Science at The Willows

At The Willows, we want every child to be curious about the world around them and confident to ask questions, investigate and explain what they discover.

We follow the National Curriculum for Science, helping pupils build secure knowledge and understanding in biology, chemistry and physics. Science is practical and hands-on wherever possible, so children can experience it in the real world, not just read about it.

Our science curriculum

We use Developing Experts to support science teaching from Reception to Year 6. Its carefully sequenced lessons build knowledge step by step, revisit important learning and introduce the vocabulary children need to talk and think like scientists.

The curriculum makes meaningful links between science and the wider world. Children meet scientists and STEM professionals, helping them see how science shapes everyday life and the many exciting careers it can lead to.

Working scientifically

Children learn both the knowledge of science and the skills needed to work scientifically. They are encouraged to:

• ask questions and make predictions;
• observe closely and use equipment safely;
• carry out fair tests and other enquiries;
• collect, record and present evidence;
• use scientific vocabulary to explain their ideas; and
• draw conclusions, evaluate their work and ask new questions.

Science in action

We make the most of our school grounds and local environment, giving children opportunities to explore, observe and investigate. Whether looking for minibeasts, growing plants, measuring shadows, testing materials or exploring forces, pupils learn through first-hand experience.

A science education for every child

Our lessons are carefully adapted so that every pupil can take part, achieve and be challenged. Key learning is revisited so that knowledge becomes secure and pupils make meaningful connections as they move through the school.

By the end of Year 6, we aim for pupils to leave The Willows as enthusiastic, thoughtful and knowledgeable young scientists, ready to understand - and care for - the world around them.

History at The Willows

At The Willows, we want every child to be curious about the past and confident to ask questions, explore evidence and explain what they discover.

We follow the National Curriculum for History, helping pupils develop a secure understanding of Britain's past, their local area and the wider world. Through history, children learn how people, events and ideas have shaped the world in which we live.

Our history curriculum

We use Developing Experts to support history teaching from Reception to Year 6. Its carefully sequenced lessons build knowledge over time, helping children develop a clear sense of chronology. They explore significant people, places and events, making links between different periods and understanding how life has changed.

Children develop the historical vocabulary they need to discuss the past with confidence. They learn about continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and significance.

Thinking like historians

Children learn both historical knowledge and the skills needed to investigate the past. They are encouraged to:

• ask thoughtful questions about the past;
• use timelines to place events and periods in order;
• explore evidence from a range of sources;
• consider whose stories are represented and why;
• compare different accounts and interpretations; and
• use historical vocabulary to explain their ideas.

History in action

History comes alive through stories, artefacts, photographs, maps and first-hand investigation. Where possible, children explore their local area and use a range of rich sources to help them understand how we know about the past.

A history education for every child

Our lessons are carefully adapted so that every pupil can take part, achieve and be challenged. Key learning is revisited so that knowledge becomes secure and pupils make meaningful connections as they move through the school.

By the end of Year 6, we aim for pupils to leave The Willows as curious, thoughtful and knowledgeable young historians, ready to understand the past and its impact on the world today.

 

Geography at The Willows

At The Willows, we want every child to be curious about the world around them and confident to explore places, people and environments.

We follow the National Curriculum for Geography, helping pupils develop a secure understanding of the United Kingdom, their local area and the wider world. Children learn how physical and human processes shape the places in which we live.

Our geography curriculum

We use Developing Experts to support geography teaching from Reception to Year 6. Its carefully sequenced lessons build knowledge over time, helping children develop their understanding of places, environments and the connections between them.

Children develop the geographical vocabulary they need to describe and explain the world with confidence. They learn about location, place, human and physical geography, and how places change over time.

Thinking like geographers

Children learn both geographical knowledge and the skills needed to investigate the world. They are encouraged to:

• ask questions about places and the people who live there;
• use maps, atlases, globes and digital mapping;
• use geographical vocabulary to describe and explain;
• compare places and identify similarities and differences;
• collect, record and present information from fieldwork; and
• consider how people and environments affect one another.

Geography in action

Geography comes alive through fieldwork, maps, photographs and first-hand observation. We make the most of our school grounds and local environment, giving children opportunities to observe, measure, record and investigate the world around them.

A geography education for every child

Our lessons are carefully adapted so that every pupil can take part, achieve and be challenged. Key learning is revisited so that knowledge becomes secure and pupils make meaningful connections as they move through the school.

By the end of Year 6, we aim for pupils to leave The Willows as curious, thoughtful and knowledgeable young geographers, ready to understand their place in a changing world.