrates, plants and micro organisms by shared characteristics. Learn about the work of Carl Linnaeus. | Energy: Circuits, batteries and switches
| Living things: Evolution and inheritance
| Animals, including humans: Human timeline and Making connections: How does light affect the direction of plant growth? Exploring the relationship between light source and the direction of plant growth through scientific enquiry. |
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Mixed-age-Science-Curriculum-overview-Cycle-B-16.06.26 | [pdf 780KB] |
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Mixed-age-Science-Curriculum-overview-Cycle-A-16.06.26 | [pdf 782KB] |
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