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Year 6 • Key Stage 2Ages 10–11 (Year 6 UK)
Year 6 Science Curriculum UK
Year 6 Science covers the human circulatory system (heart, blood vessels, blood components), impact of diet, drugs and exercise, living things and classification (Linnaean system), evolution and inheritance (fossils, adaptation, natural selection), and light ray models.
Statutory Key Aims & Expected Attainment:
- Identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood
- Recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function
- Recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but offspring normally vary and are not identical to their parents
- Identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment and that adaptation may lead to evolution
🇬🇧 Crown Copyright • OGL v3.0 Free License100% Free & Open Source Educational Access
Curriculum Specification & Statutory Documents
Source: UK DfE Primary National Curriculum Complete Framework (OGL v3.0)No login required • Free distribution under Open Government Licence
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Essential Formulas, Key Rules & Frameworks for Year 6 Science
Blood Circulation: Body → Vena Cava → Right Atrium → Right Ventricle → Lungs (Oxygenation) → Left Atrium → Left Ventricle → Aorta → Body
Blood Vessels: Arteries = carry blood Away from the heart under high pressure; Veins = carry blood toward the heart (have valves); Capillaries = tiny, one-cell thick for gas exchange
Evolution Equation: Genetic Variation + Environmental Pressure → Survival of the Fittest → Reproduction → Evolutionary Adaptation over Time
Term-by-Term Units of Study & Learning Outcomes
Term 1
Autumn Term: The Circulatory System & Lifestyle
Heart Anatomy, Blood Vessels & Circulation
Double circulation system; 4 chambers of the heart (atria, ventricles); arteries (carry oxygenated blood away), veins (carry deoxygenated blood back), capillaries.
Statutory Learning Outcomes:
- Describe the path of blood through the heart, lungs, and body
- Explain the functions of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets
#Circulatory system#Heart#Artery#Vein#Capillary#Oxygenated
Term 2
Spring Term: Evolution, Inheritance & Adaptation
Darwinian Natural Selection & Fossils
Inherited traits vs environmental variation; Charles Darwin and the Galápagos finches; fossil evidence of prehistoric organisms.
Statutory Learning Outcomes:
- Explain how advantageous adaptations increase survival and reproductive success over generations
#Evolution#Inheritance#Adaptation#Natural selection#Fossil
Term 3
Summer Term: Light Rays & Electrical Circuit Variations
Light Ray Models & Periscopes
Light travels in straight lines; explaining sight via reflected rays into the eye; building periscopes.
Statutory Learning Outcomes:
- Draw light ray diagrams with straight lines and arrowheads showing reflection into the eye
#Ray diagram#Straight lines#Periscope#Angle of incidence
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Free Open-Source Learning Resources & Video Masterclasses
Handpicked curriculum resources aligned with UK Department for Education standards.
Self-Assessment CheckInstant diagnostic questions
Science Key Concept Drills
Q1.Which blood vessels carry blood under high pressure away from the heart to the rest of the body?