Science

Investigating Materials at White Cliffs

Across the school, children at White Cliffs develop their understanding of materials as they move through each year group, building curiosity and confidence as young scientists. In Year 1, children are introduced to everyday materials and their simple properties, learning to describe and compare objects made from wood, metal, plastic, glass and more. By Year 2, they explore how these materials are used in real life and investigate how their shapes can be changed by bending, twisting, squashing or stretching.

In Year 3, children begin to think more scientifically about materials, identifying magnetic and non-magnetic substances and discovering how magnets can attract or repel. By Year 4, they move on to explore the states of matter, observing how solids, liquids and gases behave and how they can change from one state to another. In Year 5, children take their learning even further, investigating properties such as conductivity, transparency, dissolving and reversible or irreversible changes. They plan and carry out experiments to explore how and why materials behave as they do, developing their ability to think critically, ask questions and draw conclusions.

Through this carefully planned progression, which you can see some examples of below, children at White Cliffs develop a deep understanding of the material world around them: from simple observations to sophisticated scientific enquiry.

How Electricity Progresses at White Cliffs

This term at White Cliffs, children in both Year 4 and Year 6 have been sparking their curiosity through the study of electricity. In Year 4, children begin by discovering and identifying electrical appliances, learning about simple circuits, and exploring how switches control the flow of electricity. They investigate what materials conduct or insulate electricity and enjoy hands-on experiments to test their ideas. In Year 6, children build on this foundation, applying their knowledge to design and refine more complex circuits. They learn about voltage, circuit symbols, and how to troubleshoot when things don’t go to plan. Through practical challenges and real-world links, they develop not only their scientific understanding but also their problem-solving and teamwork skills. Please see a selection of our fantastic work on this topic below.

Cross-Curricular Learning in Science

At White Cliffs, we believe that learning can be powerful when subjects connect and complement one another. In Science, we make meaningful cross-curricular links, when the learning of both subjects is enhanced, that bring concepts to life and deepen understanding across the curriculum.

For example, in Year 6, our topic of Light is explored alongside our History topic on World War II. Pupils investigate how light behaves and how shadows are formed, while also discovering how these principles were used in wartime: from blackout curtains to Morse code and searchlights. This integrated approach allows children to see the relevance of scientific ideas in real-world and historical contexts, fostering curiosity, creativity, and a deeper appreciation for both subjects. Please see below a selection of the children's work in this topic this term.

Science Week 2025

This year, Science Week at White Cliffs turned our hall into a thrilling crime scene as the children became budding forensic experts! Each year group stepped into the shoes of crime scene investigators, using real scientific methods to rule out suspects and crack the case of the missing House Cup. The school were stunned to find the CCTV footage below! From fingerprint analysis to identifying fibres, our young detectives explored the fascinating world of forensic science in action. A huge well done to all our super sleuths who were  able to identify Mrs Bagshaw as the culprit – case closed!

 

Overview

Science provides our children the foundation for understanding the world around them and allows them not only to learn about the world they live in, but also how to study it and make sense of various phenomena.   

At White Cliffs, our Science Curriculum not only encompasses the formal requirements of the National Curriculum but goes beyond the experiences of the classroom to ensure that our children are exposed to the richest and most varied opportunities that we can provide. Our Science learning is enriched with experiences that reflect the individual nature of our school and community, which ensure more meaningful and purposeful learning experiences for our children. For example, our children go river dipping in the River Dour to further develop their ability to classify and identify a variety of living things and consider how environmental changes can pose danger to living things in our local area. Our children also visit an observatory to develop their understanding of Earth and space, and consider how investigations and findings from scientists in the local area can support the development of theory across the globe.  

Cross-curricular links are made where the learning of both subjects is enhanced, and this leads to creative and exciting learning opportunities for our children. Skills and knowledge are taught discretely in subject areas, so the children gain a broad and in-depth understanding of and develop their disciplinary and substantive knowledge in Science. For example, in Year 6 the children apply their understanding of reflection and how light travels to the context of blackouts during WWII. Our Science Curriculum content has been carefully chosen and sequenced in a meaningful way that enables children to make connections and progress across a sequence of lessons, terms and years.