Yrs 7-9 (G6-8) Lower Secondary Subjects Guide for 2024-2025 cohort

LOWER SECONDARY YEARS 7-9 (GRADES 6 - 8)

SUBJECT GUIDE FOR 2024 - 2025

OUR PROGRAMME

WHAT IS THE LOWER SECONDARY PROGRAMME?

Through exposure to a broad range of subject areas, the Lower Secondary Programme builds on the foundations set in Preparatory education in developing students’ concepts, content, experiences and abilities.

WHAT DOES MY CHILD GAIN FROM THIS PROGRAMME?

The programme develops the skills of research, analysis, evaluation, reflection, collaboration and communication. It strengthens the links and common understanding across subject areas. By learning the Lower Secondary, students can access a broad balanced education, helping them to thrive throughout their schooling, work and life.

WHAT SUBJECTS DOES THIS PROGRAMME INCLUDE?

All students will take the following:

• English A Language & Literature

• Mathematics

• Science

• Humanities

• Computing

• Art

• Music

• Physical & Health Education

• English Skills Development

• Personal, Social & Health Education

• Vietnamese Studies

• Another language: Vietnamese A Language & Literature for students with Vietnamese nationality, Korean A Language & Literature or IGCSE French (Foreign Language)

• Extracurricular activities

ACADEMIC STRUCTURE

Transition to Secondary School: The teaching structure at RGSV Secondary School follows the preparation for the external IGCSE and DP courses. It will slowly bring in an inquiry-based approach with inspiration from the IB’s Middle Years Programme framework. Having progressed through Preparatory School, Years 7 to 9 are working in Lower Secondary. This constitutes the transition from preparatory to secondary school, with higher expectations and greater responsibility for the individual student. The programme is devised to provide students with opportunities that allow and encourage progression through each year, by building on existing knowledge, acquiring new skills, and developing wider understanding, following specific requirements for each subject. By the conclusion of Year 9, our students should be ready to tackle the challenges of our Pre-Sixth Form and IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) courses in Years 10 and 11. An overview of all subjects is available from the subject’s Head of Department.

Resources for Lower Secondary will vary according to the class. Some subjects will rely mainly on the core textbook; another subject may require use of devices; there may be practical components in a subject; reading and listening activities are invaluable ways to improve language skills. Most subjects will probably include a combination of resources, which will help to stimulate the learning process, such as the use of Google classroom. We expect each student to have all items on the Yr.7-9 Stationery List such as: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser for every class, a scientific calculator, mathematical equipment (compasses, protractor, etc.) for use at home and school. Other resources will be provided by the school; it is important that students learn responsibility: bringing the correct materials to each class, taking care of books, and returning resources at the proper time.

Homework: Homework can provide a valuable opportunity to reinforce classroom teaching, to gather information and formulate ideas, or to produce extended pieces of writing: a project, for example. In some subjects, homework may be given after each lesson to enable students to apply and practise skills introduced in class; in other subjects, the majority of work will be completed under the teacher’s supervision; most subjects will require the completion of a project from time to time. Hence, the homework timetable is far more flexible than in the Preparatory school; students are provided with a specialised homework planner and are expected to manage their time in order to complete all homework by the deadlines assigned, whether they have been asked to study for a test, or prepare a research project. Homework tasks are posted on the ManageBac learning platform and should follow the Homework schedule.

Learning to organise time e ectively is an important skill. On average, a Lower Secondary student will have approximately 60-90 minutes of homework per night. Additional reading and study is encouraged and expected. Catch-up work for students who are absent can be requested for an absence of 3 days or more, and will be given at the teacher’s discretion.

Assessment: Following our established curriculum enables the teacher to make continual assessments of progress through the year. A piece of timed writing, a presentation to the class, a technology project, a test: these may all be used as the basis for assessment, along with observations from classroom activities, and semester examinations. These continual assessments will inform the teacher’s comments to parents in the reports that are prepared at the end of each semester, in addition to providing a point of reference for Parent/Teacher conferences in the Autumn and Spring terms. Our objective is to provide every student with the skills, knowledge and motivation to achieve their personal best in each subject as they progress through these Lower Secondary years. Summative assessment grades should appear in the subject’s gradebook on the ManageBac learning platform. We expect students to make adequate progress; and letters of excelling and underachieving are sent by the Programme Coordinator Head of Secondary after each reporting session. Underachievement may result in the withdrawal of a scholarship. Note, for students who enter within 8 weeks of the scheduled Semester examinations, then their Semester Examinations grades will not be added to the Semester Grade on their report. The Semester Exam grade will read N/A and the Semester Grade will be calculated based on other assessed pieces.

for 2024-2025 cohort

Mathematics

Sciences Individuals & Societies

Mathematics

Integrated Sciences

Integrated Humanities

Vietnamese Studies

English A Language & Literature

Vietnamese A Language & Literature [compulsory if Vietnamese passport holder] Languages

Korean A Language & Literature* [compulsory if Korean passport holder]

French B (Foreign Language)

English Skills Development

Creative & Professional

Physical Education

Visual Art

Music

Computing

Physical & Health Education

* Korean passport who have previously taken French in Prep may continue with French

Mathematics

What current students say…

“Maths is fun and especially because we understand it!!”

“It’s satisfying when I can factorise quadratic expressions.”

“It has been interesting to learn about interior and exterior angles within polygons”

Aims

Mathematics promotes a powerful universal language, analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills that contribute to the development of logical, abstract and critical thinking. We aim to help students to make sense of the world and to describe phenomena in precise terms. It also promotes careful analysis and the search for patterns and relationships, skills necessary for success both inside and outside the classroom. Mathematics, then, should be accessible to, and studied by, all of our Key Stage 3 students.

Students should be active participants in the search for concepts and relationships. Mathematics is alive with the thrill of exploration and the rewards of discovery. Our RGSV Mathematics curriculum is designed to help students to develop problem-solving skills.

We seek to intrigue and motivate students and to expose students to authentic examples of how mathematics is useful and relevant to their lives. Mathematics provides the foundation for the study of sciences, engineering and technology. However, it is also evident in the arts and is increasingly important in economics, the social sciences and the structure of language. Students are encouraged to use information and communication technology (ICT) tools to represent information, to explore and model situations, and to find solutions to various problems. These are skills that are useful in a wide range of arenas. We aim to equip our students to progress and thrive in IGCSE mathematics and beyond, to A level and IB Diploma Programme.

Assessment

Students are continually assessed through dialogue and assessment for learning, to gauge levels of understanding. Homework tasks are set regularly and the outcomes are recorded on Managebac. End of Unit tests take place regularly throughout the year (these may be a combination of two or three units, or stand alone units). End of semester assessments take place two times per year. These are cumulative, so that all of the learning for the year up to that point may be included in the examination. A combination of homework, unit tests and end of semester examinations are used to determine the students’ grades. Students are always encouraged to reflect on their assessments and to see the assessment as a part of the learning cycle, informing the next steps for learning, rather than the end of the process.

Content overview

The RGSV Mathematics curriculum focuses on four branches of mathematical study:

Numerical and abstract reasoning

• commutativity, associativity and distribution of operations

• estimation and approximation

• measurement and units

• decimal places and significant figures

• equivalence in number and representation

• proportional reasoning using ratios and percentages

• how proportional relationships lead to linear equations and modelling

• how ratios associate quantities that vary together

• solving versus satisfying an equation

• equivalent expressions

• money and financial literacy

• appreciation of errors

Thinking with models

• representation and shape of functions

• algorithmic thinking

• transformations of functions

• modelling with functions

• applications and limitations of models

Spatial reasoning

• construction and manual skills

• visualisation and representation of 3D shapes

• moving between dimensions

• algorithmic thinking in trigonometry

Reasoning with data

• variability and randomness

• causation versus correlation

• inferences and informal inferential reasoning

• prediction and hypothesis testing

• sampling, resampling and aggregation

• the role of context in statistical inquiry

• the connection between purpose and utility

• outliers and how to separate the signal from the noise

• critical literacy in statistics, considering sources and evaluating techniques

• data distribution and how they can be analysed or compared

• the law of large numbers

• theoretical and experimental probabilities

• listing strategies

Sciences

Integrated Sciences

What current students say…

“Science has been really fun and interesting this year, I’ve really enjoyed the practical work too, even when it was di cult”

“Science is a challenging subject but it gives me motivation to study”

“Science is diverse and explores di erent categories and that can be applied in real life”

“I love the curriculum this year and I feel I am becoming an intellectual member of society”

Aims

Cambridge Lower Secondary curriculum that aims to establish a life-long curiosity about the natural world. The curriculum ensures that students will gain a strong foundation of knowledge and understanding in Science. As an integral part of the course, students are encouraged to think scientifically and develop investigative practical skills.

Biology

Chemistry Physics

Cells

Characteristics of living organisms

Food chains

Photosynthesis

States of matter

Chemical change

Combustion

Acids

Energy Forces

Electricity Light 1

Assessment

Assessment is integral to the process of teaching and learning. Throughout each unit students are formatively assessed through various forms, such as a wide range of questioning styles, feedback to support students, and peer and self-assessment. Homework tasks are set and assessed regularly. End of topic tests and investigation project assessments take place regularly throughout the year. End of semester assessments take place two times per year. A combination of lab reports, projects, end of topic tests and end of semester examinations are used to determine students’ grades. Students are always encouraged to reflect on their assessments and to see the assessment as a part of the learning cycle, informing the next steps for learning, rather than the end of the process.

Digestive system

Circulatory system

Respiratory system

Reproductive system

Particle theory

Atomic Structure

Elements & compounds

Chemical Reactions I

Motion

Sound Light II

Magnetism

Structure of Plants

Living things and their environment

Variation & inheritance

Chemical Reactions II

Salts

Reactivity Series

Rates of Reactions

Density, pressure & moments

Earth & Solar System

Thermal Physics

Individuals & Societies

Integrated Humanities

What current students say…

“Humanities is fun and educational, with practical activities and lots of essays. “

“I had a lot of fun in Humanities, especially building castles!”

“I think it's important to understand the di erent cultures and perspectives that make up our world, and humanities helps me do that. I also appreciate the way that humanities teaches me to think critically and creatively.”

Aims

Integrated Humanities at RGSV is based around MYP Individuals and Societies. We aim to improve critical thinking skills, ability to interpret complex information, concepts and inspire curiosity about the whole world more generally. In class, students complete a variety of activities, for example, improving extended writing skills, debating with each other and preparing and delivering presentations. We cover a broad range of topics, which prepares students for History, Geography or Business Studies at IGCSE level.

Assessment

Students are assessed primarily through end-of-unit assessments, which can be anything from an essay to a research task to a presentation. In addition, students complete regular quizzes to test key understanding and will sit an exam at the end of each semester. The exam will test key understanding and build essay writing skills in timed conditions. Also, students will be assessed on the quality and detail of classwork and homework tasks, both set regularly.

Content overview

Unit 1: What does it mean to be a global citizen?

Unit 1: How has globalisation shaped the world?

Semester 1

Semester 2

Unit 2:How can maps provide us with a sense of time, place and space?

Unit 3: What can we learn from di erent civilizations?

Unit 3: What can we learn from di erent civilizations?

Unit 4 : Where do we live?

Unit 5: What do people believe in?

Unit 2: Why are natural environments important to individuals and societies?

Unit 3: What was life like in the Middle Ages?

Unit 3: What was life like in the Middle Ages?

Unit 4: How does exploration a ect global interactions?

Unit 6: How have innovations and ideas changed the world?

Unit 1: How are societies governed?

Unit 2: What are natural hazards and how do societies respond to them?

Unit 3 How can new technologies a ect our identities and relationships?

Unit 3: How can new technologies a ect our identities and relationships?

Unit 4: Where are all the people?

Unit 6: Why do societies experience revolution?

Vietnamese Studies

What current students say…

“It helps students to develop their mother-tongue language, and culture in an international environment.”

“We have learnt a lot of new things from various teaching materials: videos, songs, films etc.”

“The lessons are interesting and useful for us.”

Aims

- to provide general, basic and systematic knowledge about Vietnam's history, geography, culture, traditions, customs and practices

- to foster students' love for the homeland, country, national pride, respect for the historical heritage of the nation and the heroic tradition in building and defending the country of their ancestors

- to develop the necessary qualities of citizens: positive attitude for society, sense of responsibility towards the community, love of labour, benevolence, discipline, respect and compliance with the law

- to have a sense of national self-reliance, ready to participate in national construction, protection and development

Content overview

Y7 - Y9 History lessons provide students information about the history of Vietnam from 7th century BC (Van Lang - Au Lac dynasties) to the early 20th century.

Y7 - Y9 Geography lessons provide students information about the significant characteristics of Vietnamese Geography which includes: location, population, ethnic groups, regions, classification of terrain, river systems, sea and islands…

Y7 - Y9 Vietnamese cultural lessons provide students information about the Vietnamese traditions, festivals, heritages, values and beliefs…

Y7 - Y9 Vietnamese Civic Education lessons foster students' pride of family and country, teach them the qualities of a nice person, respect to the diversity of other cultures, the rights of citizens and the rights of children as well as some other valuable topics to help them prepare for life, to become an international mindedness.

The Vietnamese studies lessons in RGSV are based on the Geography, History and Civic Education textbook for Year 7 to Year 9 students (Grade 6 to Grade 8) of the Vietnamese Ministry of Education.

Assessment

Students are assessed in a variety of methods including quizzes, writings, oral presentations and projects.

Year 8

Year 9

Languages

English A Language & Literature

What current students say…

“English is very thought provoking."

"English this year was creative and interesting.”

Aims

The Lower Secondary English A Language and Literature course aims to provide students with a breadth of knowledge to prepare them for their studies in both IGCSE and later in IBDP. Each year's course is designed to expose students to a range of text and assessment types, while also ensuring they develop skills in both language and literature.

Content overview

In year 7, Lower Secondary English A students study myths and legends, poetry, advertising and complete an independent novel study. The work completed in year 7 o ers an entry to the Secondary English programme and ensures that students build the skills needed to take on the next year.

In year 8, students study the elements of fiction writing, poetry from around the world, film, and persuasive writing.

In year 9, students learn about gothic fiction, before studying a novel, writing their own speech and learning about Dystopian Fiction.

Assessment

Students are assessed using a variety of methods including in class essays, story writing, speeches and projects.

Vietnamese A Language & Literature

What current students say…

“Vietnamese is an interesting subject with a diversity of topics, activities and projects for students.”

“It combines the IB curriculum with the material we actually studied in these relaxed classes.”

“It’s not totally based on Vietnamese text books, so it gives us chances to be creative and proactive in learning.”

“At RGSV, we have a really engaging and fun Vietnamese learning program that uses creative instructional techniques and IB characteristics to build us into a well rounded student from languages to teamwork.”

Aims

- to maintain and develop student's knowledge, understanding and skills in learning their mother tongue language

- to enable students to explore and engage with a range of texts (both written in Vietnamese and translation texts), in a variety of media and forms, from di erent periods, styles, and cultures

- to increase their confidence and fluency in communication in Vietnamese

- to foster their interest in and enjoyment of Vietnamese language and literature

- to prepare for IBDP Vietnamese A: Language and Literature course

Assessment

Students are assessed by Formative Assessment (during the unit) and Summative Assessment (by the end of the unit). There are a variety of Assessment methods including quizzes, reading aloud, short writings, essays, oral presentations and projects.

Content overview

Year

My beloved homeland

Family and community: Loving and sharing The heroes in Vietnamese legends

Unit 3

My favourite books

Year 8

The melody of our childhood

The roots of love

Life in di erent regions An adventurous journey

Year 9

The classic beauty

The turning points Our capacity & development Happiness is around us

Korean A Language & Literature

What current students say…

“It is fun and interesting!”

“It keeps us thinking.”

“It presents us with a new perspective.”

Aims

Korean A L&L Lower Secondary course is a process of approaching famous literary works from a di erent perspective while also studying the characteristics of various non-literary texts.

Content overview

Students interpret a text from various perspectives. And they also \ identify the relationship between the author's choice and the subject of the text. Then prove his/her interpretation in a logical way. This includes various forms such as writing, speaking, and presenting. Students should also comprehensively consider strategies to communicate his/her interpretations persuasively to the other person.

Assessment

The assessment is essentially in the same form as the DP course, but in a shorter and simpler form. Students should present his/her interpretation in the form of essay, recording, and presentation, and prove his/her idea through the procedure of 'Citation-Analysis-Evaluation'. The results submitted by the student are evaluated based on the IB's marking criteria.

French B (Foreign Language)

What current students say…

“Learning French helped with my English vocabulary and my ability to explore di erent cultures”

“Learning French has allowed me to communicate with new friends, I learned a lot about the culture and rich history of the Frenchspeaking world that I never would have discovered otherwise.”

Aims

The French course from Year 7 to Year 9 aims to:

- immerse students in the French-speaking world with insights into culture and traditions;

- provide logical grammar progression, vocabulary acquisition and language-learning strategies;

- support all abilities with di erentiated activities integrated throughout the course.

Content overview

Assessment

Students are regularly assessed throughout their homework, vocabulary tests and grammar tests.

Internal examinations take place twice a year and students are assessed on the 4 skills:

- Listening (25%)

- Reading (25%)

- Speaking (25%)

- Writing (25%)

The syllabus is divided into themes including specific vocabulary, grammar and skills. The knowledge and skills of the students are refreshed and extended through the whole curriculum.

Unit 2

- Personal information, physical appearance, favourite objects

Semester 1

Semester 2

- Personality, family, school, subjects, friends

- School, home and animals

- Food, drinks and eating out

- Local area, describing a town and activities

- Routines, clothes and hobbies

- Holidays, present, past and future

- Sport & leisure

- Daily life and issues in francophone countries

- Comparing France and other countries

- Entertainment media and advertising

- Technology, advantages and issues

- Issues for teenagers, stress, relationships with parents

- Healthy diet and fitness

- Special occasions, parties and festivals

- Transports, routines and holidays

- Home, describing one’s housing

- Jobs, advantages and issues and ambitions

English Skills Development

What current students say…

“ESD has really helped me build my confidence as a presenter.”

“When we work on writing skills in ESD we have a lot of fun and really get much better!”

“We work hard in ESD, but the teachers support us a lot and it has been great for my language skills.”

Aims

To deliver di erentiated & highly engaging lesson sequences which boost spoken & written fluency in English for all students (Year 7, 8 & 9).

To coach the use of the Physical Message, fluency strategies, spontaneous production & planning for production.

To create a stronger foundation in speaking & writing at length in English before learners are required to focus on academic language.

To introduce & practise routines which support success in key content subjects (Science, Humanities & English). To actively collaborate with subject teachers so as to boost di erentiation & learner success.

To generate individual output which can be used to identify language coaching targets.

To boost confidence & success for all learners in their school learning.

Content overview

ESD runs twice a week across Years 7, 8 & 9. Teachers run lesson sequences which introduce aspects of fluency, generate output from learners at their peak ability, and coach targets for skills development.

Areas coached:

- Mastery of use of the Physical Message for communicative success (gestures, eye contact, facial expression, posture). These aspects are critical for natural pronunciation, confidence, power in delivery & e ective communications. We achieve this through a blend of class learning & flipped learning opportunities to constantly practise presenting.

- Spontaneous production through ‘short talk’ drills which are used to stretch learner fluency on everyday topics. Topics become more challenging across the year groups.

- Planning before production through the repeated use of specific fluency tools. This creates an essential habit which delivers success for the future. ESD learners encounter and perfect the use of tools such NewsBites, Opinion Pieces, Event Checks, R2X Ready to Experiment & 2050 Briefing. Repeated practise and use of the tools in Science, English & Humanities as well as ESD creates familiar routines and focus points for excellence.

- ESD content is often highly personalised as the course design aims to draw on learned experience so as to reduce the cognitive load and a ective barriers. This supports learners in boosting fluency.

- Year 9 ESD focuses a little more deliberately on academic English, functional grammar, and fluency tests such as IELTS.

Assessment

Spoken & written fluency output is generated from learners at multiple points in each semester. Formative & summative assessments provide clear indications of current ability and areas that need improvement. Each semester concludes with tests of speaking & writing at length.

Creative & Professional

Visual Arts

What current students say…

“I am learning how to communicate my ideas through my artwork.”

“Art challenges the way I see the world, to develop and change what I am thinking.”

“When I do Art I have a safe place to express myself.”

Aims

Direction through inspiration, communicating through Art

The Visual Arts curriculum at RGSV encourages our pupils to continually create new possibilities and challenge traditional boundaries. Through facilitating learning, direction and guidance, pupils explore a variety of mediums to communicate and express their ideas. This is evident both in the way we make art and in the way we understand what artists from around the world do. Theory and practice in visual arts are dynamic, ever changing and connect many areas of study and human experience through individual and collaborative production and interpretation.

Pupils will:

• create and present art

• develop skills specific to the discipline

• engage in a process of creative exploration and (self-)discovery

• make purposeful connections between investigation and practice

• understand the relationship between art and its contexts

• respond to and reflect on art

• deepen their understanding of the world

Year 7

Inquiry Statement Pattern and repetition can communicate cultural identity, and personal expression

Art Medium of focus

Drawing and Painting: Art Deco

Causation of our culture shapes our identity; beliefs and values

Construction:

Creating cultural artefacts (Pottery)

Ethnographic art

Form is used to convey meaning to audiences who are influenced by time and space

Printing-making: Geometric abstraction Colour Theory how colour is used, basic skills of foam printing, three colour layering

The relationship between humans and landscapes change

Painting:

Cityscapes

Using painting to convey meaning

Year 8

Inquiry Statement

The nature and purpose of creative expression has not changed through time

Art Medium of focus Abstract

Drawing and Painting: Using medium specific materials and techniquesdeliberately using correct terminology

Artists can be ambassadors to raising awareness of responsibilities

Minimalism Art inspired Printing-making/ collage: Colour Theory how colour is used, basic skills of foam printing, three colour layering. Mixed media

Photography function is to communicate how we understand the world in which we live

Photography: rule of thirds, cropping, points-of-view, colour theorymonochromes. Basics of Photoshop- layering, erazing, adding text/multiple images

The meaning of artworks’ “where” and “when” is determined by perspective.

Painting- masking, exploring layering, di erences between watercolour and acrylics

Year 9

Title

Inquiry Statement Art form communicates human nature and human dignity

Art Medium of focus Hyperrealism

Drawing and Painting: Using medium specific materials and techniquesdeliberately using correct terminology.

Art connects commonality and diversity

Drawing and Painting: Using medium specific materials and techniquesdeliberately using correct terminology. Comparing two art periods.

Each unit of work will consist of both formative and summative assessments.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Power and privilege is based on perspective

Dada Construction: demonstrate the application of skills and techniques to create, perform and/or present art

Dynamic painting digital art

Art's function is to help us understand the world in which we live

Photography: rule of thirds, cropping, points-of-view, colour theorymonochromes. Basics of Photoshop- layering, erazing, a dding text/multiple images

Music

What current students say…

“I always thought violin was an impossible instrument, but at least I can play something now”

“I learned about music notation and how it applies to the violin”

“I of course enjoyed the lesson, but we learned how to perform under pressure”

Aims

Music aims to connect the student’s creative, physical and intellectual abilities as well as teaching students about the artistic and historical contexts of the music studied and explored in class.

Through our lessons we aim to develop practical musical skills as well as developing a theoretical understanding of how music is written and communicated through the western notation system.

We also aim to develop the students' personal curiosity about the processes of music making, while developing confidence to perform as soloists and members of an ensemble.

A further aim is to prepare students with the foundational knowledge and skills required to take music at higher levels through IGCSE and Diploma Music in years 10-13.

Content overview

Practical Music: In years 7 and 8 students learn fundamental skills on the violin or cello. In addition to this, music theory concepts are reinforced through the Dalcroze Eurhythmics activities that allow students to physicalize and thus internalise theoretical ideas holistically.

Theory: They are taught to read music on the treble and bass staves, and learn how to read and write rhythm and pitch for their instruments.

Students explore:

• Note and Rest symbols and values

• Time signature and metres

• Pitch on the treble (violin) and bass (Cello)

Music in context:

• Students explore the historical and artistic background of music employed in lessons.

• Students also consider the stylistic characteristics of the music studied in preparation for higher levels.

Assessment

The assessment consists of three elements: Instrumental Practice, which focuses on intonation, proper technique, listening to others and following the conductor. Music Theory, which enables the students to understand the musical language in a standard manner. And finally singing, they are able to sing (to an extent) the music they play as well as sing in harmony according to their register.

Computing

What current students say…

“Computing taught me to become more resilient as it’s a process of developing and studying new technological skills.”

“Computing is very interesting. It especially helps me boost my logical thinking.”

“It helped me to understand how our minds work and how we evolved to communicate and solve problems.”

Aims

The Lower Secondary Computing course aims to give learners a broad foundation in computing skills and concepts that will be of value to them both if they choose to follow pathways into ICT or Computer Science, or if they pursue other options. The course addresses key ideas across three areas: Information Communications Technology, computer science, and digital citizenship.

Content overview

In the ICT strand, learners will explore the use of common software applications, including word processing, presentation and spreadsheet software. They learn how to develop web pages both using simple website builders, and using HTML. They also explore the physical nature of computers and computing systems, learning about computer hardware and networks, incorporating the internet. In the computer science strand, learners explore coding languages, beginning with the block-based Scratch environment, and developing these skills to learn how to program with text in Python 3. From a more theoretical perspective, they explore the use of flowcharts in coding, computational thinking and its uses, and how data is represented and communicated in binary code. Finally, the digital citizenship strand aims to help learners negotiate their digital lives successfully. It includes topics such as cyberbullying, media balance, and how to maintain your digital footprint.

Assessment

In addition to ongoing formative assessment and feedback, the learners are assessed summatively at the end of each unit of work. Assessment methods include projects which require students to apply their knowledge in practical and engaging situations, tests to assess theoretical knowledge and vocabulary, or a combination of these.

Physical and Health Education

What current students say…

"Physical education fuels our bodies, ignites our spirits, and empowers us to conquer new heights, transforming us into the best versions of ourselves."

"Physical education is like super fun, where we get to jump, run, and play games with our friends"

"Physical education sparks our imagination, inviting us to invent new moves, explore unique ways to stay active”

Aims

RGSV physical and health education aims to empower students to understand and appreciate the value of being physically active and develop the motivation for making healthy life choices. To this end, physical and health education courses foster the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will contribute to a student’s balanced and healthy lifestyle. Through opportunities for active learning, courses in this subject group embody and promote the holistic nature of well-being. Students engaged in physical and health education will explore a variety of concepts that help foster an awareness of physical development and health perspectives, empowering them to make informed decisions and promoting positive social interaction.

Content overview

Students will develop knowledge and understanding about health and physical activity in order to identify and solve problems, through inquiry design, analyse, evaluate and perform a plan in order to improve performance in physical and health education. Students develop and apply practical skills, techniques, strategies and movement concepts through their participation in a variety of physical activities and enhance their personal and social development, set goals, take responsible action and reflect on their performance and the performance of others.

Students will be involved in the following activities to develop the above-mentioned skill sets.

Semester One

Year 7

Football

Swimming

Basketball

Semester Two

Tag or touch

Class

Year 8

Football

Swimming

Basketball

Frisbee

Year 9

Football

Volleyball

Basketball

Softball

Assessment

Students will be assessed by practical, written, performance and reflective assessments throughout the year. The student's best grade in a particular component will be awarded as their final grade.

Knowledge and Understanding

Students develop knowledge and understanding about health and physical activity in order to identify and solve problems.

In order to reach the aims of physical and health education, students should be able to:

i. explain physical and health education factual, procedural and conceptual knowledge

ii. apply physical and health education knowledge to analyse issues and solve problems set in familiar and unfamiliar situations

iii. apply physical and health terminology e ectively to communicate understanding

Applying and Performing

Students develop and apply practical skills, techniques, strategies and movement concepts through their participation in a variety of physical activities.

In order to reach the aims of physical and health education, students should be able to:

i. demonstrate and apply a range of skills and techniques e ectively

ii. demonstrate and apply a range of strategies and movement concepts e ectively

iii. analyse and apply information to perform e ectively.

Reflecting and Improving Performance

Students enhance their personal and social development, set goals, take responsible action and reflect on their performance and the performance of others.

In order to reach the aims of physical and health education, students should be able to:

i. explain and demonstrate strategies to enhance interpersonal skills

ii. analyse and evaluate performance.