English How can we use the power of language to change our world for the better? Students will then learn to write like journalists about how ‘Through conflict, we evolve’. Reading and researching events from history through a combination of archived footage, eyewitness accounts and articles. students will know how to establish a moral imperative, research and fact-check whilst placing a focus on planning, writing and crafting an essay about the qualities of effective leaders.
Mathematics Sequences: Students will learn to generate sequences from a rule given as words and algebraically. Students will learn to find a generalised nth term of a simple linear equation. Graphical representations of linear relationships: Students will learn to draw and recognise graphs, exploring both positive and negative gradients and linking these to linear sequence. Sets and probability: Students will learn how to represent and find probabilities from samples space diagrams, two-way tables and Venn diagrams. Equations: Students will learn how to solve a multi-step linear equation.
Science Ecology: Students will study Classification of plants and animals. Photosynthesis and how plant use glucose and minerals. Ecosystems, food chains and webs and how organisms are adapted to their environment
Computer Science Networks: Students will develop an understanding of wired and wireless networks, how they are arranged, and the hardware needed. They will explore what the internet is and the services it provides including the world wide web.
Physical Education
How do individuals abuse power to justify their behaviour?
By studying world seminal literature, students are exposed to influential writing through the allegorical novella ‘Animal Farm’. Building on skills from Year 7: identifying how rhetoric is used as a means of oppression to inspire their own writing.
Fractions and Percentages: Students will learn to calculate fractions and percentages of amounts, explore percentages as multipliers for an increase or decrease and work with percentage change. Students will learn to choose an appropriate method to solve percentage problems. Multiplying and Dividing Fractions: Students will deepen their understanding by using multiple representations to multiply and divide any fraction with another fraction or integer.
Forces and Space: Students will study contact and non-contact forces, resultant forces and gravity. Students will then study space and the solar system. They will study why we have day and night and the different seasons. They will explore space including how satellites work.
Web development: Students will develop a website using google sites and improve programming skills using HTML to code a website. The two different methods will be compared and contrasted. Students will also learn how they would host websites online.
Rugby Students will develop the core skills of handling and carrying skills, passing: (Both hands in either direction), receiving, beating opponents, try scoring, grounding the ball with downward pressure, playing the ball in contact, retaining the ball and contact skills: tackling. Students will develop the advanced skills of passing: spin, both ways, contact skills: tackling - basic technique from rear and smothering, specialist skills, scrum and kicking (conversions).
Netball Students will develop the core skills of footwork: - stopping/landing, pivoting, dodging Ball handling - Catching whilst stationary, passing over short distances, shooting: (GS and GA only), stationary Rebounds (GA, GS, GD, GK only) and marking- player with the ball. Students will develop the advanced skills of ball handling - Catching on the run and catching in the air, passing over mid-long distance, shooting: (GS and GA only) and Stepping
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
Defence - Marking player without the ball
Handball Students will develop the core skills of Catching (two handed), dribbling with dominant hand, passing, shooting - in place and in movement, offensive and defensive movement – feinting. Students will develop the advanced skills of catching (one handed), dribbling with either/both hands, passing - jump pass, shooting - vertical, striding jump shot, shot whilst falling and offensive and defensive movement - stealing, screening and tackling.
Basketball Students will develop the core skills of stance and footwork - triple threat position and pivoting, passing, shooting - set shot, jump shot, dominant hand lay-up, dribbling - dominant hand and marking a player with the ball. Students will develop the advanced skills of shooting – nondominant hand Lay-up, hook shot, rebounding, dribbling - with either hand, beating opponents individual and team.
Table Tennis Students will develop the core skills of serving, return of serve, offensive strokes: (forehand) - hit and smash, defensive strokes: (forehand)push/slice, chop and Application of spin. Students will develop the advanced skills of offensive strokes: (forehand and backhand) - loop, counter-hit, defensive strokes: (forehand and backhand) - block, lob and Application of spin on strokes –sidespin and cork spin and footwork and positioning.
Football Students will develop the core skills of ball control using - both feet Passing: (dominant foot) • Short • Long – both lofted and along the ground, throw ins, shooting: (dominant foot), dribbling - use of both feet, tackling - block tackle and marking a layer with the ball. Students will develop the advanced skills of non-dominant foot passing, dominant and non-dominant foot shooting, dribbling and defensive or attacking marking a player without the ball.
Geography Astounding Africa: Students will continue to build on their knowledge and understanding of places embedded throughout year 7 by exploring Africa. Students will explore the human development of Africa, as well as how humans interact with these extreme environments.
History Why were the Stuarts so remarkable? Students will look at key events that occurred during the Stuart period. This includes the gunpowder plot, the civil war, the regicide and the Great Plague.
Religious Studies What is the covenant? Students will learn about the Abrahamic faiths. They will study what a covenant is, Abraham and Ibrahim, Moses, the New Covenant, Islam and the Kaaba.
How convincing is Emma Griffin’s interpretation about the impact of the Industrial Revolution on ordinary people? Students will look at what the industrial revolution was and how it affected the lives of men, women and children. They will also look at the effects of the Industrial revolution in Lancashire.
Who was Jesus? Students will explore the life and teachings of Jesus and his relevance to modern Christians. Topics will include: How does the birth narrative fulfil prophecy? Miracles, Baptism, Discipleship, the last week of Jesus’ life and remembering Jesus’ death through lent and Easter.
Spanish Las vacaciones - Students will begin their year 8 curriculum journey discussing their holidays experience. They will revisit key vocabulary and grammatical concepts from year 7 including the use of ser and tener as well as develop their grammatical knowledge of the preterite tense. Pupils will be exposed to different Spanish speaking countries as well as European destinations. They will also revisit Día de Los Muertos to use their preterite knowledge in a different context during November. They will also use se puede to say what you can do whilst on visiting different places in the world and directions will also be covered using the imperative. They will also be exposed to the history and culture of Barcelona. Students will learn about Gaudí and his influence on the city as well as gain a better understanding of different autonomous regions in Spain.
Design Technology Design and Make Project – Sweet Dispenser: Students will follow the iterative design process to design and make a sweet dispenser. Students will explore material properties with a focus on timber and will investigate types of motion, the role of quality control and quality assurance when designing and making products along with developing evaluative skills.
Art Natural Forms – Printing: Students will begin by investigating the concept of natural forms, drawing natural objects and looking into the work of Artists and Craftspeople who use natural forms as inspiration. We will focus on the idea that natural forms can contain elements of pattern and texture especially when viewed in a macro format. Drawings of a variety of natural forms including flowers, plants, seed heads, seashells and leaves will be produced by the students. Outlines of these drawings will be transposed onto lino and students will cut out their designs using lino cutting techniques
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
and processes. Students will experiment with creating textures and patterns using printing techniques and create a printed final piece.
Drama Soap Opera: Students will develop their knowledge of soap operas. Students will look at the history of soap operas and develop characters through voice and movement. They will explore scripts to better understand the conventions of a soap opera and create improvisations from storylines.
Music Exploring Rhythm in Disco Music: Students will explore polyrhythms and the use of pulse and syncopation within dance music. Students will look at the history of Disco music and compose their own piece by layering rhythms and samples.
Exploring Hip Hop and DJs: Students will explore the music technology of the 80s and how it was used by DJs to create Hip Hop Music. Students will look at turntables and vinyl records, over-dubbing and remixing and how these tools were used to forge a new genre.
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
Subject Spring Term
English How does conflict bring about restoration and change?
Creative writing: Gothic: Students will be analysing conventions of gothic fiction through the study of a range of famous extracts. Students will practice writing, editing and redrafting their own gothic short story.
How does conflict bring about restoration and change?
‘Relationships through time’: Students will study a range of poetic forms and structures from across different eras. Students will develop their skills in analysing language and structure. Students will complete an analysis of one of the poems studied for their assessment.
Mathematics
Statistical representations and measures: Students will learn how to draw statistical diagrams including bar charts, line charts and pie charts.
Statistical analysis: Students will learn how to interpret statistical diagrams choosing the most appropriate of these for a given data set. Students will understand and use the mean, median and mode choosing the most appropriate of the three averages and the range to compare distributions.
Science Chemical reactions: Students will study chemical symbols, formulae and equations. They will cover testing for gases and oxidation reactions. They will also look at how metals react in acids and any patterns in reactivity and explore exothermic and endothermic reactions.
Computer Science
Physical Education
Programming: Students will be introduced to text-based programming using Python. They will develop a wide range of skills such as assigning variables, calculations and data casting to develop programs.
Standard Index Form: Students will learn to convert fluently between any number written as an ordinary number or in standard form. Students will learn to add and subtract numbers written in standard form both mentally and with a calculator. Area of Trapezia and Circles: Students will learn to find the area of a trapezium, circle and compound shapes including areas taught in previous years.
Organisation: Moving on from the Cells topic, content will focus on the heart and circulation and how the lungs ventilate our bodies. Furthermore, students study the digestive system, enzymes and food tests.
Cybersecurity: Students will explore key cybersecurity threats including malware and social engineering and investigate techniques to protect from these vulnerabilities.
Basketball Students will develop the core skills of stance and footwork - triple threat position and pivoting, passing, shooting - set shot, jump shot, dominant hand lay-up, dribbling - dominant hand and marking a player with the ball. Students will develop the advanced skills of shooting – non-dominant hand Lay-up, hook shot, rebounding, dribbling - with either hand, beating opponents individual and team.
Table Tennis Students will develop the core skills of serving, return of serve, offensive strokes: (forehand) - hit and smash, defensive strokes: (forehand) - push/slice, chop and Application of spin. Students will develop the advanced skills of offensive strokes: (forehand and backhand) - loop, counter-hit, defensive strokes: (forehand and backhand) - block, lob and Application of spin on strokes –sidespin and cork spin and footwork and positioning.
Football Students will develop the core skills of ball control using - both feet Passing: (dominant foot) • Short • Long – both lofted and along the ground, throw ins, shooting: (dominant foot), dribbling - use of both feet, tackling - block tackle and marking a layer with the ball. Students will develop the advanced skills of nondominant foot passing, dominant and non-dominant foot shooting, dribbling and defensive or attacking marking a player without the ball.
Badminton Students will develop the core skills of grip, serving, forehand shots (overhead/drop shot/lift/smash/drive) and understanding court markings / rules. Students will develop the advanced skills of grip, serving (short/long), forehand shots and backhand shots (overhead/drop shot/lift/smash/drive and movement into core and advanced skills.
Dance Students will develop the core skills of traveling steps, body tension, head body and arms that portray the style, canon, control of body shape, holds, jumps and the aesthetics of movements Students will develop the advanced skills of variation, formations, walks, choreography of routines – motifs, theme and variation,
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
repetition and climax.
Fitness Students will develop the core and advanced skills of different types of training including circuit training (boxercise), HITT training, fartlek training and continuous training.
Geography Amazing Asia: Students will study the Asian powerhouse of China and look at how they’re becoming a dominating global power. A particular focus on globalisation and the middle east.
History How democratic was Britain by 1900? Students will look at the push for reform by the working class. Students will study key topics of Chartism, Peterloo and the women’s Suffrage movement.
Religious Studies What is the purpose of life? Students will explore philosophical questions from a Hinduism perspective. They will learn about: the Hindu Moral Code, the four stages of life, Dharma, Samsara and the Bhagavad Gita.
South America: Students will focus on the South American continent, exploring the interactions between human and physical geographical elements including Brazil and its use of the Amazon Rainforest.
How did slavery change the face of Africa and Britain? Students will look at Britain’s role in the slave trade and how this has changed the make-up of our country. Students will also look at the impact of slavery on Africa and its legacy
Do we need to suffer? Students will explore the question of suffering through the study of Buddhism. They will learn about: Siddartha – 4 sights, 4 Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, Meditation, Worship and the Sangha.
Spanish ¿Quedamos en el restaurante? Students will learn about food and build on their prior knowledge of opinions to develop their ideas about food habits and preferences. They will revisit key grammatical concepts, vocabulary and phonics and focus on the first and third person conjugations as well as revisit the immediate future tense when ordering food and making plans. Students will also revisit the verb querer to do this. Students will also be exposed to authentic menu texts and cultural information regarding typical Hispanic dishes.
Design Technology Food Science: Students will explore the science behind cooking including heat transference, food storage, preservation and different cooking methods. Students will analyse the functional and chemical properties and working characteristics of the ingredients they cook with.
Art
Charity Money Box: Students will follow the iterative design process to design and make a charity money box. Students will explore the using online graphics design software (PhotoPea) to create relevant design idea shaving used skills such as filters, applying gradients, vectorising images and manipulating images associated to their chosen charity. Students will produce their final artefact in response to a given brief and evaluate their performance against a given set of criteria.
Steampunk Insects: Using the formal elements and drawing techniques as guides, students will produce accurate drawings of insects. These drawings will then be used and added to with design work in the style of steam punk artwork and craft. Students will then go on to produce a final piece of work drawn to show links to their design work. They will map out their design onto a larger scale piece of paper and will initially begin enlarging their image. Students will go on to add tonal shading, detail and mark-making to their piece of work, thus creating a technically complex and intricate piece of Artwork.
Drama Soap Opera: Students will look at the history of soap operas and develop characters through voice and movement. They will explore scripts to better understand the conventions of a soap opera and create improvisations from storylines. Students will create their own soap opera episode from their understanding throughout the unit.
Students will go on to explore Our Day Out, a play by Willy Russell. Through dramatic exploration, we will delve into key themes such as social class, education, and childhood innocence. Students will use a range of drama techniques including role-play, improvisation, and hot-seating to understand the motivations of characters like Mrs. Kay, Mr. Briggs, and the students. By engaging with the text, students will develop the ability to perform in a naturalistic style, understand character relationships, and explore how the play conveys important social messages. This will help us reflect on how drama can be used to discuss social issues while enhancing our performance and teamwork skills.
Music Exploring Electronic Dance Music: Students will learn how to effectively use a digital audio workspace to create electronic dance music. Students will explore modern dance music, understanding the key characteristics
Exploring Classical Music: Students will explore the classical period of music, building on their knowledge of the orchestra from year 7. Students will focus on texture, timbre and dynamics, listening and analysing pieces by famous classical composers.
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
which they will use when composing and sequencing their own piece.
Summer Term
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
English Continue our study of poetry through the ‘Relationships through Time’ anthology.
How do individuals abuse power to justify their behaviour?
Shakespeare: Students will develop an understanding of who Shakespeare was and why his work still has an impact today. Students will study ‘Julius Caesar’ in its entirety.
Mathematics Angles in Parallel Lines and Polygons: Students will learn to use basic angle rules and notations. Students will investigate angles between parallel lines and the transversal. Students will learn to construct triangles and quadrilaterals. Students will calculate missing interior angles of regular polygons.
Science Electricity and Magnetism: Students will study electrical circuits in series and parallel and investigate resistance in a circuit. Students will investigate magnets, magnetic fields and electromagnets.
Waves: Students will study sound waves and how to calculate the speed of sound. They will use ray diagrams to explain what happens to light rays during reflection and refraction and how light is dispersed.
Computer Science Graphics and 3D Design: Students will manipulate 2D graphics using various software and will be introduced to 3D graphics. They will focus on the use of 3D printers in industry, possible job opportunities and produce their own 3D print.
Physical Education
Continue the study of Shakespeare: Students will develop their written analytical responses to key themes and characters.
Transformations: Students will learn to recognise symmetry and reflect a shape in either a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line.
Evolution and Inheritance: Students will study the variation in organisms. They will look at the structure of DNA and different genetic disorders, their causes and effects. Students will also study natural selection, fossils and extinction of organisms.
Earth’s resources: Students will look at the Earth’s structure and the rock cycle. How metals are extracted and electrolysis. How carbon is recycled, global warming and the impact of Humans on the environment.
Ethical, cultural and Environmental impacts: Students will discuss the benefits and negative impacts that technology has on the world to help them make informed choices for the future. This will focus on the environmental impacts of technology and how they can be more considerate users.
Badminton Students will develop the core skills of grip, serving, forehand shots (overhead/drop shot/lift/smash/drive) and understanding court markings / rules. Students will develop the advanced skills of grip, serving (short/long), forehand shots and backhand shots (overhead/drop shot/lift/smash/drive and movement into core and advanced skills.
Dance Students will develop the core skills of traveling steps, body tension, head body and arms that portray the style, canon, control of body shape, holds, jumps and the aesthetics of movements Students will develop the advanced skills of variation, formations, walks, choreography of routines –motifs, theme and variation, repetition and climax.
Fitness Students will develop the core and advanced skills of different types of training including circuit training (boxercise), HITT training, fartlek training and continuous training.
Athletics Students will develop the core skills of Track - posture, arm action, leg action. Jumping - take off and approach. Throwing – grip and initial stance (Power position). Students will develop the advanced skills of Track – pacing. Jumping - Hitting appropriate speed for take-off (gradually increasing speed on the runway. Throwing - Release angle
Volleyball Students will develop the core skills of serving – underarm, dig, set, spike, volleying, receiving service and teamwork and communication. Students will develop the advanced skills of overarm service, court positioning and shots from different heights.
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
Rounders Students will develop the core skills of throwing and catching, fielding (Long barrier), basic bowling technique, batting - grip, stance and batting contact. Students will develop the advanced skills of high catch, low catch, long barrier on the move, batting direction in different locations, bowling at different speeds and heights and positional play (post play, bowler)
Cricket Students will develop the core skills of fielding - pick up and throw underarm and overarm, batting - footwork, pull shot, bowling - run up, different bowling styles and wicketkeeping - positioning, technique. Students will develop the advanced skills of batting - square cut, off and on drive, bowling: different variations of flight, line and length depending on type of bowling action, wicketkeeping: stumping and fielding - pick up to run outunderarm and overarm.
Geography
South America: Students will continue to focus on the South American continent, exploring the interactions between human and physical geographical elements including Brazil and its use of the Amazon Rainforest.
History What is Satnam Sanghera’s view of the British Empire? Students will look at what the British Empire was and how Britain came to dominate the world. Students will then focus on the experiences of those living under British rule in India, America, Australia and Africa.
Religious Studies Does religion encourage equality? Students will study the issue of equality through the Islamic religion including the topics of: The Life of the Prophet Muhammad, beliefs and teachings about poverty and injustice, Alms giving, Islamic Relief, the role of women, Shariah Law and Islamophobia.
Global Issues: Students will finish the year by consolidating their knowledge of the continents they’ve studied so far. In this unit students will study big geographical talking points such as Climate change, Plastic Pollution, Global Biomes and more.
What caused Russia to become a communist country in 1917? Students will look at the conditions in Russia and how these conditions led to revolution. Students will look at the rise of Communism under Lenin.
How do people experience God? Students will be exploring the key question relating to belief in God. Students will investigate if belief in God is dying out and how conversions and miracles can impact a person's faith. Students will then have the opportunity to take part in a Spirited Arts competition
Spanish La cultura, la tecnología y yo: Students will revisit concepts from year 7 and year 8 and develop new knowledge about TV and film as well as their preferences. The unit will enable them to develop their ability to use preterite, present and near future. They will also be exposed to writers and popular culture figures from the Spanish speaking world as well as gain a better understanding of festivals such as la feria del libro.
Design Technology Nutrition, Food Safety & Food Choice: Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of hygiene by exploring HACCP. Students will continue to explore macro and micronutrients and their associated functions. Students will learn about factors that affect food choice, the laws that underpin food packaging, food miles and food waste.
Art Under the Sea Clay Tiles: Students will be introduced to the subject matter of Sealife and specifically Coral Reefs, they will investigate the texture within images of coral reefs and coral polyps. They will discuss the idea of creating textures using pencil to depict different types of surface textures and use this information to depict under water environments. Students will work to develop skills and understanding in the use of clay as artistic medium. They will explore the process of creating surface texture and add relief details. Students will work with the clay to exploring the basics of the material, they will use cutting tools and other modelling tools. Students will produce their clay piece using a variety of modelling skills and techniques and will complete this with colour in the style of Diane Martin Lublinski.
Drama Our Day Out: Students will study the play by Willy Russell. Through dramatic exploration, we will delve into key themes such as social class, education, and childhood innocence. Students will use a range of drama techniques including role-play, improvisation, and hot-seating to understand the motivations of characters like Mrs. Kay, Mr. Briggs, and the students. By engaging with the text, students will develop the ability to perform in a naturalistic style, understand character relationships, and explore how the play conveys important social messages. This will help us reflect on how drama can be used to discuss social issues while enhancing our performance and teamwork skills.
Music Exploring Computer and Video Game Music: Over the summer term, students will explore the use of music in video games. Students will look and sound
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
design, world-building and creating soundscapes to enhance the players gaming experience. Students will look at tonality, dynamics, textures and sounds effects and use this to compose music for a video game.
