Science

The Northway Curriculum: Science at Northway is designed to focus on creating scientists that are able to create and conduct their own experiments to test their hypothesis and have the scientific knowledge to explain core scientific concepts along with their own predictions and findings. In doing so, pupils will have the right skills and knowledge to progress in Biology, Chemistry and Physics in secondary and further education.  Science at Northway is branched into:

  • Scientific Knowledge
  • Working Scientifically

Scientific knowledge
At Northway, there is a strong emphasis on pupils developing the ability to retain and recall key scientific vocab and the deepening understanding of fundamental scientific concepts. By doing so, pupils are able to explore and question concepts while having the ability to explain hypothesis and investigations.

Working scientifically
The Northway Curriculum allows all pupils to take part in enriching experiment that are both thought provoking and vital to allow pupils to develop the ability to question phenomenon and have the ability to test and prove their own hypothesis. Pupils will be able to argue and reason with scientific evidence along with the use of analysing and interpreting data.

Aims
Pupils are introduced to the three main branches of science: Biology, Chemistry and Physics while under the umbrella term Science. By doing so, all our pupils experience a wide range of science units that ensure that they are prepared for further education.

At Northway, we are striving for pupils to develop critical thinking when it comes to investigations, and with their scientific knowledge, they will be able to link the two together to become a Northway scientist. From Reception to Year 6, pupils experience a progressive curriculum so that topics are built upon from previous years hence allowing pupils to be recap and deepen their learning.  

In Science we have sequenced our units to ensure progression in chemistry, physics and biology, through exploration of the following areas:

Animals including humans

Plants

Light

Living things and their habitats

Working Scientifically

As with all subjects, Northway uses pre-assessments to ensure both pupils and teachers can identify pupils’ understanding and scientific knowledge. All units overlap to allow for opportunities for retrieval practice and formative assessment throughout. This is so we provide a curriculum that avoids gaps emerging and gives opportunities to revisit key knowledge and skills to ensure progress at all levels. Northway promotes the recall and retention of Tier 3 scientific vocab so that pupils can develop a wide scientific vocabulary. This, along with enriching experiments and carefully selected connections between other subject areas, allows for pupils to work scientifically in a variety of contexts.