Science & Technology

Science and technology are important subjects at Millbank Gardens. We have planned our curriculum carefully to give children a secure knowledge of major topics in biology, chemistry, physics and technology, allowing them to make sense of the world around them. As they learn these topics, they develop an understanding of how scientific and technological advances are made, both through completing their own enquiries and projects, and through learning about how advances have been made throughout history. At the same time, we aim to excite our children’s intellectual curiosity – whether they are learning about how plants grow from seeds or the mysteries of the Solar System, these are fascinating subjects, and we want children to feel awe and wonder as they explore them.

We benefit from two dedicated rooms for practical and investigative work: a well-equipped, recently-refurbished science laboratory and a computer suite. We have invested in enough computers for children to be able to work independently without needing to share, although they do, of course, work together when that will support their learning.

Our computing lessons equip children with an understanding of how computers and computer systems work; how to design, build and analyse programmes; and how to find and manage digital information securely. The practical skills they learn give children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives. Technology at Millbank Gardens also includes design technology, where children apply knowledge from a range of subjects, including maths and science, as they learn how to design, make and evaluate a range of products. Finally, they have lessons in food technology: we believe that cooking is a crucial life skill, and so we teach children how to prepare and cook a range of nutritious dishes that they can then recreate at home! Children also develop their understanding of where their food comes from, why some food is seasonal, and how it is digested and used by our bodies. Importantly, we help children to understand the principles of a healthy, balanced diet and how to apply these principles when creating meals of their own.

Our teaching of science and technology is enhanced by a range of enrichment opportunities. We take full advantage of our proximity to world-class museums such as the Science Museum and Natural History Museum, and we have also developed partnerships with organisations like Imperial College London and the engineering company McGee, who have arranged workshops and educational visits for us. We are careful to plan in opportunities for children to learn more about the natural world, whether by using our weather station, bird-watching, growing plants or watching animals metamorphose.