Science & Technology

Giving our children the best possible start in life.

In the Science and Technology Area of Learning and Experience, progression involves the development of six statements of what matter:

1. Being curious and searching for answers is essential to understanding and predicting phenomena

2. Design thinking and engineering offer technical and creative ways to meet society’s needs and wants.

3. The world around us is full of living things which depend on each other for survival.

4. Matter and the way it behaves defines our universe and shapes our lives.

5. Forces and energy provide a foundation for understanding our universe. 

6. Computation is the foundation for our digital world.

At Twynyrodyn Community School we recognise the importance of this AoLE in every aspect of daily life. We encourage children to be inquisitive throughout their time at our school and beyond. Our provision fosters a healthy curiosity in children about the universe and promotes respect, responsibility and sustainability.  At Twynyrodyn, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.  

The four purposes are at the heart of our Science and Technology curriculum. They are the starting point for all decisions on the content and experiences developed as part of our provision to support our children to be:

• ambitious capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives.

• enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work

• ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world

• healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

In Twynyrodyn  Community School we want children to foster a love of learning and to provide them with a range of skills that can be transferred in later life. All children from Year 2- Year 6 now have their own individual chromebooks to use in class. This year SLT decided that when children enter year 2 they would have ownership of their own  chromebook, that they would take on their journey throughout school to teach to value such equipment. When these children leave at the end of Year 6 they will take their chromebook with them to use as they start High School to combat digital deprivation.

In the Foundation Phase- The pupils are taught how to use iPads with a range of learning apps in lessons and in the provisions. Chromebooks are introduced in Year 2. The pupils are taught to build their skills and take their own photos/videos before saving to Seesaw. Pupils in Year 2 have their own individual passports, which follow them throughout the school, to log onto the chromebooks.  As their learning progresses, they learn to use G Suite tools to work collaboratively and share documents.  Beebots are used to introduce the children to coding and this is extended further with the use of Spheros.

During the Spring term, all pupils learn through the overarching theme ‘Experience the past, shape the future’ with a STEM week included.  In the Summer term, the theme of ‘Our World, our home’ enables the children to develop a knowledge of the diversity of the world around them, whilst instilling a sense of responsibility to care for our planet.

We draw on external contributors in the community to help develop our vision for teaching and learning within this AOLE. Partnered with STEMpowered to firstly develop STEM within the school and then to develop STEM within the cluster. This partnership will provide CPD opportunities and address a need for further expertise and further resources that are required for the school to provide children with opportunities to solve real and relevant problems in a range of contexts. The partnership will also enable the school to realise its vision of enabling children to develop a healthy curiosity of the universe and more immediately the local area as one of the main goals of the project is for children to be exposed to local STEM industries.

The school establishes a culture for change through a consistent approach to teaching and learning strategies. Teach like a champion strategies are implemented in all areas of the curriculum to foster a culture of hard work and commitment to progress.

In Twynyrodyn primary school the S&T curriculum fosters development of children in line with the four core purposes. 

• Children are provided with opportunities to see what affects our actions have on the world around us. 

• Children gain an understanding of what it means to be healthy and how our choices can affect individuals health. 

• STEM powered partnership gives children a taste of local industries on the doorstep who use skills gained in this area of the curriculum to solve real life problems. 

• S&T provides learners with an avenue to become ambition capable learners and to take increasing responsibility for their own learning through a blend of practical and theoretical lessons. These lessons foster critical thinking, creativity collaboration and problem solving. 

In Twynyrodyn primary school our S&T lessons will include elements of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. With the interconnected nature of the AOLE we also provide children opportunities to develop their cross curricular skills. For example, in English reading, writing, oracy and skills within the S&T AOLE. Each year group follows a set of skills/steps set out in the framework, incorporating elements of the DCF to enable children to build and transfer their skills throughout the school and in later life.

S&T is linked with other AOLE’s to provide a comprehensive understanding of concepts covered. Project lessons are used to enhance learners specific subject knowledge. Assessment against the LO takes place during every lesson and timely effective feedback provided to learners that helps children become aware of their next steps and how they can be achieved. All children from years 2-6 have their own online e portfolios which can be accessed by both teachers and parents. Through assessments such as  listening to learners, the children are not only able to talk about their work but independently showcase their online learning by accessing their folders. Within each folder there are AOLE’S which showcases a broad and balanced curriculum and pupils cross curricular skills through pictures, videos and documents. Pupils can also self/peer assess their own learning. 

Our curriculums design incorporates assessment for learning by assessing understanding at the start of a new project and then again at the end when learners take a Kahoot quiz. AOLE leads conduct learning walks periodically throughout the school year as a means of monitoring provision and progress. Feedback is given to teachers for them to address any areas of concern. 

Our curriculum is designed so that children are consistently given real life authentic contexts for their learning. The skills of inquiry they develop through our project lessons are skills that children can apply to all areas of the curriculum and life beyond school. Our curriculum is designed so that each project is underpinned by a number of concepts. These concepts are revisited repeatedly and systematically building deeper understanding upon each revisit. This approach allows children to develop a wide and deep understanding of a range of concepts and a comprehensive understanding of a wide range of real life contexts that they apply to.