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Why do we teach science?
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” - Carl Sagan
At Westcliff, we want to foster our children’s natural curiosity about the world around us and how it works. We believe that the scientific understanding and enquiry of our young scientists will play a crucial role in addressing our shared global issues such as climate change. We want our children to experience the wonder in learning about our universe and for them to be awakened to the potential of future discovery.
How do we teach science at Westcliff?
Science at Westcliff is centred round the children learning the essential aspects of the knowledge, processes and uses of science. Our children are encouraged to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They seek to problem solve, create and are always keen to explain their thinking using subject specific vocabulary. We wish to foster an understanding of science and discovery.
At the core of our children’s learning in the early years is exploration and investigation and this begins right at the start of the Westcliff school journey. Our children’s curiosity is nurtured and they are encouraged to ask questions, discover new things and share their findings with others. Fostering this curiosity builds a base of understanding that we develop upon in later years.
Children from Year 1 upwards have a science lesson once a week. Our science curriculum from year 1 onwards is developed from the national curriculum and in each term the children focus on the following topics outlined below:
Alongside this knowledge and embedded in our science lessons, children develop the specific skills needed for scientific enquiry in order to understand the nature, processes and methods of science for each year.
Children from Year 1 will also have a weekly WOW (World of Westcliff) time session where they will consolidate previous learning as well as build on their scientific knowledge by covering new areas of learning.
Science Curriculum