CURIOSITY DAY: SUMMER ENRICHMENT
Academic enrichment activities inspired by the intellectual exploration of Curiosity Day
WHAT IS SUMMER ENRICHMENT?
At King’s, intellectual curiosity is at the heart of our scholarly culture. All pupils in Year 7 through to Lower Fifth participated in Curiosity Day at the end of the summer term.
Curiosity Day workshops are designed to inspire pupils to think about their interests beyond their exams and subject curriculums and to explore different ways of thinking about their subject areas at school.
Our vision for Curiosity Day workshops is to act as a launchpad for pupils’ intellectual explorations. To encourage them, we have collated some further enrichment activities, inspired by Curiosity Day, that they may wish to explore over the summer holidays.
These activities have been curated by our academic heads of departments and tailored for each respective year group. As such, this booklet is arranged by academic subjects and the enrichment ideas are then broken down by each year group. Pupils should be directed to the activities of the year group that they have just finished, not the activities of the year group that they will be starting in September.
The explorations outlined in this document are not compulsory in any way, nor will they be formally assessed. They are purely to provide an opportunity for an enriching use of their time over the break.
We wish your children an excellent break and for pupils to explore enriching and intellectual pursuits over the break, if they would like to do so. We hope they feel inspired to engage with some of these enriching activities during this time to foster their intellectual curiosity.
Best wishes,
Ms Áine McGarvey
Assistant Head (Enrichment & Pupil Progress)
ART
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Visit: an Art Exhibition or gallery - get out and about in London or another area of the world and see the Art on display
Write: a reflection on the exhibition! Describe the work you saw. How did this make you feel? Why? Think like an Art critic and consider Art History!
Explore: the artwork and create responses to this Create: physical drawings/sketches directly from the gallery
• Develop these into visual responses... challenge yourself to use a range of media!
• Consider sculpture, painting, print making, photography, film...
Share: Be ready to share your investigations with your Art group next year!
BIOLOGY
YEAR 7
Read: Science Journal for Kids and Teens – This is a great source of numerous articles on a whole range of topics including natural selection, disease, reproduction and the variety of life. Click and have an explore here
Watch: Origins of Us – A fascinating three-part documentary series all about human evolution. It looks at skeletal bones, guts and brains and what they can tell us about our ancestors. Origins of Us - BBC iPlayer
Do: Have a go at this survival game and see how long your chosen population can survive
YEAR 8
During Curiosity Day you looked at diets from around the world and how they varied. Below are some links to prompt you to think about diet more broadly and how nutrition can vary.
Read:
• Zoe is a fantastic source of articles all about food, nutrition and diet
• Example: How to eat in 2025: 7 science-backed tips with Tim Spector and Sarah Berry
Watch:
• Zoe YouTube series – is a good place to start
• BBC Documentary – Irresistible: Why can’t we stop eating
• An interesting documentary where Chris van Tulleken explores why ultra-processed foods are so irresistible and how they have come to dominate food culture
Write: a food diary. For one week create a food diary of what you eat and explore the balance between the macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fats
• For each food type you will need to look at labels or look up data (if it’s unpackaged) and record the balance of them
• You might also want to think about the vitamins and minerals in different fruit and vegetables
Visit: the Science Museum’s latest exhibition – Future of Food | Science Museum
FOURTH FORM
During Curiosity Day you looked at how to improve the biodiversity of the International Garden at King’s and, in particular, increase the population and diversity of pollinator species. Next year you will look at biodiversity and human influences so the resources below explore these topics.
Read: Learn more from the Royal Horticultural Society on pollinators, how to attract them to your garden, no matter how small (or balcony or any outdoor space at all)
Watch: more ideas of how biodiversity can be enriched across the world
• Documentary – Our Changing Planet - Restoring Our Rivers
• Series – Each episode looks at a different initiative and solutions to cleaning up waste, prevent harmful emissions and reduce use of fossil fuels all competing for the annual Earthshot Prize founded by Prince William in 2020
Explore: more about the variety of living organisms with this BBC documentary on fungi - Fungi: The Web of Life
Do: Take a walk, dawn or dusk is best for this, and listen for any birds you can hear. Use the 1 minute sound clips from Radio 4’s Tweet of the Day to try and identify the bird species just from its sound
LOWER FIFTH
During Curiosity Day you either explored eye conditions that affect sight or how to improve the biodiversity of the International Garden at King’s and, in particular, increase the population and diversity of pollinator species. Below is a range of resources to continue exploring human anatomy and the influence of humans on the world around us.
Read: The Body A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson – Available in the King’s Library
• This is a witty, richly detailed exploration of the human body—from cells and neurons to organs and microbes
• He blends history, science, and humour to reveal how our bodies function, heal, and age, inviting readers to marvel at the biological wonder within us all.
Listen: to BBC Sounds – Bodies
• A series of short episode podcasts where Professor Alice Roberts traces how human knowledge of anatomy has grown and changed over time and how this has in turn affected our understanding of who we are
Watch: Human: The World Within on Netflix
• 45 minute episodes that each focus on a different part of the human anatomy
Do: Make your very own bee hotel for your garden/ outside space at home using these instructions from the Royal Horticultural Society
CHINESE
FOURTH FORM
Continue: research on pandas from the Curiosity Day workshop. Panda paper models are available to make at home
LOWER FIFTH
Continue: research on the history and development of Chinese restaurant/take-away in the UK from the Curiosity Day workshop
CHEMISTRY
YEARS 7 AND 8
Watch: various excellent videos (often available on YouTube) including from:
• ‘The Secret Genius of Modern Life - BBC with Hannah Fry’
• Chemistry based lectures from ‘The Royal Institution’
Read: general Chemistry textbooks such as ‘Molecules’ by Atkins and ‘Napoleon’s Buttons’ by Burreson and Le Couteur
FOURTH FORM AND LOWER FIFTH
Watch: various excellent videos (often available on YouTube) including from:
• ‘The Secret Genius of Modern Life - BBC with Hannah Fry’
• Chemistry based lectures from ‘The Royal Institution’
• ‘Periodic Videos’ with Professor Martyn Poliakoff
• Videos by Tom Scott
Read: general Chemistry textbooks such as ‘Molecules’ by Atkins and ‘Napoleon’s Buttons’ by Burreson and Le Couteur
CLASSICS
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Visit: the British Museum
Read:
• Classical fiction – ‘The Song of Achilles’ or ‘Circe’ by Madeleine Miller
• Classical fiction – ‘The Silence of the Girls’ by Pat Barker
• Historical fiction – ‘The Cicero Trilogy’ by Robert Harris (starting with ‘Imperium’)
• History reading – Tom Holland’s Roman empire trilogy (starting with ‘Rubicon’)
• Greek myths – ‘Mythos’ and ‘Heroes’ by Stephen Fry
Watch: documentaries on BBC iPlayer - ‘Meet the Romans with Mary Beard’ and more!
Listen:
• BBC podcast – ‘Natalie Haynes stands up for the Classics’
• Podcast – ‘The rest is history’
COMPUTER SCIENCE
YEAR 7
Find: the oddest street names in London and make a Python “weird street name generator”
Go: to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden and explore how technology runs London’s transport network
YEAR 8
Predict: which Central Line carriage will be least crowded based on platform position. Write an algorithm based on this
Visit: the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth and look at the codebreaking and cyber warfare exhibition
FOURTH FORM
Predict: how busy a coffee shop in Wimbledon Village is by counting the number of laptops in the window. Use this data to write a simple algorithm, then draw a data flow diagram
Visit: the BT Tower and learn about how London’s phone and internet infrastructure works from this 1960s communications hub
LOWER FIFTH
Write: a program that tells you how many Starbucks large skinny lattes you would have to give up to afford to rent a 2 bedroom flat SW19
Have: a family Sunday lunch at the Charles Babbage Pub in Fitzrovia - near where Babbage actually lived and worked on his Difference Engine
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Explore: Look around your home for discarded items (e.g., packaging, bottles, cardboard, fabric scraps). Observe everyday tools and objects in your kitchen
Read: Discover “upcycling” and “repurposing” ideas online. Learn about simple machines (levers, wheels, pulleys) and basic strong structures (triangles)
Design: and build a functional “device” using only common kitchen items or food materials (e.g., pasta, marshmallows, skewers, paper plates, aluminium foil, rubber bands)
Examples:
• A bridge made of uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows that can hold a small weight (e.g., an apple)
• A pulley system using string, spools (from thread or paper towels), and a weight (e.g., a small toy)
• A device that can lift a small object using levers made from spoons or rulers
• A simple water filter using coffee filters, sand, gravel, and a plastic bottle
Reflect: Document your process with photos or sketches. Explain which simple machines or structural principles you incorporated into your design. Did it work as intended? What would you do differently next time?
FOURTH FORM EXTENSION
Challenge: Using the free Tinkercad Circuits simulator online, design and code a virtual Arduino system that automates a simple function. Think about a “smart home” idea!
Explore & Do:
• Learn the basics of Tinkercad Circuits: drag, drop, wire, and code
• Decide what problem will your system solve? (e.g., an automated light, a security alert)
• Choose your inputs (like a virtual button or light sensor) and outputs (like a virtual LED or motor)
• Code your Arduino in Tinkercad to make your system work
• Take a screenshot of your circuit and code. Explain your design choices and what you learned!
LOWER FIFTH
Continue your NEA work - explore new avenues of thinking and creativity!
DRAMA
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Read:
• A play and imagine it on stage
• A book about theatre, acting or theatre making
Watch: a play live in one of the many theatrical spaces in London
Use: our subscriptions: dip into ‘The Stage’ newspaper for interviews, reviews and news about the world of theatre; or stream a recording of great shows on Digital Theatre + or Drama Online
• Subscription details, book recommendations and further extension ideas can be found on the pupil Drama SharePoint: Co-Curricular Drama
ENGLISH
YEAR 7 AND YEAR 8
Read: at least three books, either from your teacher’s recommendations on Curiosity Day, or from the ‘Golden Reads’ list
Do: some of the extension tasks on SharePoint (Extension & Curiosity) for your favourite book or topic this year
Visit: the theatre with your parents. The English department recommends:
• Warhorse (Wimbledon Theatre: 5 – 16 August)
• Oliver! (Gielgud Theatre – ongoing)
• Matilda (Cambridge Theatre – ongoing)
• The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre – ongoing)
• My Neighbour Totoro (Gillian Lynne Theatre – ongoing)
Year 8 extension: Write your whole writer-in-residence screenplay; or make a trailer for it, if you haven’t already
FOURTH FORM AND LOWER FIFTH
Read: at least one book from your teacher’s recommendations on Curiosity Day the ‘English department recommendations list’ (posted on SharePoint)
Visit: the Africa rooms (particularly the Benin Bronzes) or the Ancient India: Living Traditions exhibition at the British Museum
Visit: the theatre with your parents. The English department recommends:
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Bridge Theatre until 20th August – your set text next year)
• Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Globe – until 2nd August)
• Twelfth Night (Shakespeare’s Globe – from 8th August)
• The Mousetrap (St Martin’s Theatre – ongoing)
• My Neighbour Totoro (Gillian Lynne Theatre – ongoing)
• The Play that Goes Wrong (Duchess – ongoing)
Fourth Form extension: Read: at least one book from the Fourth Form extension reading lists on SharePoint: Ghost Stories / Detective Fiction / Classic modern novels everyone should have read
Lower Fifth extension: Read: Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ‘Purple Hibiscus’, Tsitsi Dangarembga’s ‘Nervous Conditions’, Anita Desai’s ‘Journey to India’, Yann Martel’s ‘Life of Pi’ or Anita Anand’s ‘Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond’.
FRENCH
YEAR 7
Research: a French town/ region/ country. Create your own holiday leaflet about a special town place in France or any French speaking country - it should be colourful and informative
YEAR 8
Research: French comic books. Select one or two French comics to read over the summer and create your own comic book in French with a real adventures and great main character. Practice your artistic skills and writing in French
FOURTH FORM
Research: French Eurovision entries from 1950s to present day and find 3 you like to put on a playlist to listen to over the summer to help you with your French fluency and pronunciation. With the Day of Languages and Variety show in mind, you may wish to perform one of these songs in September in a band!
LOWER FIFTH
Research: a famous person who had an important role during the French Revolution. You should create a presentation explaining why you chose that person, what was that person’s role and any important or fun facts about them! The presentation should be colourful and engaging
GEOGRAPHY
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Read: a book about geography. (Or read a book not about geography – even fiction – and find the geography in it). The library list is here: Geography
Enter a competition:
• The Royal Geographical Society/Financial Times 2025 School Essay Competition is on the title: What are the implications for different countries of international trade policies in the contemporary world? The deadline is 31 October 2025
• The Royal Geographical Society’s 2025 Young Geographer of the Year is on the theme: Understanding islands. The deadline is 3 October 2025
• The Geographical Association’s Physical geography photo competition 2025 is on the theme: Earthshapes. The deadline is 30 September 2025
• The Geographical Association’s Geographical Model Making Competition 2025 is on the theme: Sustainable action in my local area. It is open to pupils in years 7, 8 & 9 (4th Form). The deadline is 31 July 2025
Go outside:
• Go to a new place (it doesn’t have to be far away or exotic)
• Wander around aimlessly and observe what is around you (if you want to be fancy you can call it Flâneurie)
• Record what you see and experience:
o What is the human and physical geography of the place?
o How do other people use and explore the place?
o Do the characteristics of the place affect how people behave there?
o Does the place change over time?
o Can you see evidence of the past in that place?
GERMAN
FOURTH FORM
Watch: some episodes about day to day life in Germany using Deutsche Welle
LOWER FIFTH:
Explore: grammar and GCSE style questions
HISTORY
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Visit: Living in London provides so many fantastic opportunities to engage with the history around you, not least by visiting one of our many museums.
This History department’s top picks this summer are:
• Imperial War Museum (nearest Tube: Elephant & Castle / Lambeth North) - relevant for every year group, this museum includes galleries on WWI, WWII, the Holocaust, and conflicts from 1945-2014. This is a must-visit at some point during your school career!
• Museum of the Home (nearest station: Hoxton, on Windrush Line) - formerly known as the Geffrye Museum, this museum has recently re-opened after a refurbishment. It tells diverse stories of domestic life in London through a series of period ‘Rooms Through Time’ from 1630 to an imagined room of 2049. An alternative way to explore history by looking at material culture, architecture and design, taking in issues of class, race and changing family structures along the way
YEAR 7 AND YEAR 8
Listen: Going on a long journey this summer? Why not download a History-themed podcast to pass the time productively?
• BBC Radio 4 - You’re Dead to Me . Accessible history podcast in which Greg Jenner, the writer of Horrible Histories, explores a diverse range of historical figures and topics with the help of comedian guests. Includes good age-appropriate handling of more sensitive topics
Read: Lower School historical fiction reading list here: Lower school reading list 2025
FOURTH FORM AND LOWER FIFTH
Listen: Going on a long journey this summer? Why not download a History-themed podcast to pass the time productively?
• The Rest is History, hosted by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook – we know that many of you are already fans of this excellent podcast series
o Pick a topic from the assassination of JFK to the last Vikings and settle in for enlightening discussion. Great for long family car journeys if you can all agree on a topic!
Read: Carefully-curated extension reading suggestions for every topic of the IGCSE syllabus will be appearing soon on the pupil Sharepoint – watch this space!
MATHS
YEAR 7
Watch: a ‘numberphile’ episode
Work: on a problem from Parallel
YEAR 8
Watch: a ‘numberphile’ episode
Work: on a problem from Parallel
Explore: the history of maths using the timeline activity at Mathigon
FOURTH FORM:
Watch: a ‘3blue1brown’ episode
Work: on a problem from ‘nrich’
Read: an article from Plus Maths
LOWER FIFTH
Watch: a ‘3blue1brown’ episode
Work: on a problem from ‘nrich’
Read: an article from Quantas Magazine
MUSIC
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Attend: a Prom Concert at the Royal Albert Hall from Friday 18th July to Saturday 13th September
• For most concerts you can book up to two standing ‘promming’ tickets at a cost of £8 each online from 10.30am on the day of the concert by going to BBC Proms 2025 and selecting the relevant concert on the day
• There is a huge range of music available
YEAR 7
Compose: a 30 second composition to act as a jingle for a TV advert - this can be for any instrument
YEAR 8
Compose: a piece for any combination of instruments up to a maximum of three which describes a trip or visit you have made in the summer holidays. Use the musical elements to help guide your compositional choices
FOURTH FORM
Compose: a piece for any combination of instruments up to a maximum of five which describes a trip or visit you have made in the summer holidays. Use the musical elements to help guide your compositional choices
LOWER FIFTH
Compose: a piece for any combination of instruments up to a maximum of five which describes a trip or visit you have made in the summer holidays. Use the musical elements to help guide your compositional choices.
Read: this article
• What questions does AI raise for music composition?
• Can AI be original in its compositional generation?
• How can composers harness AI to use it to develop music composition?
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Explore: and research the fantastic summer of sport ahead. Find your favourite sports, your favourite teams, favourite athletes – or discover new ones!
Go: to the home pages of such events to learn as much as you can about what goes into hosting such events, or what it takes to be an elite athlete competing on the international stage.
Consider: what role sports psychology plays in the success of teams and individuals:
• Do you think that mental preparation is equally important to physical preparation?
• What does it mean to be ‘mentally strong’ in sport; what does an athlete need to do in order to be able to perform to their very best with the whole world watching?
• What would a career in sports psychology involve?
Ideas to explore: goal setting, positive self-talk, visualisation, mental rehearsal, breathing control, control of arousal through the ‘inverted U theory’ and what is the ‘catastrophe theory’ and how can athletes avoid it happening to them!
World Games
Explore: the World Games - an international event that takes includes sports that are traditionally not contested at the Olympic Games. The 2025 World Games is the 12th edition of the World Games and will be held from 7 to 17 August 2025 in China. There will be 118 nations taking part, with 5000 expected athletes across 34 different sports.
BBC Campaign for a Summer of Sport: ‘Names will be made’
Go: to the BBC Sport homepage to find out about the summer of sport ahead, where ‘names will be made’. Find out who is on track to achieve individual and team glory this summer - then keep on top of the events to see if these predictions come true!
• Wimbledon – June 30th to July 13th
• Netball Superleague Finals: July 6th
• Women’s Rugby World Cup – August 27th to September 27th
• Women’s Football Euros – July 2nd to 27th
• The Hundred Cricket competition – August 5th
PHYSICS
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Visit: The Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition, 1 – 6 July 2025. A free annual event showcasing the latest science research from across the UK, through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and talks
YEAR 8 EXTENSION
Read: Physics World Article: Twists, Turns, Thrills and spills - The Physics of Rollercoasters
Watch: Vox: Why roller coaster loops aren’t circular
FOURTH FORM EXTENSION
Read: Explain that stuff: Ships and Boats – How do they float?
Watch: Veritasium – Why Airships Might Make A Comeback
Watch: Physics Girl – Can you solve the boat puzzle?
LOWER FIFTH EXTENSION
Watch: Atomic Frontier – Can you blow down a skyscraper?
Read: Civil engineering – A very short introduction
Complete: an online course – Civil Engineers: Shaping the World - in partnership with the Institute of Civil Engineers. 24th July 2023 – 31st July 2025
• This programme will introduce you to the world of civil engineering and show you the different ways that your career pathway could go!
• You’ll also have the chance to take part in some great quizzes and activities, and have the chance to hear from industry experts in webinars along the way
SPANISH
FOURTH FORM
Visit: If you did the Dali lesson with your teacher for curiosity day, go to Tate Modern and find a Dali painting and research it and make a sketch of it. Write your impressions
Visit: You can also go to the Freud Museum which offers a rich contextual display of Dalí ’s psychologyinspired art
Create: If you did the ‘decoding the language’ lesson, you can create a Language Map of Spain.
Draw or digitally design a map showing:
• Where Spanish, Catalan, Galician, and Basque are spoken
• Include flags, local greetings, and fun facts
• Bonus challenge: Add dialects or extinct languages like Mozarabic or Ladino
LOWER FIFTH
Visit: the National Gallery and find as many paintings by South American or Spanish artists
THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY
YEAR 7 AND YEAR 8
Watch: Crash Course Philosophy Videos on Ethics
• Numbers 34,35,36,38 on Natural Law, Kantian Ethics, Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics
Read: Philosophy Now Magazine articles on ethics, from issue 15
YEAR 8 EXTENSION
Read: Philosophy Now Magazine articles
FOURTH FORM
Watch: Crash Course Philosophy Videos on Ethics
Read: A Very Short Introduction to Animal Rights, from Very Short Introduction Series
LOWER FIFTH
Explore: The National Museums Liverpool website on the life and history of the Terracotta Warriors and Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Read and watch: Just War Theory in preparation for U5th GCSE