The very nature of science provides a context within which the children and adults at Cockwood School can share their passion for asking questions and seeking answers about our world. We have been awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark as recognition of the importance we place on this subject at Cockwood School. We seek to instil in our pupils that by aiming high they can achieve in the amazing world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). Pupils relish the opportunity to work collaboratively within their house teams in whole school STEM challenges and eagerly follow current scientific developments and breaking news (such as Perseverance landing on Mars) as it is broadcast, inspiring them to learn more about science in the real world as it happens.
At Cockwood School we nurture pupils’ natural curiosity, and provide creative and thought provoking opportunities through which they can follow their own lines of enquiry, deepen their understanding of scientific concepts and draw conclusions from personal first hand experiences. Through the teaching and learning of rich scientific vocabulary, and building on prior learning, pupils are able to talk confidently about what they know, and make meaningful connections both within this subject and across their wider learning.
Through our science curriculum we strive to develop our pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills both within the classroom, and through outdoor learning and local fieldwork within the village and beyond. We have strong links with the wardens at Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve, and have worked with our local community to access woodland for weekly Forest School sessions and to create an environmental study area, including a pond dipping platform at the village green. As a result, pupils develop a strong sense of responsibility for caring for our local area, and a deep appreciation of where we live and the many rich habitats and life our locality sustains.
Our oldest pupils attend science workshops at the local secondary school. This helps to develop a passion for science (they are always very exciting!) and gives them a taste of the KS3 curriculum. Our more gifted scientists are given the opportunity to take part in workshops and enrichment days. These are run by both at the University of Exeter and the local grammar schools. Further enrichment opportunities are provided throughout the school year through our STEM club (often using resources provided by The Royal Academy of Engineering) and whole class visits – such as to a local solar farm. We even spent an hour in a live online chat with a palaeontologist from the USA.
Our core value as a school is Sustainability. This is at the heart of our science curriculum. It is taught explicitly through the National Curriculum, but it is also given a real life context by taking part in environmental challenges such as the STEM Net Zero challenge and the COP26 “Forest of Promises”.
All of the science taught at Cockwood is as practical as possible and scientific enquiry is embedded into the medium term planning. Teachers have strong subject knowledge which is enhanced through CPD input during staff meetings from the science lead. The science lead is passionate about science (she worked as a trained scientist before becoming a teacher) and has a good in depth scientific knowledge. Best practice in science is maintained through the regular participation in science conferences.
