Science is a very important feature of our curriculum and is taught weekly across the school.
Science is often taught in a practical and hands on way. Pupils are taught scientific skills which they apply to experiments. The following investigative skills form an integral part of every child's education at Didcot Primary Academy: questioning, research and planning, predicting, observing and measuring, experimenting, analysing, explaining and evaluating. We also like to enhance our science work by inviting in scientists to further our knowledge. We have welcomed physicists from Rutherfords, and shows from Atomic Science and Bright Sparks. We are also working with teachers from Abingdon School to further enhance our Science provision. Science is taught at least weekly, with some topic areas being science focused each year providing further opportunity to develop scientific skills and knowledge.
Year 1:
Autumn Term 1: Human Body and senses
Autumn Term 2: Seasonal changes, plants, Identifying and classifying animals
Spring 1:
Spring 2: Every day materials
Summer 1: Animals -
Summer 2: Plants
Year 2:
Autumn 1: Living things - the importance of exercise, properties of every day materials
Autumn 2: Floating and sinking
Spring 1: Identifying and comparing everyday materials
Spring 2: Living things and their habitats
Summer1: Plants - conditions for growth
Summer 2: Living things and their habitats, including humans
Year 3:
Autumn 1: Rocks and Soils
Autumn 2: Forces and magnets, electricity
Spring 1: Food chains and Materials
Spring 2: Light and shadows
Summer 1: Nutrition
Summer 2: Plants
Year 4:
Autumn 1: Living things and their habitats
Autumn 2: Teeth types, tooth decay and hygiene, the digestive system
Spring 1: Electricity
Spring 2: States of matter
Summer 1: states of matter
Summer 2: Sound
Year 5:
Autumn 1: Properties and changes of materials
Autumn 2: Forces
Spring 1: Earth and space
Spring 2: Living things and their habitats;
Summer 1: Food chains and webs; Life cycles; Plant reproduction; Growing plants; Modern farming.
Summer 2: Properties and changes of materials
Year 6:
Autumn 1: Classifying living things; Classification keys; Adaptation; Investigations
Autumn 2: Electricity (Can you send a coded message? Can fruit light a bulb?)
Spring 1: Evolution and inheritance; Living things and their habitats; Working scientifically
Spring 2: Circulatory system; Measuring heart rate; Lifestyle effects.
Summer 1: Light (What is a reflection? Is green really green? How can we make red?)
Summer 2: Light/living things and their habitats
updated January 2021