Through our science curriculum at Wiggonby School, we aim to develop children’s natural curiosity of the world (in fact, the universe!) around them, and promote lifelong learning in science.  We strive to inspire children to ask and answer questions, equip them to become effective problem-solvers and encourage them to treat living things and the environment with respect. 

At Wiggonby School, we study most of our Science through ‘Developing Experts’, a complete programme of interactive and well-sequenced science lessons. Our Science lessons cover all of the objectives laid out in the National Curriculum and are carefully planned to ensure that children are able to build on their existing knowledge and skills.  As children progress through the school, they are given the opportunity to develop and deepen their knowledge of Life Processes and Living Things, Materials and their Properties and Physical Processes, through science work that is both relevant to them and linked to their current and previous learning in other subject areas

We make sure that children are given enough background information and support to be able to draw conclusions from their own investigations. Key vocabulary is an important part of each lesson, to ensure children are able to talk and write about scientific concepts using appropriate language.  Each lesson on Developing Experts comes with a ‘Rocket Words’ quiz, and new vocabulary is revisited throughout the unit to make sure that children understand.

We provide plenty of opportunities for practical work, which promotes active engagement and enables all children to develop their skills of scientific enquiry. Practical activities support children in the understanding of scientific concepts (such as gravity and magnetism) and help the children to devise questions that can then be investigated. Children are taught how to plan an investigation, use equipment safely and accurately gather data, analyse data, draw conclusions and present their findings in a variety of interesting ways.

Opportunities are planned each year to allow key science skills to develop:

• observing over time
• pattern seeking
• exploring
• identifying and classifying
• fair testing
• researching

Our Science lessons are also linked to other areas of learning, including Forest School and our ongoing Eco-Schools, Green Tree and Cumbria in Bloom work. Children have regular visits and visitors. For example, Class 3 attended a science show, Class 2 had a ‘Rocks’ workshop, the whole school planted a field of sunflowers and classes 1 and 2 were visited by Claire and her cool creatures to help them to learn about animals.