Working Scientifically - Instructional Video

Welcome to the Key Stage 1 Working Scientifically training video. In this instructional guide, we explore how children develop their scientific skills throughout the structured scheme. Educators are encouraged to utilise the Key Stage 1 Working Scientifically Progress Matrix for assessment and guidance, which is accessible in the members' area under the relevant year group tab. This matrix is an essential tool that outlines the progression of skills week by week, allowing teachers to focus on specific areas such as asking simple questions in the first week for both Year 1 and Year 2 students.

The matrix serves as a flexible framework, acknowledging that children may advance at different rates. While Year 1 students may continue to work on asking simple questions in Week 2, Year 2 students are expected to progress to suggesting different ways of asking questions. Teachers can adapt the pace based on their judgement of the children's understanding, ensuring that the progression is tailored to each class's needs. The skill set is divided into several categories, including asking questions, suggesting ways to answer them, making observations, identifying patterns and relationships, and explaining findings. The matrix spans a 10-week term, with built-in flexibility to accommodate events like Christmas plays and sports days. Over three terms, children in both year groups will have multiple opportunities to master each subset of skills, aligning with the national curriculum requirements for data gathering, simple tests, and classification. Lesson plans indicate which 'working scientifically' activity corresponds to each lesson, ensuring a smooth transition from one year group to the next and from one skill set to another as stipulated by the national curriculum.