1. art and entertainment
2. visual art and design
3. design

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This is your first year at Holy Trinity and your first at Key Stage 3. The subjects you study will mostly be the same
as at Primary School, the difference is that you will have specialist teachers for each subject. This booklet has
been produced so that you and your parents can see what topics you will cover and what skills you should be
developing in each subject over the coming year and to help you to understand our expectations of you. You
might find that the topic headings mean very little to you at present, but over the year you should be able to
identify which you have studied.
Having specialist teachers can take a little while to get used to, especially if you only had one teacher at Primary
School. Each teacher will have their own style of teaching but to help you, all teachers will expect you to follow
the classroom code of conduct which is based on all pupils respecting their peers, their teachers and themselves
and behaving in such a way as to allow the teacher to teach and all pupils to learn.
Lessons will also contain the following:
1. Prepare for learning – This is an activity to get your brain working and help get you ready for learning
new facts or skills.
2. Agree learning outcomes – Your teacher will tell you what you are going to learn during the lesson and
what you should be able to do by the end of the lesson.
3. Present new information – You will be introduced to a new task or information.
4. Construct meaning – You will be given a task to help you to develop your understanding of the new
material.
5. Apply to demonstrate – You will be given a task to show that you have achieved the learning
outcomes.
6. Review – You will be given the chance to think about what you have learned and what progress you
have made towards learning outcomes and your personal targets.
Homework will be set according to a schedule given to you by your tutor, along with your timetable. The
purpose of homework is to allow you to:
 Practise what you have learnt in class
 Do some independent research
 Develop independent learning skills
 Consolidate or revise previous work.
It is important to establish a good routine for completing homework and to find somewhere quiet where you
can concentrate on your work. Homework starts in lesson time with you writing down the details in your
learning journal. It is important not to take shortcuts with writing this down as what makes perfect sense at
10.30 in the morning may not be quite so easy to understand at 5pm when you sit down to do the work.
Homework should take 20-30 minutes per subject and ends with you packing your bag for the next day,
including PE kit or other specialist equipment. In order to get the most out of your education, you need to take a
wider interest in your subjects and there are guidelines on many of the subject pages about what else you can
do out of school to improve your understanding and get more enjoyment out of what you are studying in
school.
Your learning journal is an important part of your school equipment. Not only is it used for recording homework,
it also contains a mini-whiteboard which will be used in some lessons, it contains useful information and there is
space to collect credits and commendations. Your parents are asked to sign your journal every week and there is
space for them to write a brief note if they need to communicate with a teacher. It is then your
responsibility to make sure that you show the message to the correct teacher. We ask your parents to support
you with your schoolwork by encouraging you with your homework and helping if you get stuck. You must
remember though that this is your homework and your parents may not have studied what you are learning
about. Often the best way for them to help you is to listen while you explain what you think you have to do.
There is a strong emphasis on developing skills at key stage 3. Some of these will be subject specific, such as
map reading, others can be used in a range of subjects, such as planning and writing an essay. Skills
development is just as important as learning facts as these will help you throughout your education and possibly
your working life.
In addition to your lessons there are opportunities to develop skills through extra-curricular clubs, instrumental
lessons and other trips and activities. You will find out more about the clubs in September.
Assessment for Learning
Assessment for Learning is about how you and your teacher use the different activities you do in lessons and for
homework to
 Find out how well you are doing and what progress you are making towards your targets.
 Work out what you need to do next to make further progress.
Assessment for learning takes many forms, and can occur at any time. These include:
 Sharing of learning objectives and outcomes for the lesson.
 Questioning.
 Peer- and self- assessment.
 Oral or written feedback.
If you are asked to make a written assessment of your own, or another pupil’s, work and progress you are likely
to be asked to use a green pen. This makes it easier to find these assessments when looking through your book.
Your teacher will write their comments in a different colour and is likely to use the following format.
P
A positive comment about what you have done well and/or something you have improved on since last
time.
I
A suggestion for something which could be improved.
N
The next steps needed (or how you can make the improvement).
And finally
S
You will be expected to make a response to your teacher’s comment to show that you understand what
you need to do.
Being a successful Learner
The most successful people in the world spent an average of 10,000 hours practising their chosen area of
expertise before they reached the top,
Being successful takes a mixture of motivation, practice, perseverance, skill, knowledge, opportunity and the
ability to work independently.
An independent learner is a person who takes responsibility for their own learning. They choose to:
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Do the work to the best of their ability in class and at home
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Ensure that homework instructions are written down correctly and that they have the books and
equipment they need
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Be organised
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Seek help, when needed, from a range of sources; notes, textbook, internet, friends, staff or other
adults.
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Hand work in on time
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Ask questions to clarify what they understand
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Ask questions about how the information can be used in different or new situations
They are able to tell you
 What level they are working at
 What their strengths are
 What they need to improve on
Aim for the Year
Year 7 is a chance to lay down the foundations for Art at secondary school. The prior artistic experiences of pupils coming
from primary school, is incredibly varied, so we take our time to lay down some basics. The pupils are taught in their mixed
ability teaching group.
Topics and Skills
Being a creative subject, topics and projects vary from teacher to teacher, but popular choices often include Mythological
Beasts and beginning to explore portraiture. We often use Surrealism in some form or another, to widen your minds and
stimulate your imagination. Very few will necessarily have a natural talent or gifting for Art, so we spend time developing
drawing skills and teaching about the importance of how to present your ideas and understanding in visually exciting ways.
For those who find more traditional drawing and painting too demanding, we also explore using ICT and collage in which
many can experience success.
You will also improve your global awareness as we consider the impact and function of art in different times and places.
Research and ICT skills are another integral part of resourcing the topics and your own ideas. You need to be prepared to
communicate the development of your ideas and opinions verbally and in written/visual form. At times, we work together
in groups and often peer assess and discuss each other’s work, as well as the work of other artists.
Assessment patterns
Assessment in Year 7 is carried out on a continual basis throughout the year. A piece of work such as a double page in the
sketchbook could take up to a month to complete before being more formally assessed. These project marks are used for
monitoring National Curriculum levels.
Homework / independent study skills
In Year 7, we want pupils to get into good routines of coming prepared for each lesson. Being a good artist is as much
about organisation and self-discipline, as it is about being creative. Due to the nature of the subject, independence and
taking the initiative are significant skills that you will need to come to terms with. We do not expect complete originality,
but neither do we want everyone’s response to be the same. Homework tasks often involve gathering your own specialist
choice of images and resources, so your projects can be self-tailored to suit your interests.
Aim for the Year
The aim of the year 7 Computing curriculum is to introduce year 7 to the school network and to build their confidence in
accessing resources and software from a variety of locations both on the network and on the internet. The curriculum is
also designed to introduce pupils to the systems life cycle approach to ICT projects; encouraging pupils to plan and design
their work before starting any practical work and then encouraging them to reflect and then to evaluate their work so they
can identify strengths and areas for development.
Topics and Skills
First Term – first half of term: At the start of the year students will have e-safety lessons covering the use of social
networks and cyberbullying. They will have the opportunity to build animations (DrawPlus x4) illustrating the possible
dangers of using the internet. They will learn how to use cloning and onion skinning as part of their lessons.
First Term – second half of term: Students will then learn the fundamentals of setting up a spreadsheet (Excel), using
simple formulae (+ / * and the use of Sum) to enable automatic recalculation and the creation of graphs.
Second Term – first half of term: Students will use Access to create a database carry out searches and draw conclusions
about their data. Students will learn how to choose the correct data types and set up data validation routines.
Second Term – second half of term: Students will learn about computer hardware and the components that can be found
inside a computer. They will also learn some basic Python coding so that they can build a simple computer program (they
will learn how to use the print and input commands, they will use variables in their programs).
Third Term – first half of term: Students will use Flowol software to write sequences of instructions to run the control
systems in a greenhouse i.e. turning on the heating system when it is cold or programming the window in the greenhouse
to open when it is too hot.
Third Term – second half of term: There will be an introduction to the software called Scratch which will provide an
introduction to the basics of programming via the use of a graphical drag and drop interface. Students will experiment with
basic HTML code to create their own webpages (use of tables, hyperlinks and formatting tags)
Assessment patterns
Students’ project work for animation, spreadsheets, databases, python programming, Flowol and HTML will be assessed
formally against National Curriculum criteria. This assessment will take place throughout the term and students will be told
the National Curriculum level they have achieved at the end of each project.
Homework / independent study skills
The study of Computing can take place formally through the homeworks that are set. Tasks will be set weekly or
fortnightly.
The informal study of Computing can also be achieved by using ICT in other subjects to present work or create graphs or by
using the school’s e-mail system to send work from and to school. Pupils are also encouraged to develop an awareness of
how ICT is used in the outside world, e.g. in shops, banks. Pupils can further their knowledge of the subject by using the
www.teach-ict.com website. Pupils that are interested in website creation will find the use of www.codecademy.com very
useful for developing their knowledge of HTML.
Aim for the Year
The aim of the year 7 D&T curriculum is to introduce year 7 to the different specialist material areas within Design and
Technology. Within these specialist areas they will be introduced to materials, tools and equipment that will form a
foundation for later study. They will use the design process to produce designs that meet their own needs, but they will
also take into account other people’s tastes. They will plan the making of their design and develop the skills to produce it
themselves. Pupils will be expected to reflect on the product that they have made in order to understand how to improve
it.
Topics and Skills
These topics are taught on a rotation and therefore the topics will be taught in a different order.
Hand Held Game:
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You will complete the design and manufacture of a small acrylic ball bearing hand held game.
You will design the graphic to go inside the game.
You will learn about acrylic including its working properties. You will learn how to use heat to form the acrylic to
create a 3-dimensional shape and how to assemble and finish the edges of the game.
You will plan the following practical activities; press forming, drilling and filing.
You will use the plan to make the hand held game using an oven, bench drill and files.
You will consider how successful your game is and also think about how you could improve it.
You will be taught the role of packaging and then design and make your own version for your game.
Jewellery:
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You will make a key fob and a piece of jewellery using cast pewter and brass. You will finish the surfaces and edges
so that it is a saleable item. You will learn about how to cast metal and the safety restrictions which go with this. You
will learn about how to bring a good quality finish to a cast piece of metal.
You will create the mould for your design using CAD/CAM. You will send your design to a computer controlled
machine. This will cut out the shape of your mould for you.
You will plan your practical activity so that you can carry it out safely and carefully to produce an excellent product.
You will cast the pewter using gravity to fill a mould made from hardboard and plywood. You will finish the cast
piece of pewter using files, emery paper and polish. You will use etching to decorate your brass piece.
You will use a specification to produce an evaluation where the key fob is tested and then conclusions are made as
to whether your key fob is a positive product or in need of further development.
Dip into Food:
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By the end of this module you will have made a variety of items including; savoury dips, stir fry, kebabs, soup and
flapjacks.
You will learn about the basics of kitchen hygiene, knife skills, food preparation, storage and good nutrition. You will
expand your language skills with descriptive words about food.
You will plan the making of your food products. You will need to be organised; bringing in your ingredients and a
container to take your cooked food home in.
You will use a wide variety of kitchen tools and equipment including the oven, hob and knives, as well as learning
how to wash up effectively.
You will taste your made products and suggest improvements to your recipe.
Ugly Doll:
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You will design an ugly doll which shows your creativity and develops basic skills such as cutting out, hand stitching
and safety awareness in a technology room.
You will learn how to thread a needle and embellish your work with simple stitching. You will consider the use of
colour, shape and texture in a successful design.
You will plan and make an ugly doll which shows your creativity using an existing pattern.
You will consider how successfully your ugly doll is at showing its personality, catching people’s attention and how
to improve your designs and extend them if you were to make another ugly doll.
Topics and Skills
continued...
Low Powered Lighting:
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You will design and make a low powered light. This could be used as a bedside light, a mood light, night light or
locker light.
You will be introduced to the basics of electronics; voltage, current and resistance. You will learn how to use a
soldering iron safely and how to use recycled containers to create the outside of your product.
You will design the outer casing of your product and carefully consider how you will maximise the light output or
direct it so that it is most effective.
You will solder the components into a printed circuit board and then cut, drill and decorate your recycled products
to produce the casing.
You will test your light to decide how effective it is. You will consider how to change the light to make it better.
You will learn how to use the software package 2-D design. You will learn about ecological issues and how they
affect our lives. You will learn about colour and logo design.
Design and Communication:
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You will learn how to draw and improve your communication skills by using simple layouts, drawing techniques and
colour.
You will explore the use of characters, logos, colour and tint style.
You will explore how pop-up books and cards work.
You will model mechanisms and produce your own pop-up card.
You will design a novelty product for a “strange beast”. This will be entered in the Design Award Challenge.
Throughout your Design and Technology studies you will gain an appreciation for inspiring design and designers, iconic
products, sustainability (including recycling and energy generation) and appreciation of different cultures. You will explore
some of these issues whilst completing mini-projects or presentations.
Assessment patterns
Assessment will take place during projects and at the end. You will score levels in five different design and technology skill
area; investigating ideas, developing ideas, planning, making and evaluating. These grades will be put together at the end
of a project to work out your overall level approximately every half term.
You will also be expected to take part in assessment by reviewing your progress towards targets and peer reviewing the
work of others. You will be expected to identify a key area of focus for each project in order to raise your overall level of
attainment.
Homework / independent study skills
There are many opportunities for developing independent study skills whilst completing the Year 7 curriculum. This will
happen formally by completing the variety of homework tasks that have been set. These will range from;
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Research: completing a market survey or using the internet to find out about materials or manufacturing.
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Creativity: producing alternative solutions to problems that have been discussed in class.
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Planning: producing a set of step by step plans that will allow a product to be manufactured.
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Evaluation: by looking back at what you have done and thinking about what worked well and what needs improving.
The informal study of Design and Technology can also be achieved by: developing practical skills at home under supervision
from a parent or relative; eg baking a cake, painting, helping with DIY, sewing on your own scout / guides badges and of
course washing up. Pupils should also be encouraged to watch investigative or practically based programmes on television;
Scrap Heap Challenge, Master Chef etc.
Evaluation: It is important to know what you like and dislike about things that you buy or make. Next time you want your
parents to buy you something, explain why the one you want is better than another.
Aim for the Year
Drama in year 7 aims to introduce students to the basic skills needed for Drama, and establishes a foundation in
preparation for further study at Key Stage 3. We will explore the historical beginnings of Drama and explore how plays are
structured and devised.
You will develop your confidence, imagination, responsibility, social skills, evaluation skills and academic discipline whilst
exploring drama skills.
Topics and Skills
You will study several units of work through the year. You will develop drama skills by planning, rehearsing and performing
to audiences. You will learn vocal, movement and communication skills in your performances. You will develop skills in
empathy through developing and performing characters.
Autumn Term 1:
Introduction to Drama (Group skills / Still Image / Audience Awareness / Characterisation)
Autumn Term 2:
History of Theatre: Greek (Chorus Work / Masks / Greek Myths)
Review of The School Production
Spring Term 1:
Exploration of a script
Spring Term 2:
Working towards a Scripted Performance
Summer 1:
History of Theatre: Commedia Dell’arte (Comedy / Stock Characters)
Summer 2:
Devised Comical Performances
You may be given the opportunity to attend a live theatre performance. This will give you opportunities to develop your
evaluation of Live Theatre skills.
The communication skills learnt in Drama will be useful in many other subjects and professions. You will develop team
building skills by working in groups on projects. You will need to work together to solve problems.
Assessment Patterns
Assessment 1:
Assessment 2:
Assessment 3:
Exploration of Greek Theatre. Practical & Written Responses. During Autumn 2.
Practical Scripted Performance. End of Spring 2.
Practical Devised Performance. End of Summer 2.
Homework / Independent Study Skills
You will be expected to keep a Drama Learning Journal reflecting on each lesson. This will develop evaluation skills and help
you to reflect on your progress and learning in Drama. Homework will sometimes be practical preparation whilst at other
times it will focus on developing written skills.
Aim for the Year
The year 7 curriculum in English is designed to take you on a journey through the English literary history and heritage. We
start by going back to the days and times of Chaucer and move our way along the timeline to peek into the world of
Shakespeare. We then pay a visit to the time of Queen Victoria and the prolific works of Dickens, ending up in the present
day where we will explore language change over time. There will be a choice of novels for shared reading and a chance to
explore the Legends and Lore of Britain, including the study of King Arthur and the enthralling stories of his knights of the
round table. On top of this, there is autobiographical writing, preparing and giving speeches and the introduction of
newspapers and photojournalism. There is also the chance to unleash your creative side and enter the coveted Lorimer
Prize for a short story.
Topics and Skills
You will study the following modules:
Our Literary Past & Present
Imaginative Worlds—novel
Creative writing
Real Audiences—non-fiction
Discovering Poetry
Legends and Lore
These modules are designed to develop your skills in the three components of writing, speaking and reading.
Assessment patterns
Assessments for reading, writing and speaking & listening are on-going during the year by the class teacher with official
assessments recorded on a half-termly basis.
The assessments will be recorded on trackers in the pupil’s English books so that parents can keep up to date with their
child’s progress.
Homework / independent study skills
In addition to the normal English lessons, pupil who need support will be offered a programme of Literacy Progress Units
(or LPUs) to help them to improve these skills.
Reading and spelling are two key skills required for English and so the homework is designed to focus in on these skills. The
first part of the homework policy means that each child will be issued a spelling booklet at the start of the Autumn term.
This booklet contains a different spelling list for every week of the academic year. The students will be tested on these
spellings during lessons on a weekly basis.
The other part of the homework policy is reading. The students will be issued with a reading journal at the beginning of
year 7 to record their reading over the year. The journals will be regularly checked during English lessons. There will be
opportunities to earn commendations for English by completing a selection of reading tasks – these will be listed in the
back of the reading journals.
You may also find it helpful to read out loud to a parent/guardian, as well as silently, and to discuss aspects of literature
and writing.
Please note that it is an expectation that teachers will set other homework as and when is necessary during the year,
depending on the topic being studied.
Aim for the Year
This year, students will have the opportunity to learn the basics of French, building upon any language they have learnt at
Primary School. The main language focus for this year is simple sentence structure and giving personal opinions with
reasons. We also introduce the present tense, which students will build upon across the following two years.
Topics and Skills Topics
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Moi et ma famille - My family and I
Collège - School
Passe-temps - Hobbies and free-time
Où j’habite - Where I live
Bon appétit - Food and drink
La mode - Fashion
La météo - The weather
Assessment patterns
Listening and reading skills will be assessed each half term.
Writing and speaking skills will be assessed twice a year.
Homework / independent study skills
Students have a wealth of opportunities for independent study, as there is a vast array of free websites at their disposal
such as Linguascope, Atantôt extra & BBC Bitesize. Students could spend their time broadening their vocabulary, ensuring
their knowledge and spelling are secure, or simply reading and listening for pleasure. Also, the vocabulary guide that they
have to accompany the course can be used to revise the key verbs and vocabulary that have been covered in class.
Aim for the Year
Year 7 Geography students study a variety of topics designed to make them more aware of different natural and man-made
environments and how humans interact with and influence these. Students are encouraged to develop skills in literacy,
numeracy and ICT that allow them to correctly interpret representations of different aspects of physical and human
Geography at a variety of scales. They will be expected to consider their own local area from a geographical perspective
and develop their awareness of how aspects of physical and human Geography link them to the wider world.
Topics and Skills
Topics and skills for the autumn term.
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Different types of Geography: Physical, Human and Environmental.
Skills - examining Geography at different scales: Global, National, Regional, Local.
Topics and skills for the spring term.
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On the map: Ordnance Survey map skills.
Weather and climate: Observing and recording the weather, microclimate, Britain’s weather and climate,
anticyclones and depressions.
Topics and skills for the summer term.
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Settlement: Early settlements and villages today, where do I live and what is it like?
Skills – literacy and numeracy development through pieces of extended writing and numerical
interpretation of statistics.
Assessment patterns
Students will sit a summative assessment at the end of each topic that will give them a National Curriculum level of
attainment.
Summative Assessment 1
O.S. Mapping skills
Summative Assessment 2
Weather
Summative Assessment 3
Settlement
Summative Assessment 4
End of year exam
Homework / independent study skills
To develop your understanding and enjoyment of Geography, you will be expected to complete homework. The main aim
of the homework is to consolidate what you have learned in the classroom and give you the opportunity to engage in some
independent study. Homework set for Geography will vary but can include: questions on worksheets, research from books,
practice in using a map, making maps, weather observation, written work and internet research.
Aim for the Year
Students in Year 7 study a range of topics to help them acquire historical skills such as significance and to develop their
thematic and chronological understanding. The History Department intends for all students to have a strong base from
which to enhance their National Curriculum skills as well as having a wider appreciation of the diversity of History.
The content focuses on both British and non-British History, and includes comparative work between Ancient and Modern
History, whilst still maintaining a chronological emphasis. The Department is innovative in its curriculum; it is designed to
offer an effective balance between knowledge and skills, as well as using some of the most recent examples of good
practice in History teaching. As a result the curriculum is constantly changing and evolving.
Topics and Skills
1.
What is Olympic History?
A study of the significance of Olympic athletes.
An introduction to some of the skills used by historians.
2.
Why did the Roman Empire become so big yet still fall?
A focus on the role of Empire in History.
A depth study of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.
3.
How did William keep control?
A unit that assesses the Battle of Hastings and early Norman control of England.
4.
Was England a better place to live in the Middle Ages than in Roman times?
A comparison unit looking at how people lived across time.
5.
Why was medieval Jerusalem so important?
A study of trade, pilgrimage, conflict and persecution. The unit focuses on the skills of causation
and historical enquiry.
6.
Defending the country, defending the Faith.
A focus on castles and monasteries.
Assessment patterns
Written assessments are carried out each half term. There is one interview assessment in the Summer term along with a
formal examination based on previous content studied.
Homework / independent study skills
You are expected to enhance your independent study skills throughout Year 7. Research tasks demand that you complete a
review sheet rather than simply finding material from the internet or copying sections from books. Tasks usually encourage
you to take on the role of an historian and carry out specific and acknowledged research. These skills are important
throughout Key Stage 3, but also as components of our controlled assessment at GCSE.
Homework tasks are also used to encourage you to complete short answer questions, produce extended pieces of writing
or carry out activities that build upon what you have learnt in History lessons. Some tasks are set over several weeks but
will be staged to enable you to know how to develop your work each week. Watching History related television
programmes, reading historical fiction, keeping up to date with news and current affairs and accessing historical material,
can all help you develop your historical knowledge. Helping you understand different perspectives of historical events can
also be helpfully supported at home.
Aim for the Year
During the year you will develop mental and written strategies for calculations, including the appropriate use of calculators.
You will start the year working in a small team within your class to develop your collaborative working skills. There will be
opportunities for you to develop thinking and problem solving skills to help you use and apply your mathematics including
using functional skills for real life problems. ICT will be used to explore some of the topics covered during the year using
programs such as OMNIGRAPH, GEOMETER’S SKETCHPAD and EXCEL, and other on-line resources. Each term topics will be
covered from the areas of Number, Algebra, Shape and Space and Handling Data. The topics listed below are a guide to
what will be covered during the year. The scheme of work is differentiated so some of the topics will only be covered by
some of the groups.
Topics and Skills
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Coordinates
Perimeter and Area
Place value, integers and calculations
Time
Handling Data:- displaying data, averages, collecting and representing data to solve a problem
Probability
Sequences and functions – investigating number patterns
Calculations including rounding, the use of brackets and calculator methods
Geometrical reasoning:- – lines, angles and shapes, using properties of shapes to solve problems, nets of 3D shapes
Measures
You will be given tasks to develop your ability to solve problems using these concepts.
Assessment patterns
Assessments include:
 Regular end of topic assessments throughout the year.
 An end of year exam that includes calculator, non-calculator and mental arithmetic papers.
Homework / independent study skills
Homework is set regularly and will usually be due in the next lesson. The work set may be routine exercises, questions to
test understanding of a topic, learning of vocabulary and definitions, practising multiplication tables, investigations/
problem solving or questions to help you prepare for the next topic. Some homework tasks are set online. Some will be
differentiated by the inclusion of extension questions. On other occasions, you will be asked to work for a given amount of
time (usually 20-30 minutes). Some homework tasks will require the use of a calculator. Your parents can support you by
discussing the homework tasks and the methods that can be used to solve the problems. You may also benefit from using
online sites including MyMaths which the school subscribes to as well as sites such as n-rich to enhance your learning.
Maths is all around us and you should use every opportunity to develop your maths, for instance weighing out cooking
ingredients or converting distances from kilometres to miles on the motorway in France.
Aim for the Year
The year 7 scheme of work is concerned with developing your understanding of the foundations of music (pitch, rhythm,
dynamics, tempo, timbre, structure and texture) through the integration of performing, composing and listening skills.
Topics and Skills
AUTUMN TERM
Building Blocks and Instruments of the Orchestra:
In this introductory topic, you will learn about the basic elements of Music as well as simple rhythmic notation and
foundation keyboard skills. You will also learn about how an orchestra is constructed and to recognise the four family
groups and all the instruments within them.
SPRING TERM
Rhythms
Building on the rhythm skills learnt in the first term you will use the relationship between words and rhythms to create an
original composition which you will then perform and record.
Song Structure
This unit will introduce you to basic computer sequencing techniques as you create your own song on computer, using a
given structure.
SUMMER TERM
Gamelan
In this unit you will be introduced to the music of Indonesia and its Gamelan orchestras, learning about the
instruments and scales associated with this music as you sequence a typical Gamelan composition.
The House on the Hill
In this unit you will be using a range of classroom instruments to explore musical ideas to create atmosphere culminating in
a whole class performance of a graphic score.
ALL TERMS
Singing and Keyboard Skills
Designated sessions throughout the year will develop your singing and keyboard skills. During the course you will use a
keyboard both for performance and as a tool for composition.
Assessment patterns
Your progress through the early stages will be monitored through observation and self selected tests. From the Spring term
more structured assessment of your performance and/or composition skills will result in you being awarded a level at the
end of each half term which takes into account all of your assessments for that topic.
Homework / independent study skills
You will use I.T. as a tool for research.
You will have opportunities to book computers or practice rooms at lunchtime to develop your sequencing or performance
skills.
You will have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Aim for the Year
To develop skills and techniques in a range of activities. Once acquired students will develop their understanding of when
to make and apply decisions in performance using the skills developed. Students will develop their ability to evaluate and
improve performance focussing on identifying strengths and weaknesses in performance. Students will learn the
importance of fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle.
Topics and Skills
You will be able to develop a range of skills in numerous activities including dance, gymnastics, athletics, basketball,
badminton, table tennis and netball.
Within the activities covered you will learn how to replicate actions and skills, solve problems, explore and communicate
phrases and sequences, outwit opponents to gain an advantage when attacking and defending and how to develop your
fitness and health.
You will be given the opportunity to develop your understanding of how to officiate games and lead others in warm ups
and sport specific practices.
Assessment patterns
Students will be assessed in each activity that they take part in. The activity blocks are generally between 6 - 8 weeks and
students are receiving two lessons per week and will therefore cover two activities which they are assessed in.
Students will have an opportunity to self and peer assess during each activity and this will help students to understand
where they are at and what they need to do to raise their attainment.
Staff members will assess using activity specific criteria as well as by a range of roles which helps each student to best show
their understanding.
Homework / independent study skills
Homework is not usually set for Physical Education. However, students will get the opportunity to take part in many clubs
and sporting activities to build upon what they are learning in lessons.
Students are encouraged to take part in a range of physical activities and exercise out of school on a regular basis. Students
who develop to the required standard will be given the opportunity to attend district and county trials.
Aim for the Year
The aim for year 7 is to understand that beliefs are held by everyone and underpin the way people live their lives. We
develop an understanding of key religious themes, such as forgiveness, loyalty and learning from the past through three
religions – Christianity and Judaism in the first 2 terms, Hinduism in the 3 rd term. The overall theme for this year is Story
and Symbol in religion. We also introduce pupils to the Bible, how to find their way around it and an understanding of why
it is important to Christians.
Topics and Skills
The skills we focus on this year are:
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Expressing beliefs and ideas orally in small groups and the whole class
Expressing beliefs and ideas verbally to develop religious literacy
Carrying out research and presenting ideas imaginatively
Interpreting stories and symbols in different ways
The topics we study are:
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Comparing Christian and secular beliefs
Sacred texts and festivals in Christianity and Judaism
Repentance, forgiveness and loyalty in story
Key beliefs and symbol in Hinduism
Assessment patterns
At the end of each topic, there is an assessment
Every 6—8 weeks
Homework / independent study skills
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Complete a longer project through our homework system.
Research using the internet.
Use creative skills to represent religious ideas.
Aim for the Year
Our students are initially taught in tutor groups for their first introductory set of lessons on investigations and safety. After
this they are put into groups based on their previous SAT results as well as teacher assessment. They all then follow a
scheme of learning that introduces the new Science National Curriculum for Key Stage 3 by developing key ideas and
enhancing practical and problem solving skills. Topics covered include
Introduction to Science
What is Science? What is a Scientist?
How to carry out experiments safely.
An introduction to investigative
science.
Acid reactions
Acids and Alkalis. The pH scale.
Neutralisation. Acids and carbonates.
Acids and metals.
Using pH and neutralisation.
Energy
Types of energy. Energy transfers.
Conservation of energy.
Energy in foods.
Renewable and non-renewable
energy.
Forces
What is a force and what types of
forces are there?
Weight and mass. Balancing forces.
Humans Growing Up
Babies.
Relationships.
Fertilisation, birth and after.
Adolescence. IVF
Particles
Solids, liquids and gases.
Spreading out. Heating and cooling.
Dissolving. Gas pressure and density
Cells
Seeing Life and zooming in.
Staying alive with the right cell for the
right job. Tissues and organs. Cells
problems
Elements and compounds
Elements, mixtures and compounds.
How to tell them apart
More about elements and their uses.
Space
Our bit of space. Orbits, eclipses and
phases of the moon.
GPS and TV satellites.
Where did it all begin?
Classification
New species.
Grouping animals.
Vertebrates. Invertebrates.
Precious plants.
Chemical reactions
What are chemical reactions?
Reversible changes.
Burning hydrocarbons. More useful
chemical reactions. Global warming
Electricity and magnetism
Using electricity. Electric current.
All about voltage.
Magnetism. Electromagnets.
Discovery of electricity
Differences
Identifying differences
What makes us different?
Growing differences
Knowing what to do
Olympic dreams
Assessment patterns
Assessment Patterns; This is through termly tests and practical assessment to monitor progress in each curriculum area.
Assessment is done formatively and using topic tests which have specific National Curriculum levels associated with each
grade, students also carry out short task leveled assessed work to enable us to Assess Pupils Progress. Scientific
Investigation is taught alongside the topics and as separate assessed practical experiments.
Homework / independent study skills
Homework is set according to the homework schedule and could include research, writing up an experiment or doing some
reading.