Science

At Orchard Way Primary School, we believe that science should stimulate and excite our pupils’ curiosity about phenomena and events in the world around them. It should make them eager to ‘find answers,’ by experimenting and seeking new knowledge.

OWPS pupils are encouraged to think “like a scientist” by building on their natural curiosity for the world around them. As well as developing key foundational scientific knowledge, we aim to inspire the scientists of tomorrow by teaching children the importance of topics that currently affect the world around us, such as sustainability and climate change.

White Rose Science – Our Approach to Teaching Science

At our school, we use White Rose Science to support high-quality science teaching across the primary years. White Rose Science is a carefully sequenced programme that helps children build strong scientific knowledge, skills, and vocabulary step by step.

Lessons are designed to be engaging, hands-on, and inclusive, encouraging children to ask questions, make predictions, carry out investigations, and think like real scientists. Concepts are revisited and built upon over time so that learning is secure and meaningful.

White Rose Science places a strong emphasis on:

Scientific enquiry and practical learning
Clear progression of knowledge and skills
Accurate use of scientific language
Links to real-world contexts
Visuals, diagrams, and models to support understanding

By following this approach, children develop curiosity about the world around them, confidence in explaining their ideas, and the foundations they need for future science learning.

At Orchard Way we use White Rose Science and White Rose Maths, which are closely connected through a shared approach to teaching and learning. Both programmes are built around small steps, clear progression, and helping children develop deep understanding rather than surface learning. We believe this consistency in approach helps support our students to access both curricula and create links between the two.

In both subjects, children are encouraged to:

Think carefully and explain their ideas
Use correct vocabulary
Represent learning using diagrams, models, and visuals
Build new knowledge on strong foundations

Mathematics skills are regularly applied in science lessons. Children use:

Measuring, counting, and calculating
Data handling, tables, graphs, and charts
Patterns, comparisons, and problem-solving

This helps children see that maths is not just a subject on its own, but a useful tool for understanding the world.

Because both White Rose Maths and Science follow a structured, progressive approach, children feel confident moving between subjects, making connections, and applying what they already know in new contexts.

Using Dual Coding in Science Lessons

In science lessons, we use an approach called dual coding to help children understand and remember new ideas. Dual coding simply means that children learn through words and pictures together, rather than words alone.

When new scientific ideas are introduced, teachers carefully combine:

Clear explanations and key vocabulary
Pictures, diagrams, models, and symbols

This helps children make sense of tricky concepts, reduces confusion, and supports long-term memory. Seeing ideas as well as hearing them helps children remember learning more easily and talk about it with confidence.

Dual coding is especially helpful in science, where children are learning about processes, systems, and changes over time. By linking spoken or written explanations with visual representations, children are better able to understand what is happening and why.

This approach supports all learners and helps children build strong foundations for future scientific learning.