Winshill Village
Science
Subject Leader: Mrs M. Dickerson
“Life is a splendid gift. There is nothing small in it. For the greatest things grow by God's Law out of the smallest.”
Vision
At Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School, we intend to equip children with the scientific knowledge and skills required for their transition to Key Stage 3. Fostering positive attitudes is central to our ethos and therefore, our science education strives to enrich children’s curiosity, collaboration, wonder and questioning, forming connections between children’s own experiences and their knowledge and care for our local and global communities. We strive to ensure that our science offer is both rich and inclusive for all. We ensure that we plan science which results in motivation, which connects to children’s interests. We want children to be inspired by science and have an understanding of the impact it has on their lives and how this will change in the future. We aim to create a sense of awe and wonder through providing science lessons which are stimulating, engaging and challenging. We strive for these lessons to allow pupils to articulate their understanding of scientific concepts and be able to reason scientifically using rich scientific language. We want all children to leave key stage two with an aspiration to want to continue to learn more about science and its application in past, present and future technologies. We aim to ensure that pupils develop their disciplinary and substantive knowledge through a balanced science curriculum which follows children’s lines of enquiry. We emphasise cross-curricular learning opportunities for pupils and ensure that our curriculum is taught in small, progressive steps which build upon prior learning.
Aims and Goals
At Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School, our Science curriculum is designed to spark curiosity, inspire discovery, and nurture a lifelong love of learning about the world around us.
Through our teaching of Science, we aim to:
-
Build strong foundations for the future – equipping children with the knowledge, skills, and scientific thinking they need as they move into Key Stage 3 and beyond.
-
Encourage curiosity and questioning – fostering a sense of wonder, exploration, and collaboration as children make connections between their own experiences and the wider world.
-
Make learning meaningful and engaging – planning lessons that motivate children by linking to their interests and real-life contexts.
-
Inspire a love of science – helping children appreciate the importance of science in everyday life and understand how it shapes our local and global communities.
-
Create awe and wonder – providing stimulating, hands-on experiences that challenge children to think critically and creatively.
Curriculum
At Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School, our Science curriculum encourages curiosity, exploration, and hands-on discovery from the very start of a child’s learning journey. We want our children to develop a deep understanding of the world around them and to see themselves as young scientists.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
In the Early Years, children begin to make sense of their physical world through play, exploration, and observation.
-
Our high-quality outdoor learning environment allows children to explore, investigate, and make sense of the world around them.
-
Carefully chosen resources extend play and inspire curiosity, encouraging children to ask questions and test ideas.
-
A rich selection of stories, non-fiction texts, rhymes, and poems helps foster an understanding of the diverse world we live in.
-
Children learn about their local environment, including the trees, plants, and wildlife in our community.
-
Early scientific knowledge and vocabulary are developed through first-hand experiences and meaningful talk.
Years 1 - 6
As children move through Key Stages 1 and 2, our Science curriculum—taught using the Kapow scheme—builds progressively on prior learning in line with National Curriculum expectations.
-
Science is taught weekly as a discrete subject, with meaningful links made to other curriculum areas where appropriate.
-
Lessons balance knowledge-based learning with practical, investigative experiences. Children make predictions, carry out fair tests, record results, and evaluate their findings.
-
Vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited, helping pupils to “talk like scientists” and apply accurate scientific language confidently.
-
Learning sequences are carefully planned to build on prior knowledge and prepare children for future topics.
-
Enquiry skills are developed across year groups, ensuring progression in both substantive (factual) and disciplinary (working scientifically) knowledge.
-
Teachers use ‘Can I…?’ questions and ongoing formative assessment to check understanding and guide future learning.
-
Wherever possible, children learn through first-hand experiences both inside and outside the classroom, using our outdoor spaces to explore real-world science.
-
Pupils have opportunities to apply skills from other subjects—such as mathematics when collecting or presenting data.
-
Our curriculum is well-resourced, engaging, and designed to inspire children to see the relevance and excitement of science in everyday life.
Cross-Curricular
Science learning at Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School is enriched through purposeful cross-curricular links that make learning engaging, relevant, and inspiring. Pupils draw on their mathematical skills to collect, record, and interpret data during experiments, and use their English skills to write clear reports, explanations, and conclusions. In Computing, children use digital tools, data loggers, and simulations to enhance their investigations and support their research.
Links with Geography allow pupils to explore the natural world, weather, and different environments, while Design and Technology provides opportunities to apply scientific principles in creative, hands-on ways — designing, building, and testing their own creations.
Documents and Useful Links
