In year 7 students study a range of novels alongside thematically linked poetry. Students have access to the Accelerated Reader scheme and dedicated curriculum time spent in the academy’s impressive library. Mirroring the requirement of the GCSE, students will be introduced to the stories and context of Shakespeare. Students will explore their own identity through a dedicated creative writing module before opening their eyes to the wider world through a study of historical English literature and a wide range of poetry and texts from other cultures.
In year 8 students will study a selection of WW1 and WW2 themed literature and a range of conflict poetry from writers including Wilfred Owen, Jessie Pope and Siegfried Sassoon. Students will also produce creative writing in a range of forms and look at range of gothic texts and the influences they have on modern texts. Students will also cover two dedicated language modules covering how words are used in the world, focusing on advertising, persuasive writing and a wide range of nonfiction texts. This will be accompanied by a study of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
In Year 9 students prepare for the rigours of the GCSE English Language and Literature courses by studying a range of non-fiction (such as our unit on Powerful Speakers) and fiction (including studying a Shakespeare text). Through the six units studied in Year 9 students will have on opportunity to develop their reading and writing skills while also continuing to work on their own written expression.
Year 7
Topics covered: Number, algebra, geometry, probability, data handling, algebraic manipulation, pattern and sequence, properties of 2D shapes, interpreting statistics, compound measures and properties of 3D shapes.
Year 8
Topics covered: Percentages and fractions, solving equations, standard form, constructions and loci, statistics, surds, Pythagoras and trigonometry, proportion, similarity, algebra and inequalities, probability and statistics.
Year 9
Topics covered: Foundation and higher- Number, algebra, ratio and proportion, geometry and measures, probability and statistics
Year 10
Topics covered: Number, algebra, ratio and proportion, geometry and measures, probability and statistics
Year Group: 7
Topics covered: Cells, particles and their behaviour, structure and functions of body systems, sound, light, elements, atoms and compounds, reproduction, reactions, acids and alkalis, forces, space.
Year Group: 8
Topics covered: Health and lifestyle, Periodic table, electricity and magnetism, separation techniques, energy, metals and acids, motion and pressure, the Earth, processes of the ecosystem, adaptation and inheritance
Year Group 7:
Topics covered:
History skills, sources, visit to Lullingstone Roman Villa, Romans, Grauballe Man
Norman Conquest, Battle of Hastings, Castles, The Feudal System
Year Group 8:
Topics covered:
The Black Death, The Great Plague, The Fire of London, Industrial Revolution, Slavery
Year Group 9:
Topics covered:
Introduction to skills used in GCSE, using topics First and Second World Wars
Medicine in Britain, c1250–present
The American West c1835-c1895
Year Group: 7
Topics covered: Map skills, Eynsford fieldwork project, Country study of Brazil, Ecosystems
Year Group: 8
Topics covered: Tectonic hazards, Weather hazards, Wildfires, River flooding, Coasts
Year Group: 9
Topics covered: Population and migration, sustainable issues, rivers, coasts
Year Group: 7
Topics covered:
1) Poverty – What are the causes and impacts of poverty along with a consideration of how both religious and nonreligious people may try to solve this.
2) Prejudice and Discrimination – What are the different forms of prejudice and discrimination? What might prompt someone to act in this way? How might this make victims feel? What can both religious and nonreligious people do to stop this? Who are the key figures in the fight against prejudice and discrimination (e.g. Martin Luther King)?
Year Group: 8
Topics covered: 1) Animal Rights – What rights do animals have? Should we respect these? Should we experiment on animals, eat them or use them for sport and entertainment? How do different religions view the use of animals for our own needs?
2) Matters of Life and Death – What is the Sanctity of Life and should we abide by it? What do different religions believe happens when we die and can we affect this outcome by our actions when alive? A consideration of abortion and euthanasia – should we allow these things to happen? Why? Are there certain circumstances that make them more acceptable? What are the religious perspectives on this and do we agree?
Year Group: 9
Topics covered:
1) Life after death – What do religious and nonreligious people believe happens to us when we die? Do we agree? What evidence can we use to support the idea of an afterlife?
2) An introduction to Buddhism and Islam – What are the main beliefs and practices of these two religions? How would it be to grow up in modern UK society as a practicing Buddhist or Muslim? What is the impact of extremism on these faiths?
3) The Problem of Evil – How can we have a Christian God that is all loving, all powerful and all knowing whilst evil exists in the world? Can we solve this problem?
4) The Trinity – Developing an understanding of one of the key doctrines of Christianity – the existence of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as distinct yet symbiotic entities. Do we agree that this is possible and that such a concept can exist?
Year Group: 10
Topics covered:
Component 1- The study of religions: Beliefs and practices.
An investigation into the fundamental tenets of Christianity, with a focus on scripture, worship, life after death and the impact of all this on a modern believer.
Component 2 – Thematic studies:
- a) Religion, Human rights and social justice
Human rights
*Religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about:
• social justice
• human rights and the responsibilities that come with rights, including the responsibility to respect the rights of others
• issues of equality, freedom of religion and belief including freedom of religious expression
• prejudice and discrimination in religion and belief including treatment of gender, sexuality, disability and race.
Wealth and poverty
*Religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about:
• wealth, including its uses
• the responsibilities of wealth including the duty to tackle poverty and its causes
• exploitation of the poor including issues relating to fair pay, excessive interest on loans and people trafficking
• the responsibilities of those living in poverty
• charity including issues related to giving money to the poor.
- b) Religion, peace and conflict.
Religion, violence, terrorism and war
*Religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about the meaning and significance of:
• peace
• justice
• forgiveness
• reconciliation.
*Religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about:
• violence, including violent protest • terrorism.
• Religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about:
• reasons for war including greed, self-defence and retaliation
• the just war theory including the criteria for a just war
• holy war.
* Religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about pacifism.
Religion and belief in 21st century conflict
*Religion and belief as a cause of war and violence in the contemporary world.
*Religious attitudes to nuclear weapons and the use of weapons of mass destruction.
*Religion and peacemaking in the contemporary world including the work of individuals influenced by religious teaching.
*Religious responses to the victims of war including the work of one present day religious organisation.
Year Group: 7
Topics covered:
- Myself
- Family and pets
- School
- House
- Daily routine
- Free time
Year Group: 8
Topics covered:
- Holidays
- Clothes and shopping
- Jobs
- Town
- Food and healthy lifestyle
- Travel
Year Group: 9
Topics covered:
- Relationships
- Education and future plans
- Food and drinks
- Celebrations
- Local area and environment
- Leisure and media
Specification: AQA GCSE 5898
The Express group also study Spanish and follow the year 7 French scheme of work in terms of topics covered:
- Myself
- Family and pets
- School
- House
- Daily routine
- Free time
Year Group: 9
Topics covered:
- Relationships
- Education and future plans
- Food and drinks
- Celebrations
- Local area and environment
- Leisure and media
Specification: AQA FCSE 5898
Year Group: 8
Topics covered: e-safety, databases, spreadsheets and an introduction to programming in both Scratch and Python.
Computing GCSE
Year Group: 9
Topics covered: Introduction to Computational Thinking (Algorithms, logic and data representation) and development of programming in Python.
Year Group: 9
Topics covered: Using ICT to create business solutions (Spreadsheets, databases, presentations and document creation).
Year Group: 10
Topics covered: Creating digital images (working to a customer brief, image creation and development) and understanding computer systems part I.
Year Group: 7
Topics covered:
Term 1 – Introduction to Drama: Freeze Frame, Mime, Cross-Cutting, Narration, Improvisation
Term 2 – Voice: Projection, Volume, Exaggeration, Expression
Term 3 – Greek Theatre: History and Conventions of Greek Theatre, Masks, Staging, Greek Myth
Term 4 – SMSC (Crime): Thought-tracking, Forum Theatre, Hot seating, Flashback/forward
Term 5 – Shakespeare (script work): Shakespearean Theatre, Structure, Acting from a Script, Plot, Interpretation, How To Evaluate Acting Work
Term 6 – Melodrama & Scriptwriting: Structure & Layout, History of Melodrama, Characters Within Melodrama, Exaggeration, Use of Voice, Plot
Year Group: 8
Topics covered:
Term 1 – Skills Recap: Thought Tracking, Narration, Mime, Improvisation, Freeze-frame, Tableau, Stage Combat
Term 2 – Physical Theatre: Characterisation, Still Image, Gesture, Narration, Sound/SFX, Storytelling, Ensemble Work, Proxemics
Term 3 – States of Tension: Physicality, Exaggeration, Vocal Expression, Risk Taking, Commedia D’ell Arte, Slapstick, Satire
Term 4 – Macbeth: Script work, Characterisation, Vocal Expression, Empathy, The Seven Deadly Sins
Term 5 – SMSC News Stories: Using Multi-Media in Drama
Term 6 – Script Work: Teechers, Blood Brothers, Of Mice And Men, An Inspector Calls, Animal Farm
Year Group: 7
Topics covered:
Term 1 – Graphic Scores: Introduction to musical notation; creating music as part of a group
Term 2 – Rhythm & Chant / Group Singing: The musical elements (rhythm, pulse, dynamics, tempo, texture, timbre)
Term 3 – Music For Festivals (Arriba): Music for an occasion; paired performance
Term 4 – Music For Festivals (Arriba): The pentatonic scale; group performance; using improvisation to compose music
Term 5 – Baroque Music (Pachelbel’s Canon): Reading stave notation; structure in music; using music technology in performance and composition
Term 6 – Baroque Music (Pachelbel’s Canon): Group performance skills
Year Group: 8
Topics covered:
Terms 1 & 2 – Solo Instrumental Skills (Jazz & Modes): Scales and modes in music; solo performance skills
Term 3 – Music For Film 1: Using music technology to compose music
Term 4 – Music For Film 2: Composing music to a brief
Term 5 – Investigating Popular Song 1: Applying solo instrumental skills to group performance; using music technology in performance
Term 6 – Investigating Popular Song 2: Group performance skills
Year Group: 9
Topics covered:
Unit 1 – Digital Media Sectors and Audiences
Skills-based workshops: Digital Moving Image Production
Skills-based workshops: Digital Publishing Production
Year Group: 10
Topics covered:
Unit 1 – Digital Media Sectors and Audiences
Unit 5 – Digital Publishing Production: Exploring Digital Publishing; Using Digital Technology and Techniques; Producing a Digital Publishing Product
Unit 3 – Digital Moving Image Production: Understanding The Key Features and Technical Construction of a Digital Moving Image Production
Year Group: 7
Topics covered:
Colour Theory and Watercolor painting; Drawing – essential skills;
Portraiture – using colour and pattern to explore identity;
Multicultural Art – Exploring symbolism and meaning within Art
Subject: Art and Design
Year Group: 8
Topics covered:
Superheroes – Figure drawing and claymation; Natural Forms: Observation drawing and painting
Portraiture: Julian Opie digital painting.
Year Group: 9
Topics covered:
Natural Forms observational drawing
Portraiture: Icons.
Perspective Landscape
Subject: Please state the exam board, syllabus number and course title where possible.
Year Group: 10
Topics covered:
Natural Forms Observational drawing Basic skills,
Portraiture: Identity
Mock Exam Questions
Year Group: 9
Topics covered: This course comprises two themes, the first of which considers small businesses and the way they will develop. The second part considers different aspects of business studies that includes marketing, operations, finance and human resource and the decisions each of these functions have on the business.
Specification: Edexcel Business Studies 1BS0
Year Group: 9
Topics covered: This course comprises three units. The first considers the main activities required to support a start-up business and key factors of this. The second unit considers requires students to create a product proposal to meet a specific need. The final unit requires students to create a promotional plan for the product they created the proposal for in unit 2.
Specification: OCR Cambridge National in Enterprise and Marketing J819
Year Group: 10 & 11
Topics covered: There are three units to this course an Introduction to Business which considers different forms of business, functional areas and the external environment; Planning for Work involving job roles and participating in the recruitment process; and Setting up and running an enterprise.
Specification: OCR Cambridge National Certificate in Business and Enterprise J814
Year Group: 7
Construction – Bird on a wire project
To make: Puppet on a string (Marionette), knowledge of basic cutting, shaping and smoothing tools and equipment.. Cross halving joint, Balancing the puppet, Working with Pine or MDF, varnish, painting.
Product Design – CAM Toy
To make: Working cam toy, Knowledge of levers, pulleys and cams, knowledge of basic cutting, shaping and smoothing tools and equipment. Working with Pine or MDF, Acrylic, varnish, painting.
Food Technology – Eatwell Plate
Students work their way around the eatwell plate through an understanding of each nutrients and a dish that is high in that nutrients. Giving them knowledge of the main nutrients needed for the body, basic kitchen skills, understanding of hygiene in the kitchen, working in pairs, food packaging knowledge, special diet knowledge. Dishes are currently; fruit salad (vitamins) fish cakes (carbohydrates) chicken curry (protein) carbonara (calcium) shortbread (fats and sugars)
Year Group: 8
Construction – Structures
Emergency shelters & Bridges made from paper rods. Knowledge and understanding of structures and their failings, how to produce designs, developments, working as a team, presenting, Q & A, profit and loss accounts, constructional problems, materials, design innovations, problem solving.
To know and understand how there can be problems prototyping, working in groups, structural failure. Base work on business models
Product Design – Clock Project
To make: Working clock
Knowledge of cutting, shaping and smoothing more complex shapes. Using tools and equipment.
Food Technology – Foods from around the world
Students focus on dishes from around the world giving them a wider cultural understanding. We focus on certain countries over the two modules and theory also includes high risk food, research of the history of foods, religion and food, nutrients, function of ingredients. Dishes are currently; paella (Spain) burrito (Mexico) sushi (Japan) pizza (Italy) moussaka (Greece)
Year Group: 7 and 8
Topics covered:
- Developing skills, techniques and roles in sport
- Performing in aesthetic activities
- Range of tactic and strategies
- Participating in problem solving challenges
- Participate in competitive activities
Sports covered within lessons
| Football | Netball | Hockey | Dance | Trampolining | Softball |
| Rugby | Handball | Basketball | Gymnastics | Rounders | Cricket |
| Volleyball | Badminton | Table tennis | Tennis | Athletics | Orienteering |
Year Group: 9 & 10
Topics covered:
Health and Fitness
- Components of fitness
- Principles of training
- Using data and how to present it
- Training thresholds
- Considerations to prevent injury
- High altitude training and seasonal aspects
Anatomy and Physiology
- Bones and functions of the skeleton
- Muscles of the body
- Freely moveable joint and their movements
- How major muscles work antagonistically on the major joints to affect movement
- Pathway of air
- Gaseous exchange
- Blood vessels
- Effects of exercise – immediate, short and long term
Skills
- Ability
- Classification of skills
Practical sports covered in lessons:
| Football | Netball | Table tennis |
| Rugby | Handball | Tennis |
| Athletics | Badminton | Trampolining |
If students participate in other activities outside of school that are on the approved sports list published by AQA, these can be used as part of their assessment in year 11
Year Group: 10
Topics covered:
Health and Fitness
- Components of fitness
- Principles of training
- Using data and how to present it
- Training thresholds
- Considerations to prevent injury
- High altitude training and seasonal aspects
Sports psychology
- Skill and ability
- Classification of skill
- Definition and types of goal
- SMART targets
- Basic information processing model
- Guidance and feedback
- Arousal and the inverted-U theory
- Aggression – direct and indirect
- Motivation – intrinsic and extrinsic
- Spectator behaviour and hooliganism
Anatomy and Physiology
- Recap of bones and muscles
- Recap of joints and movements
- Pathway of air
- Gaseous exchange
- Blood vessels
- Effects of exercise – immediate, short and long term
Practical sports covered
| Football | Netball | Table tennis |
| Rugby | Handball | Tennis |
| Athletics | Badminton | Trampolining |
If students participate in other activities outside of school that are on the approved sports list published by AQA, these can be used as part of their assessment in year 11
Specification: AQA Physical Education (8582)