GLF Schools

GLF Schools

GLF Schools was founded in 2012 in order to enable the federation of Glyn School (an academy in 2011) and Danetree Junior School. Together, we began our journey to become a MAT of more than 1000 talented staff working with over 10,000 children in 40 schools across 5 regions in southern England.

Our Schools

Banbury Region

Banstead Region

Berkshire & Hampshire Region

Caterham Region

Crawley Region

Didcot Region

Epsom Region

London Boroughs

Redhill Region

Sunbury & Camberley Region

The principal focus of science teaching in key stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly constructed world around them. Children will be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They will be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of appropriate secondary. sources, such as books, photographs and videos. By making science lessons practical and being innovative and imaginative in the ways we document learning teachers can spend more time carrying out fun, exciting and engaging lessons which really boosts children love of science.

Curriculum Intentions

At Lightwater Village School, our children are scientists. Our intent is to give everyIMG 7162 child a broad and balanced Science curriculum which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them, so that they have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We want our children to love science. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be astronauts, forensic scientists, toxicologists or microbiologists. We want our children to remember their science lessons in our school, to cherish these memories and embrace the scientific opportunities they are presented with! To achieve this, it involves exciting, practical hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity and questioning. Our aim is that these stimulating and challenging experiences help every child secure and extend their scientific knowledge and vocabulary, as well as promoting a love and thirst for learning. At Lightwater, we have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the science National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of later life.

Curriculum Implementation

IMG 9059At Lightwater Village School, Science topics are taught within each year group in accordance with the National Curriculum. Each unit of work is blocked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills. Each year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills. Teachers promote enjoyment and foster interest of the science. Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observations as well as conclude their findings. Children present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations, and diagrams. In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to review the learning taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. Children are given a knowledge organiser at the start of each topic which details some key Science Curriculum Statement information, knowledge they will learn and vocabulary. This is not used as part of an assessment, but to support children with their acquisition of knowledge and are used as a reference document. Effective CPD and standardisation opportunities are available to staff to ensure high levels of confidence and knowledge are maintained. Effective use of education visits and visitors are planned, to enrich and enhance the pupil’s learning experiences within the Science curriculum. Teachers use highly effective assessment for learning in each lesson to ensure misconceptions are highlighted and addressed. Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning intention, with misconceptions addressed within it. Through using a range of assessment tools, differentiation is facilitated by teachers, to ensure that each pupil can access the Science curriculum.IMG 0066

EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of science through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World.’ Children find out about objects, materials and living things using all of their senses looking at similarities, differences, patterns and change. Both the environment and skilled practitioners foster curiosity and encourage explorative play, children are motivated to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. Our children are encouraged to use their natural environment around them to explore. Children enjoy spending time outdoors exploring mini-beasts and their habitats, observing the changing seasons, plants and animals. 

Curriculum Impact

 The impact of this curricHarry spiderulum design will lead to significant progress over time relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave Lightwater Village School reaching at least age-related expectations for science. Through various workshops, trips and interactions with experts our science curriculum will lead pupils to be enthusiastic Science learners and understand that science has changed our lives and that it is vital to the world’s future prosperity. We want to empower our children, so they understand they have the capability to change the world. This is evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice, their work in floor books and exercise books and their overwhelming enjoyment for science.

Lightwater image 10

"it tells us about how things happen" - Reception Child 

"When you discover new things, when you learn about animals and when you look at things that you don't know, you can do science kits" - Year 1 Child 

"I like learning new experiments, learning about the parts of our body and what they do" - Year 2 Child

Science Lead - Miss S Smith


Science Progression Document

Knowledge Organisers

Year 1 Knowledge Organiser - PlantsYear 1 Knowledge Organiser - AnimalsYear 1 Knowledge Organiser - Human BodyYear 1 Knowledge Organiser - Materials

Year 2 Knowledge Organiser - AnimalsYear 2 Knowledge Organiser- Human BodyYear 2 Knowledge Organiser - PlantsYear 2 Knowledge Organiser - Living ThingsYear 2 Knowledge Organiser - Materials