Year 8 Options Booklet

Year 8 Character Development Options and Arts Award Preferences Information Booklet Year 8 Options Lead:

Miss Ghuffar

Our curriculum at Essa Academy has been designed to ensure that all students leave us as valuable citizens of society, community and country.

Through EFFORT our students become healthy, resilient and ambitious adults Through STANDARDS our students become knowledgeable and culturally aware leaders Through SPIRIT our students become understanding, creative and emotionally intelligent adults

Through ACHIEVEMENT our students become successful adults

Co

To be a abl appropri

Work Experi Careers Fair

VR Experience

B

60

Enriching activities

31 Exciting subjects

1000 Days in school

Where all will succeed!

To be digitally literate and aware

Escape Room

CR

CO S

Silverstone

To be numer and able t problem so

En Ch

To be literate and able to communicate effectively Author Experience

ollege Visit

Languages Week

Employer ambitious and Experience le to make iate life choices

ience

R.S

YOUNG LEADERS

GEOGRAPHY

Visit a Beach

SPANISH

URDU

Visit a Zoo

FRENCH Save the World Day

PE

SPORTS LEADERS

To be healthy, safe and fit in mind and body

DUKE OF EDINBURGH

REATIVE IMEDIA CADETS

OMPUTER SCIENCE

FOREST SCHOOL

BIOLOGY

FINANCIAL CAREERS MUSIC MATHS

nterprise hallenge

Prison Me No Way

HISTORY

PSHE

PHYSICS BUSINESS STUDIES

rate to olve

To be aware of the world and how it functions

ENGLISH

CAREERS

CHEMISTRY

Visit a Museum

ASDAN

FINE ART

MUSICAL THEATRE GRAPHICS

DRAMA PHOTOGRAPHY Visit a Theatre

Visit a University Visit a Gallery To value creativity within myself and others

Outward Bound

ESOL

First Aid Course Learn sign language

To be able to take care of myself and the world

Dear Parents/Carers, I am writing to inform you of a change to the year 8 options this year.

In the past students have opted for their GCSE subjects at the end of Year 8. The work we have recently done on the Essa Academy curriculum ensures that students get a curriculum that provides both breadth and depth in every subject being studied. With the focus on breadth and depth we want our students to get more exposure to all subjects before choosing their GCSEs. Therefore, options will now move to Year 9. Our curriculum has grown, developed and the recent OFSTED report confirms that we provide a high quality of education to all our students.

Students in Year 8 will get to choose their Character development option. This option is a special part of our curriculum where students develop their character and leadership skills through one of the options below and complete these courses in Year 9 and 10.

Leadership options include: • • • • • •

Combined Cadets Force Duke of Edinburgh Sports Leaders Young Leaders Forest Schools Musical Theatre

Students in year 8 will also be asked what their Arts subject preference is. This is to support them in their Arts Award that they complete in Year 9. This preference is purely an indicator for staff when delivering the Arts Award and to know which areas they enjoy/succeed most in. They will make an informed choice in year 9 and can if they wish change their preference that they make in year 8.

The Arts preferences include: • • • • • •

Graphics Fine Art Photography Music Drama Art and design

There will be an assembly for students and a booklet will be sent home with students for you to look at with them. (Via gateway and post) We will ask for options for the Leadership choices and preferences for the Arts to be completed on a Microsoft form. Students will be notified by Teams.

Any questions or queries please contact Miss Ghuffar or Mrs Sidebottom.

Thank you, Mrs J. Sidebottom Vice Principal

Miss N. Ghuffar Assistant Principal

Options Booklet 2020

Year 8 Option Choices During the next few weeks, students in year 8 at Essa Academy will be making subject choices that they will go on to study in year 9 and then hopefully beyond. The purpose of this booklet is to guide you through the Character Development option and the Art preferences procedure to help you make informed choices for your year 9 subjects and GCSE courses beyond. This booklet contains several sections informing you about the nature of courses, the basis upon which choices should be made, brief details about each subject and a section on career guidance.

Try to think about what interests you and which subjects you enjoy. It might be useful to think about what you would like to do after you leave school but don’t worry if you’re still not sure.

Please take time to read all the material here carefully before you make your choices. If you have any questions about Year 9 subject options, then please contact your form tutor/ head of year or Miss Ghuffar.

You will receive a digital form to complete your options soon.

The deadline for completion of this form is 28th March 2022.

Options Booklet 2020

Notes:

Use this page to make notes about your preferences.

Options Booklet 2020

Choose your Character Development Option

At Essa we believe that both academic skills and qualifications are equally as important as developing personal life skills. Each subject under the Character Development umbrella has unique selling points to build character and soft skills. Character Development will run during Period 5 into after school once every two weeks and is a compulsory part of our curriculum for all students.

‘Qualifications get the interview, the character of the person gets the job.’

Mr Knowles

To find out more about the Character Development Options visit: • • • • •

https://combinedcadetforce.org.uk/ https://forestschoolassociation.org/what-is-forest-school/ https://www.dofe.org/ https://www.sportsleaders.org/ https://www.archbishopofyorkyouthtrust.co.uk/young-leaders-award

Who to speak to?

If you have any questions about your character development option speak to: Cadets: Forest School: Duke of Edinburgh: Sports Leaders: Young Leaders: Musical Theatre:

Captain Lorenzen Miss Squire Miss Squire Miss Squire Miss Squire Miss Squire

You must select three options from this section and you will be given one.

Options Booklet 2020

Combined Cadet Force The Combined Cadet Force offers students at Essa Academy a course designed to support the development of personal responsibility, leadership and self-discipline. Designed to be practical rather than classroom-based, the training will be interesting, imaginative and purposeful and include competitions, exercises and games.

Students take part in a broad range of challenging, exciting, adventurous and educational activities over the three years which will lead to a Cadets syllabus called the Army Proficiency Certificate (APC).

Alongside this, students have the opportunity to take part in annual Cadets Camps and other community events through the Combined Cadets Force.

Forest School This is an inspirational process which offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self- esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment.

Forest School is a specialised learning approach that sits within and complements the wider context of outdoor and woodland education.

In Forest school, you will learn how to use a wide range of tools, survival skills including campfire cooking and shelter building and also gain a deeper understanding of the natural environment around us. You will develop strong, positive relationships with your peers, while working on outdoor projects that build resilience and team building skills.

Options Booklet 2020

Duke of Edinburgh Award The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the world’s leading youth achievement award, with over 438,000 young people currently doing their DofE in the UK. Through the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award at Essa Academy, students will gain skills, make friends and achieve an award that will set them up for life.

The Duke of Edinburgh award is recognised nationally and is great experience for the future. Through classroom and practical lessons and off- site expeditions, students develop their confidence, resilience, teamwork and many other skills which will help them in life, improve their chances of moving forward in education and help them secure a job.

The Duke of Edinburgh award helps gain independence and creates determined, strong minded individuals that thrive to succeed.

Sports Leaders Award The Sports Leadership programme is designed to develop confident, healthy leaders through sport and physical activity. Young people at Essa Academy undertaking a qualification in Sports Leadership will learn and demonstrate important life skills, such as effective communication and organisation, whilst learning to lead basic physical activities with the younger year groups, their peers, older generations and within the community. The courses involve both guided and peer-to-peer learning and supervised leadership to ensure that learners have all the skills they need to lead basic physical activities for other people.

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Options Booklet 2020 Young Leaders Award The Young Leaders Award, part of the Archbishop of York Youth Trust, is a unique active citizenship programme which empowers young people to make a difference in their local community whilst growing in key leadership skills. The Award focuses specifically on developing students’ leadership and character skills in preparation for life after school. Students explore how they can ‘be the change they want to see’ in their communities and practically make a difference through social action and volunteering.

The Young Leaders Award is designed to: Build leadership and character skills, grow confidence, teamwork, resilience and care for others and empower students to serve their communities through volunteering.

Musical Theatre Musical theatre is a powerful element of performance. If you enjoy Singing, Dancing and Acting then this is the option for you! Our students gain an understanding of what musical theatre is, looking at characterisation and adapting to different roles through the power of performance through vocals, dance and acting! Students also look at the number of roles in a theatre that lead to many career options. Musical Theatre opens the students eyes to the many opportunities that link to performance!

This is a great option for team work, confidence building, being creative and ambitious and a chance for students to express themselves.

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Options Booklet 2020

Choose your Arts Award Preference

In Year 9 students start their Arts Award journey. Arts Award is a unique one year qualification that inspires students to take part in the wider arts world.

The year is carefully planned around exploration and mastery. All students will have the opportunity to experiment, develop and refine ideas and skills which will allow them creative freedom.

Whilst specialising in one area of the arts (detailed below), students will continue to study all elements of visual and performing arts throughout Year 9.

Students will have the chance to opt again at the end of Year 9 for the Arts subject which they wish to choose for GCSE.

To find out more about Arts Award visit: https://www.artsaward.org.uk Who to speak to?

If you have any questions about your arts preferences please speak to: Music: Mr Duffy Drama: Miss McNamara Fine Art: Miss Harwood Photography: Mr Crompton Graphics: Mrs Rock Art and Design: Miss Crossley

You must select three options from the Arts and you will be given one to specialise in.

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Options Booklet 2020 Drama Within Drama, students will explore different styles, methods and techniques linked to performance.

Students will study practitioners, have the chance to see live theatre, work with actors in the industry and create their own performances. This will be a year of experimentation and discovery as students also look at the Performing Arts industry as a whole and have chance to work with lighting, sound design, costume, make-up, marketing and directing.

Students will create a on-going portfolio of work throughout which will lead to their Arts Award. Students who pick Performing Arts will attend trips to the theatre to both watch live theatre but also receive backstage tours to gain a greater understanding of what is involved when creating a full-scale production.

Students will also be given the chance to work with actors in the industry and theatre practitioners.

Main topics • • • • • •

Monologues Devised Performance Scripted Performance Improvisation Theatre In Education Final Showcase

Music Music students explore a wide variety of musical instruments and musical genres. In line with the Arts Award syllabus, music students will take inspiration from a rich history of musicians and composers to create performances and compositions of their own. In addition to regular masterclasses, students have regular ‘live’ concerts in and out of school.

Students will also be involved in the on-going links between Music and Art as they create live performance for an audience but also look at the design areas.

Students will also develop key transferrable skills that they will be able to use throughout their time at Essa Academy but also in the wider world – confidence, team-work, communication, listening, selfdiscipline and expression.

Main topics • • • • • • • •

Aural Perception Music and repeated patterns Blues Music The Rap and Beatbox Project Music and the Moving Image Solo Performanc Battle of the Bands Music Festival 3

Options Booklet 2020

Fine Art Students will work alongside international renound artist Ian Murphy. They will take part in a one-day workshop with him. They will also teach and plan a lesson that must include an artistic skill of their choice to teach to their peers. Students will go to visit an art gallery and experience the work of artists, sculptors, photographers and many more.

Main topics: • • • • •

Watercolour painting Printmaking Colour mixing and matching Pencil mastery Acrylic painting

Graphics Students will have the opportunity to master skills using industry standard software including Photoshop and Illustrator. As part of the Arts Award students will have the opportunity to teach other students a skill, experience the arts as a participant in specialised graphics workshops and go on trips to experience the arts in a real-world context. By the end of the year 9 Graphics students will feel confident in their own creative thinking and digital skills and be more well-rounded individuals ready to enter their GCSE years.

Main topics: • • • •

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Adobe Photoshop Hand drawn Graphical techniques Designing for a client (Nike) Designing a portfolio website

Options Booklet 2020 Photography To kick start their confidence students will complete workshop style lessons that focus on the elements of photography. This will help students to become more technical photographers.

For the wild woods project, students will experience taking photographs in the countryside of the UK. We will journey through the woodlands of Rivington and explore the overgrown ruins of Liverpool castle.

Main topics • • •

Elements of Photography – workshop style lessons aimed at developing technical knowledge.

Colour Project – A project aimed at developing the impact of colour within your photographs Wild Woods project – A project aimed developing landscape photography skills.

Art and Design

Students will be able to explore a number of disciplines in art. This will include Fine Art, 3D art and design, Photography and Graphics. Students will work alongside international artist Ian Murphy and will take part in a one-day workshop with him. Students will also teach and plan a lesson that must include an artistic skill of their choice to teach to their peers. Students will visit an art gallery and experience the work of artists, sculptors, photographers and many more.

Main topics • • • •

Exploring painting Experimenting with clay Developing photography skill Using Pro-create and designing

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Confirm your choices Once you have made your choices, please confirm these using this link:

https://forms.office.com/r/GrteKWJT4c This will also be sent to you in your form Teams group.

Notes:

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