Skip to content ↓

Science

Science is taught in an exciting and stimulating way so that it challenges and inspires pupils to search for answers; to explore the world around them and communicate their findings.  We aim to relate science to every day and pupils’ first-hand experience.  Our principal aim is to develop pupils’ scientific knowledge, skills and concepts, whilst encouraging them to be investigative in a systematic and logical way.

Specific teaching provides an opportunity for pupils to build up a body of scientific knowledge and understanding, and to become effective communicators of scientific concepts and knowledge.

Our Science Curriculum is designed implicitly for all the pupils to acquire the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.

Some of our many and varied investigations include:-

  • experiments to discover the properties of materials
  • focused exploration into the properties of solids, liquids and gasses
  • experimental and investigative work into magnetism and electricity
  • planning and carrying out experiments on forces
  • linking science to industry

Pupils planning, testing and presenting conclusions for an investigation to see ‘Which soil is the most permeable?’

Investigating Rocks

At All Saints’ we encourage pupils to ask, as well as answer, scientific questions and develop a range of scientific vocabulary to express their ideas.  They have the opportunity to use a variety of data, such as statistics, graphs, pictures and photographs.  They use ICT in science lessons where it enhances their learning.  They take part in role-play and discussions, and they present reports to the rest of the class.

Pupils engage in a wide variety of problem-solving activities.  Whenever possible, we involve the pupils in ‘real’ scientific activities, for example researching an everyday problem or carrying out a practical experiment and analysing results.  Eg The Best Material for a Waterproof Coat or writing a report on Environmental Dangers.

Opportunities with local industries have allowed us to enrich our science curriculum with exciting practical science activities; it has also improved our pupils’ perception of the nuclear industry and its relationship with science.  We maintain close links with Cockermouth High School with exciting projects for pupils in Year 6 and Year 5; this has provided the opportunity for our pupils to engage in activities which require the use of Bunsen burners, electronic microscopes and chemicals, promoting enthusiasm and enquiring minds in the fields of chemistry and physics.

Pupils enjoying Teams meeting from scientists from Sellafield

 

STEM (Science, Technology, and Engineering & Maths) Week has given pupils in Year 3 the opportunity to experience visitors though our Teams platform – we recently had the chance to interview 3 scientists from Sellafield, a Civil Engineer, a Mechanical Engineer and a Communications Manager Scientist. Organised by the Primary Business Partnership.

As part of our extended provision in Year 6, children are given the opportunity to take part in a Primary D&T Engineering competition run by the local Rotary Club to design and build a car which can climb a ramp and travel forwards.  Children compete against each other in school, before the winning team is pitted against schools from all over Cockermouth.  We have been successful for many years, winning and hosting this competition for several years on the run.

Throughout the year, each year group benefits from a wide range of visits and visitors. Not only does this enhance their learning opportunities, it also supports our pupils’ ability to make links with ‘real life’.

Some examples of our visits include:-

Nursery – Autumn & Spring Walks around Cockermouth - Seasons

Rec – Local Vets – People in the Community

Y1 – Visit to Whinlatter – Trees & Plants

Y2 – Wildlife Garden – Living Things & Micro Habitats

Y3 – Apple Lady & visit to Low Stanger Farm – Helping Plants Grow Well

Y4 – Tullie House – Habitats

Y5 – Planetarium – Space Topic

Y6 – STEM visit - Electricity

Michelle – Apple Lady – from Low Stanger Farm showing her apples

Recent Farm visit

Year 3 visit the organic farm in the Summer Term

All Saints' Science Curriculum Coverage

 

Autumn Term

Spring Term

Summer Term

N

Properties of Materials

Ourselves & being Healthy

Autumn

Winter

Dinosaurs

Habitat

Spring

Effects of exercise on our bodies

Summer

Animals and their features

Space

R

Autumn

Ourselves

Me (body)

My Class, My School

Colours

Light & Dark

(Source of light, reflective, shadows, electricity)

Winter

(Water / Ice)

People who help

(different Materials) wood, metal, paper, fabric, plastic

magnetism

Spring

Spring

New Life, baby animals, plants trees.

Summer

Mini beasts, Different Habitats,

Life Cycles

Different Places

Modes of transport & power, old & new – different mechanism

Recycling

1

Autumn Changes

Super Heroes

Humans – body parts & senses

Bright lights, big city, Materials & Changes

Dinosaurs

Plants & Animals

Antarctica – including  penguins through literacy

Space

Everyday Materials

Circuits

Enchanted Woodland Growing

 

Animals

Bats through Literacy

2

Inventors

Materials & Properties

Explorers

Habitats & Food Chains

Dinosaurs

Living, dead, never been alive

Life Processes

Detectives

Working Scientifically

Plants

Living things

Micro Habitats

Castles

Materials

3

Rocks & Soils

Magnet & Springs Forces

Animals including Humans/Teeth & Eating

Scientists & Investigators

Helping Plants Grow

Light & Shadows

4

Electricity

Living Things & Habitats

States of Matter

Sound

Animals including Humans

 

5

Earth Sun and the Moon

Forces (Levers & Pulleys, gears)

Properties & Change in materials

Animals including Humans

Living Things & their Habitats

Super Scientists – looking at the work scientists do in the world.

6

Animals including Humans

Light and how we see

Electricity

Micro organisms

Micro organisms

 

F

 

Seasons. Wildlife Garden – Mini beasts, Plants, Habitats etc, Parts of the body and keeping healthy, and then any topic that arises from a child’s inter

Knowledge Organisers used in Year 3

Assessment Targets for Year 3

All Saints' Science Policy

Find out about some of the Scientists in our All Saints' CE Primary School Community!

Careers in STEM subjects - Calling all Scientists!

Rowan, Eliana & Hannah's dad being a VET

Sam's Dad - a CNC Machinist Engineer and Class ONE Combat Medic

Please open the STEM Job Proformas completed by our parents. Thank you to everyone who has helped with this.

Science Club

Marble Run - design a marble run - the slowest marble wins - lots of investigating, testing, evaluating happening this week.

Catapult - Make a catapult to defy gravity oh and hit the target ;-)

a670a0280ca8.mp4

In Science Club we made use of the cold snap to investigate change of state - water into ice - we made ice sculptures.

Science Club

Today we looked at MRS NERG / MRS GREN - and factors all living things have - we created our very own species - we had to think of a name - it’s habitat and what noise it made and if it had any predators - some great imaginations.

This week we have been using the microscopes (kindly donated to our school from Cockermouth).

British Science Week 

This year we have all been doing the CURLY WURLY stretch investigation

  • The longest Curly Wurly stretched in three minutes is 426.2 cm (13 ft 11 in) and was achieved by Tracy Jane Sullivan (UK), in Frome, Somerset, UK, on 22 November 2015.
  • That is approximately half the length of a double decker bus.
  • That is the length of 4 guitars put together.

How far can you stretch a curly wurly?

Conclusion

  • Some materials behave differently according to their temperature. The Curly Wurly stretches better when it’s warm because its molecules are spread wider apart, increasing the material’s elasticity.
  • When the chocolate and toffee are cold, their molecules are bonded together tightly, keeping it from stretching.