Rivers Primary Academy praised in Ofsted report Learn More

Rivers Primary Academy, Livingstone Road, Blakenall, Walsall, WS3 1LY
Part of Windsor Academy Trust
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science at rivers primary academy

Science

At Rivers Primary Academy, we are scientists!

We want our pupils to love science and we inspire them to aspire to be astronauts, forensic scientists, astrologists, doctors, toxicologists or microbiologists. We want our pupils to remember their science lessons and embrace the physical opportunities they are presented with.

Intent:

Our curriculum develops pupils’ aspirations so that they strive to be the best that they can be. The science curriculum promotes curiosity and a love and thirst for learning. We aim to enrich our students’ time in our school with memorable experiences. We carefully plan the subject knowledge, skills and vocabulary, coupled with specific Aspire character and learner skills, so that our students have the tools to be successful in learning and in life. We aim to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge to help them to think scientifically, to gain an understanding of scientific processes and also apply this understanding to real life contexts today and for the future.

Implementation:

The WAT science curriculum has been carefully built and the learning opportunities for each year group crafted to ensure progression and repetition in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills. Working scientifically forms the foundations of each unit. To support staff we use Switched On Science by Rising Stars. Science is taught weekly and classes have timetabled slots to use our science laboratory with a variety of resources. Staff refer to the health and safety policy and carry out a risk assessment if needed. Knowledge organisers for each unit identify key knowledge and help pupils with remembering more.  

Impact:

We aim for all of our children to leave Rivers Primary equipped with the science skills and knowledge that will enable them to be ready for the curriculum at KS3 and for life as an adult in the wider world. Cumulative quizzing using questions from the current theme content are created alongside questions aiming to retrieve knowledge from previous learning. Each year group also uses summative assessments. Reviews in science include work scrutinies, learning walks, pupil and staff voice. All of this information is gathered and reviewed. It is used to inform further curriculum developments and provision is adapted accordingly.


At Rivers Primary Academy, we Inspire to Aspire!

STEM Competition

Years 4, 5 and 6 have taken part in a wonderful STEM competition where they had to work in small groups to design their own superhero that would solve real world issues. Some real world issues included designing superheroes to help combat plastic pollution in our oceans and air pollution caused by transport on the roads. We had 17 children that were shortlisted and we even had some winners in Year 4; Taio, Phoebe and Peyton - well done for your imaginative ideas! We really liked your idea about turning plastic found in the oceans into drinkable water! 

 

You can watch our Year 4 winners talking about their superhero on the STEM Engineering Superhero webinar on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94JHvgaaMEE