Year 9 Curriculum Overview 2021-22

Year 9 Curriculum Overview 2021-2022

Introduction The SPF Y9 curriculum is built on a model of breath: students study a large number of subjects from across six faculties, in addition to PE and Games lessons.

This document is designed to give you an overview of what your children will be studying, and guidance on how you can support them at home.

Our curriculum model is an interesting and exciting one, but it means that students have quite a lot to think about at any one time. Help at home in staying organised is really constructive for the students.

By the end of Y8, students often find that they are developing a leaning towards certain subjects. In January we will ask them to start to decide what their GCSE options for Y10 will be, and it is entirely appropriate for students to develop a clear sense of priority regarding which subjects they are most keen to invest in during Y9.

Formal assessments feature in Y9 to a greater degree than in Y8 and students will be working towards formal end of year internal exams. There is guidance below regarding the process of revision, and in particular how students will know what to revise and where their revision materials will be.

Inevitably, some students find the process of assessment a difficult one; as parents, it will really help your children if you can focus on the interest of what they are studying rather than how well they are doing it. This will both aid academic progress (if students are interested in what they are learning about, they will make good progress) and it will help students not to feel anxious about whether or not they are doing 'well enough'.

In response to the inevitably digital nature of school work last year, this year we are focussing on increased quantities of handwritten work. It is really constructive to encourage your children to take pride in how they present this work.

The Y9 parents evening will take place on Tuesday 20th January, and we will use this parents evening to introduce the process for choosing GCSE courses. We will report on your children's progress in written form via end of term grade sheets in the Autumn and Spring Term. These grade sheets will give you an indication of attainment, calibrated to possible GCSE outcomes. At the end of the academic year you will receive full written reports for each subject. To help students develop skills of self-reflection and independence, self-review will form an important part of each reporting cycle.

We hope all our students will enjoy and be enthused by the broad range of subject content available to them this year.

Katharine Radice Deputy Head Academic

English

Head of Faculty: Helen Kedie

Summary of syllabus content Y9 Autumn Term

Possible Texts

Key Skills

We study a Shakespeare text.

Plays might include: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet.

We will cover a range of reading, writing and speaking and listening skills

The teaching of poetry, short stories and non-fiction texts will be woven into the teaching throughout the year.

The focus in Y9 is very much on ensuring the key skills are in place for the beginning of Y10.

Films will be used to enhance the teaching and learning in the classroom.

Grammar in context will be taught throughout the year.

Y9 Spring Term We study a modern play and WW1 poetry to prepare the students for the battlefields trip in the summer term

Plays might include: Educating Rita, Death of a Salesman

We will cover a range of reading, writing and speaking and listening skills

Novels might include: To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, Lord of the Flies, Nineteen Eighty-Four

We will cover a range of reading, writing and speaking and listening skills.

Y9 Summer Term We prepare students for the summer exam where they will encounter IGCSE-type questions in both English Literature and English Language We do a novel in the Summer Term (which students are asked to read over the Easter holidays)

Revision for formal assessments There are no formal assessments during the course of the year, apart from the summer exams; progress is measured through class work and regular homework. We will revise the modern play for the Literature section of the Summer exam and students will be provided with a list of themes and techniques. We will prepare for the Language exam in lessons.

How you can support at home Please encourage students to read for pleasure - daily if possible!

Please help students to get into the habit of proofreading their work.

Maths and Computer Science Maths

Head of Faculty: David Atkins Head of Dept: David Atkins

Summary of syllabus content AUTUMN TERM 01

Introduction to Functions

02

Straight line graphs

03

Estimation, accuracy and bounds

04

Algebraic manipulation

05

Area and Volume

06

Fractions, Decimals, Percentage 1

07

Pythagoras & Trigonometry

08

Bearings and Scales SPRING TERM

09

Probability

10

Linear and quadratic equations

11

Indices 1

12

Ratio

13

Rearranging Formulae

14

Linear inequalities

16

Fractions, Decimals, Percentage 2

17

Surds SUMMER TERM

18

Linear simultaneous equations

19

Indices 2

20

Linear Sequences

21

Percentage Change

22

Angles Revision

23

Accuracy

24

1 Variable Statistics

Revision for formal assessments Maths tests are set usually every half term. Students are given a minimum of one week’s notice, via email, with information about the test content and suggested material with which to revise. This material will be in the form of links to shared documents, online material or, if appropriate, extracts from an online textbook.

How you can support at home Students should be encouraged to spend the recommended amount of time on homework.

This should represent good, well focused work. It will also be useful for students to review what they have been doing in class, on an ongoing basis, by re-reading or checking examples regularly, but only for a few minutes at a time.

Computer Science

Head of Dept: Aisling Brown

Summary of syllabus content In Year 9, we start with cryptography and cybersecurity, before moving onto artificial intelligence and ethics.

In the Spring term, we will investigate data representation and networks, and in the summer term we will look at computer hardware and finish with a unit on intermediate Python programming.

Revision for formal assessments Revision for formal assessments will primarily be from exercise books, and from the topic section in Google Classroom that is labelled ‘0 Core Notes’. Key terms etc. can also be revised in the quizlet class.

How you can support at home Encourage your child to spend the recommended time on their homework, or in reviewing the lesson content, in a focused fashion. Students who are intending on continuing Computer Science into Year 10 may wish to engage in some independent programming projects in an area of their own interest.

Modern Languages

Head of Faculty: Claudia Freeman

Students study two Modern Languages, one of which will be French or Spanish. In Year 9 we begin the (I)GCSE courses in earnest. All students study one modern language at GCSE as part of the SPF curriculum.

French

Head of Dept: Sandrine Parente

Summary of syllabus content Students follow the course Tricolore 3, (5th edition), building upon the Year 7 & 8 courses, they will revise familiar topics and structures from previous years, as well as being introduced to new topics - including the wider French-speaking world - and grammar structures. In Year 9 students are consolidating their core verbs and tenses. This is the foundation year of the (I)GCSE French course. Here is a list of the Year 9 key topics and main grammar points:

Key Topics ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Discovering French speaking countries Family & friends Daily routine Paris Weather and travel Leisure activities TV, cinema and books School & careers Talking about a theme park Enquiring about hotel services Finding out about Québec Health and fitness Being at the chemist, doctor and dentist Holiday plans

Main grammar points ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Revising the present tense Regular and irregular adjectives Reflexive verbs in the present and perfect tense Revision of the perfect tense with être and avoir, adverbs Comparatives and superlatives The imperfect and future tenses (immediate and simple) Pronouns (direct, indirect, y, en and qui/que) The imperative mood Use of the perfect and imperfect together

Revision for formal assessments There will be a Summer assessment, covering listening, reading and writing skills and speaking will be assessed informally in lessons. A revision list is shared at the beginning of the summer term in Google Classroom. In the French textbook there is a summary at the end of each unit with an overview of the grammar and vocabulary covered, which can be used to revise from, along with notes in class and resources on Kerboodle, an online subscription which students have access to. There is BBC bitesize available for revision, a variety of apps including Duolingo, Memrise, Quizlet, as well as the website languages online full of interactive exercises to reinforce grammar and vocabulary.

There is a Year 9 French support club for revising content met in class and a Year 9 French club for developing their French language skills in a smaller setting with cultural aspects included.

How you can support at home Time is of the essence this year! Ask your child to teach you the phrases they have been learning in class. They have regular vocabulary tests, so this is an opportunity for the family to get involved, testing each other, and encouraging your child to speak in French. Feel free to encourage post-it notes around the house with useful expressions in French or indeed some useful phrases and verb conjugations. Any additional exposure to the language is extremely beneficial - especially at this stage-, so perhaps put on a French radio station at breakfast time, add some French music to the family Spotify list or switch one of their favourite films into French with French subtitles.

German

Head of Dept: Claudia Freeman

Summary of syllabus content We begin the (I)GCSE German course and use the Cambridge IGCSE™ German Student Book. We cover the first unit and part of the second unit, building up students’ vocabulary range and grammar structures. We are laying the foundation for the (I)GCSE German course in Year 9, consolidating the core verbs and tenses met last year.

KEY TOPICS ● My home ● My school ● My eating habits ● My body and my health ● Self, family, pets, personal relationships ● Life at home ● Leisure, entertainments, invitations GRAMMAR ● Nouns, articles, genders ● Cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) ● Adjectives & adjectival agreements ● Regular and irregular verbs in the perfect, present & future tenses ● Prepositions ● Verbs: Separable prefix verbs, reflexive, impersonal, modal ● Imperative ● Comparatives and superlatives

● ●

Relative pronouns and clauses Subordinate clauses

Revision for formal assessments There will be a summer assessment, covering listening, reading and writing skills. A revision list is shared at the beginning of the summer term on Google Classroom as well as a hard copy. Details of vocabulary and grammar covered will be shared, with links to relevant pages in the textbook as well as the core verb phrases Core phrases full list Flashcards. Students are also encouraged to look through and check their corrections from previous homeworks, building up a bank of responses about themselves in German. There is BBC bitesize available for revision, a variety of apps including Duolingo, Memrise, Quizlet ((I)GCSE German defined content sets in Quizlet are under fraufreeman). There is also the website languages online full of interactive exercises to reinforce grammar and vocabulary.

How you can support at home Time is of the essence this year! Your child will have regular vocabulary tests, so do feel free to get on board and have the family getting involved with a quick-fire round of German words. Feel free to encourage post-it notes around the house with useful expressions in German or indeed some useful phrases and verb conjugations. Any exposure to the language is beneficial, so perhaps put on a German-speaking radio station at breakfast time or switch one of their favourite programmes into German, perhaps with German subtitles.

Encourage your child also to think about attending the Y9 German club and/or the KS3 German cultural club, where there is a chance to learn more about the cultural side of the German-speaking world.

Mandarin Chinese

Head of Dept: Qinqing Guo

Summary of syllabus content: Students will keep developing their knowledge in Chinese under the following key topics and gain confidence in all four skills, through interactive activities, cultural insight, study tips and detailed grammar explanations. It provides a solid foundation to the Chinese GCSE course.

Textbook: AQA Chinese GCSE Textbook 1 Key Topics ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

My hobbies and interests Getting around My family Shopping Describing People Eating out My day On holiday

Main grammar points ● ●

Revising the present tense Revision the past tense and past negative

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Revision of the future tense Modal verbs Describe locations Complement of degree Measure words Frequency words Complex sentence structures (connectors) Making comparisons

Assessment ● ● ●

Regular vocabulary tests End of Unit Tests Summer assessment

Revision for formal assessments There will be a summer assessment, covering listening, reading and writing skills. A revision list is shared at the beginning of the summer term on Google Classroom, highlighting which pages in AQA Chinese GCSE Textbook 1 to focus on and the core notes to go over. There is BBC bitesize available for revision, a variety of apps including Duolingo, Memrise, Quizlet as well as other sources shared by the Chinese Dept. Students will have access to the audio files as well, to consolidate their listening skills and they can use the app Pleco to practise their vocabulary and their character writing. There is a Y9 Chinese club, where students can consolidate their skills.

How you can support at home Lots of encouragement! Learning Mandarin is like growing bamboo. There’s a lot of nurturing involved, before sprouts begin to appear - by Year 9, there are lots of sprouts appearing! A lot of repetition is required to help consolidate the sounds and the characters. This could be an opportunity for you to learn a new language or brush up on any pre-existing Mandarin skills! Helping your child with revision for the vocabulary tests will support them. They might share some flashcards or a list with pinyin sounds. Let them share and teach you what they’ve learnt in class. Maintaining their grasp of characters is a challenge through holidays, so please do encourage them to revise through their Chinese over holidays, perhaps also consider going out for a Chinese meal - get them to order with a Mandarin Chinese menu!

Spanish

Head of Dept: Veronica Escudero

Summary of syllabus content We follow the course ¡Viva! Segunda Edición 3, building upon content covered in Years 7 & 8. In Year 9 we are laying the foundation of the IGCSE Spanish course. We cover the following topics and grammar points below, adding any cultural references which arise. We go global - encouraging students to throw themselves into all things Spanish, not only looking at Spain, but also the Spanish-speaking world in South America. The emphasis is on speaking and writing Spanish, communicating aspects of their lives.

Textbook: ¡Viva! Segunda Edición 3

Key Topics ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Holidays - discussing holiday destinations and activities Music TV programmes My life / my phone Food - opinions /food in different countries Shopping Organising a party Arranging to go out - giving excuses Clothes - fancy dress Talking about problems Asking for directions Describing a town

Main grammar points ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Present tense - regular and irregular verbs Gerund Stem changing verbs Preterite tense Imperfect tense Conditional Near future and simple future

Revision for formal assessments At the end of each half term there will be listening, reading and writing assessments that will also prepare students for the summer assessment. We will cover listening, reading and writing skills in the summer assessment. A revision list is shared at the beginning of the summer term on Google Classroom, highlighting which pages in ¡Viva! Segunda Edición 3 to focus on and the core notes to go over At least once a year students will also have speaking assessment and plenty of practice during lesson time. There is a Spanish club and Spanish support offered to Year 9 students where they could further develop their skills.

How you can support at home Helping with learning vocabulary and key grammar structures. At the end of each unit of the textbook ¡Viva! Segunda Edición 3, there is a list of key content that should be covered in Spanish and English. Feel free to get involved and go through the list with your child. Get them to share with you what they have learnt and what they can now say in Spanish. Time is of the essence in Year 9. Any exposure to the language is beneficial, so perhaps put on a Spanish-speaking radio station at breakfast time or switch one of their favourite programmes into Spanish, perhaps with Spanish subtitles. You could add some Spanish songs to the family Spotify playlist also perhaps?

Sciences Biology

Head of Faculty: Alex Van Dijk Head of Dept: Alex Van Dijk

Summary of syllabus content Students are starting their Edexcel Biology GCSE course; in the Spring Term they will need to choose whether for Y10 and Y11 they will study the Combined Science course (which covers all three sciences in a qualification worth two GCSEs) or whether they will continue with all three sciences as separate GCSE qualifications. The Y9 Biology course covers topics shared by both the Combined Science Biology syllabus and the GCSE Biology syllabus. Students will start the year by looking at Ecosystems and Evolution before starting the Key Concepts topic. Key concepts include cell structure, transport across the membrane as well as enzymes. Students will then consider cell division and growth and start to look at genetics.

Revision for formal assessments Students will be issued with revision lists on Google Classroom and on paper. They will be able to revise from the CGP Edexcel GCSE Biology textbook.

How you can support at home Students will be coming home with questions that have arisen from their classroom discussions. The Key Concepts topic is difficult and students will benefit from talking through their thoughts at home.

It will be useful for students to think about their Biology studies when engaged with other topics at home. This could include thinking about what happens in their body when doing sport, thinking about the different adaptations of zoo animals or going to the Zoology or Sedgwick museum to look at the skeletal structures of different animals and considering their evolutionary relationships.

Chemistry

Head of Dept: Dr Mark Woodward

Summary of syllabus content Students begin the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry course which sets the foundation for the next three years. In the Spring Term they will need to choose whether for Y10 and Y11 they will study the Combined Science course (which covers all three sciences in a qualification worth two GCSEs) or whether they will continue with all three sciences as separate GCSE qualifications. After consolidating areas of States of Matter and Separations from Year 7, students explore atomic structure and bonding which is a fundamental idea in Chemistry.

Revision for formal assessments Students are issued with a CGP textbook for Edexcel GCSE Chemistry which will carry through the next three years. This will be supplemented with revision lists at the end of major sections and links to GCSE Bitesize from the BBC. How you can support at home

Students will need to consolidate the ideas explored in school, especially as many of the ideas met this year are very conceptual compared to those based on experimental observations from the previous two years.

It is useful to see how the major themes from this year link in with Physics and also start to bring in more use of analysis of information and mathematical skills. If students need more support in learning how to answer questions in GCSE format, a CGP workbook with answers is available for the course.

Physics

Head of Dept: Matthew Fradley

Summary of syllabus content Students are starting their Edexcel Physics GCSE course. All topics covered in Year 9 are shared between the Physics and Combined Science GCSE courses. In the Spring Term they will need to choose whether for Y10 and Y11 they will study the Combined Science course (which covers all three sciences in a qualification worth two GCSEs) or whether they will continue with all three sciences as separate GCSE qualifications. Students cover five topics in Y9 Physics: ● ● ● ● ●

Energy Forces & Motion Waves Electromagnetic Spectrum Radioactivity

Revision for formal assessments Students will be issued with revision lists on Google Classroom and on paper. They will be able to revise from the CGP Edexcel GCSE Physics textbook.

Students can also use websites, such as BBC bitesize, to help revise.

How you can support at home Encourage students to read widely. There are many excellent non-fiction resources available.

It is also helpful to engage students in conversations about the world around them: how is Physics incorporated into the devices, technology and infrastructure we use every day?

Humanities History

Head of Faculty: Will Frost Head of Dept: Natalie Stanley

Summary of syllabus content Students will study three main units. The first focuses on the industrial, economic and social changes that took place between 1750-1900. The second unit focuses on the First World War. The third unit is independent research project work also focusing on the First World War studying the impact of the war on your family (if applicable) leading into the annual BattleFields trip to Flanders.

Revision for formal assessments Students will be issued with revision lists on google classroom. They will also be able to use the Peace and War textbook and their class notes stored in their folders and on google classroom.

How you can support at home Visiting places of historic interest is a huge help; anything from a stately home to a royal palace to a local church. Watching historical dramas on TV/Cinema is also a good way to engage students in the past. Encouraging students to read historical stories is also a great way to spark their interest and curiosity. The local villages around Cambridge and beyond are also a rich resource for learning about the early modern world.

Geography

Head of Dept: Tim Pegler

Summary of syllabus content Students will study three GCSE Geography units (AQA specification). We study global development, including how to measure it and whether the development gap can be closed.

We then look at development in the United Kingdom, focusing on issues such as the North-South Divide. Finally we move onto some Physical Geography, studying Ecosystems with a particular focus on Tropical Rainforests. Students will also learn to apply knowledge from these units by developing their geographical skills (especially descriptions, explanations and evaluation).

Revision for formal assessments Students will use their class notes in their exercise books to revise. Revision lists will be given out before tests. Each student already has vocabulary lists posted on Google Classroom. This contains key geographical terminology which they should make use of so that they become confident with the technical terms they need to use.

How you can support at home Taking students outside always helps! If they can engage with outside activities such as gardening or local conservation it will help them apply their newfound knowledge to the real world. Discussing issues such as news events is essential to make them more globally aware.

RS

Head of Dept: Will Frost

Summary of syllabus content Autumn

Philosophy: Science vs. Religion ● The nature of science, religion and philosophy ● Origins of the universe and humanity ● Compatibility of religious and scientific accounts ● Nature of God ● Arguments for God’s existence ○ Teleological (design) argument ○ Cosmological (first cause) argument ● The problem of evil and key responses

Spring

Buddhism ● Life of the Buddha ● Key beliefs and teachings ○ Three Marks of Existence ○ Four Noble Truths ○ Noble Eightfold Path ● Meditation: ypes and purposes ● Key ethical issue: punishment (story of Angulimala)

Summer

Philosophy: Nature of persons ● Religious vs secular understandings of the self ● Arguments for/against the existence of souls ● Sanctity of life vs quality of life ● Relationship between humans and animals ● Relationship between humans and computers Ethics ● Kantian ethics vs utilitarianism ○ Nature of and challenges to each theory ● Applied ethics - issues might include: ○ Genetic engineering ○ Treatment of animals ○ Speciesism

Revision for formal assessments Students should refer to the revision list which will be posted on Google Classroom. Their teacher will direct them to the most appropriate resources to aid revision. Notes students have produced in their exercise books will form the starting point for revision. Time will be made available for revision in class and teachers will provide guidance about useful ways for students to structure and use revision notes.

How you can support at home Inquiring about the questions or issues your son or daughter is exploring in their RS and Philosophy lessons, and continuing these discussions at home, can really help students develop their own opinions. Similarly, talking to your son or daughter about religious or

philosophical matters which arise in the news, particularly where these relate to the content outlined above, helps to consolidate and extend their understanding.

Latin

Head of Dept: Katharine Radice

Summary of syllabus content Students will start the second volume of their textbook, de Romanis. This book focuses on Roman history, and students will learn about the changes in Rome's political structure (from kings to republic), and the ways in which oratory and military prowess helped individuals win power. Students will learn in depth about the lives of Cicero and Julius Caesar. The language syllabus will introduce them to 90 new Latin words, build their understanding of sentence structure (including main and subordinate clauses), add pronouns into their work on parts of speech, expand their understanding of adjectives (to include comparatives and superlative forms), and introduce the pluperfect tense and the passive voice into their verb work.

Revision for formal assessments A summary of what should be revised will be posted on Google Classroom. Students will be able to revise from the reference materials in their textbook.

How you can support at home Students may like to tell you about the stories they have been reading in class (some are very dramatic indeed) and discuss how different Roman culture was from many of our values today. They may like to discuss what they know about the big name characters in Roman history, and what their lives show about the darker side of power and ambition.

Vocab learning will be a regular task; it will really help students if you can test them on this, and help them repeat and focus on words which are less familiar.

Students will be completing the majority of their work by hand and in exercise books. They will need to remember to bring their textbook and exercise book to each lesson; high standards of presentation of written work will help them pay attention to details and take pride in their work.

Creatives In Y9 the Creative subjects run an options programme. Towards the end of Y8, students were asked to select an option for each of Art, Design Engineering, Drama and Music. Each student, therefore, will study four courses from the Creatives faculty during Y9: two of these take place in the first half of the year; the other two options in the second half of the year.

Design Engineering

Head of Dept: Kerry Watkins-Marks

Summary of syllabus content In Year 9, there are 3 module options in the Design Engineering which students will have been able to choose to study for half the year. They are: Architecture: in this module students will become more familiar with iconic buildings, architects and designers working towards creating a Design & Make project. Possible outcomes include a building/shop facade & interior or moving bridge structure. Students will extend their knowledge and skills in the workshop using research, analysis, sketching, CAD/CAM and problem solving techniques allowing them to be creative and innovative whilst producing a quality outcome.

Product Design: in this module students will become more familiar with iconic products and their designers, plus gain an understanding of design movements across the decades. They will create a portfolio for their own product ideas and work collectively or individually to create a quality outcome. These could include products such as lighting, clocks and storage.

Students will extend their knowledge and skills in the workshop using research, analysis, sketching, CAD/CAM and problem solving techniques allowing them to be creative and innovative.

Sustainability: in this module students will become more familiar with the notion of sustainable design. Students will build an understanding of how sustainability impacts design outcomes and everyday products making use of the 6Rs in their own Design & Make project.

They will have the opportunity to extend their knowledge and skills in the workshop and be encouraged to be creative and innovative in sourcing materials and then manufacture a sustainable product using research, analysis, sketching, CAD/CAM and problem solving techniques.

Revision for formal assessments There are no formal assessments for Design Engineering in Year 9, so no revision required.

Ongoing assessment and feedback takes place throughout the course using project outcomes, development and research tasks.

How you can support at home Encouraging students to be curious about the world around them and the products we see and use. Discussions about problems they observe in everyday life and debating possible solutions and improvements to challenges they identify. Visits to museums, exhibitions and

workshops where they get to experience technology and products making a difference to people's lives.

Drama

Head of Dept: Helene Barrell

Summary of syllabus content Students will take part in a 16 week course as part of the Creative Module Programme in either the first or second half of the year. They will have selected one of the following options; each course will vary and be tailored to suit the interests of the group.

Theatre performance - Text Students will take part in practical workshops to develop their confidence and their skills as performers. They will explore a variety of different playtexts and consider how to bring these alive for an audience. Emphasis will be on creativity, group work and collaboration. There will be regular opportunities to perform their work to the class. Students may also have an opportunity to work on an extended project towards the end of the course.

Theatre Performance - Devised Students will take part in practical workshops to develop their confidence and their skills as performers. They will then explore different ways of creating and devising their own original performance work in a variety of different styles. Emphasis will be on creativity, group work and collaboration. There will be regular opportunities to perform their work to the class.

Students may also have an opportunity to work on an extended project towards the end of the course.

Theatre Performance - Backstage Students will begin by learning about some of the different roles in theatre, focusing on the elements behind the scenes such as set, costume, lighting and props. Course content will vary from group to group but all students will have a range of different opportunities to design for the theatre and to make their own artefacts or to work together in groups on larger scale projects. Students may also have an opportunity to work on an extended project towards the end of the course.

Revision for formal assessments There are no formal assessments in Drama in Year 9.

How you can support at home Students may wish to discuss topics they have explored in class; in particular, they may like to share details of class performances they have helped to create or been involved in or artefacts and designs they have created for backstage and technical options.

For those students who choose to take part in the Year 9 production we would ask for parents’ support in ensuring they are able to make a full commitment to rehearsals and to help them learn any lines they might be given.

Please also consider bringing your child to watch school productions by other year groups throughout the year - this can be very inspiring for them and we would love to see you in the audience.

Music

Head of Dept: Matthew Rudd

Summary for the syllabus content Students choose from one of three music modules: ● ● ●

Music around the world Film music Song writing

In all three modules the emphasis is on practical work, extending the students’ skills and understanding as listeners, performers and composers.

Music around the world: explores the music of Indonesia, Japan, India, Arabia and China through a series of case studies, in which students learn about the context of the music, the scales or musical systems on which the music is based and the instrumental sounds of each culture.

Film music: students explore a variety of different musical devices which are used to underscore the action on screen. The pupils learn how to compose in different film genres and styles using GarageBand; they film their own movie and create its musical soundtrack.

Songwriting: pupils learn how to craft their own pop songs, by exploring chord sequences and learning how to set lyrics to music. They rehearse, perform and record in small groups.

Revision for formal assessments N/A How you can support at home No homework is set in music for class lessons, but students who have individual singing or instrumental lessons should practise regularly at home. Much of the work in class lessons is composition based; students may like to share their finished recordings with you and discuss the concepts they have been learning. Listening to, and talking about music - in whatever styles you enjoy at home - will give students a broader experience on which to base their own musical ideas.

Visual Arts

Head of Dept: Rachel Bloomfield-Proud

Summary of syllabus content In Year 9, there are 3 module options in the Visual Arts which students will have been able to choose to study for half the year. They are, Textiles and Fashion: in this course students will become fashion and textile designers working towards their own streetwear or sleepwear/loungewear clothing brand. Using research, analysis and problem solving skills, students will be innovative and creative developing designs for a T- shirt (using screen printing, tie dye, Gelli printing. Transfer printing) and learn to use the sewing machine to construct a simple garment, such as shorts.

Adobe Apps/Procreate App will be used to digitally design and illustrate individual ideas.

Students will work with photography and video to document the designs.

Creative Communication through Graphics, Photography and Photoshop: in this course using an issue as a starting point, students will learn about Graphic Design. They will learn about Typography, the use of colour and composition using Photoshop, photography and working in the MacSuite.

Art and Music: this course has a fine art approach using music to inspire creative drawings, painting and mixed media artworks. Students learn about composition, processes, concepts in Art and using a range of media. Photography and digital media are used to gather and research.

Students will work in an A4 sketchbook and homework can be up to an hour a week.

Revision for formal assessments There are no formal assessments in Visual Art. How you can support at home Engaging conversations about what they have been doing in their Visual Art option, visits to galleries and exhibitions are always valuable and generally developing visual literacy by discussing visuals in the world around us, whether that be the everyday adverts, symbols, family photographs, films, fashion or more specialised artworks/artifacts in exhibitions and around your home.

Games and PE

Director of Sport: Charlotte Wells

Students in Y9 have two double lessons. The focus for PE is on gymnastics, badminton, football, tennis, athletics and fitness and the major team sports of netball, hockey, football and cricket. As students move up the year groups the choice of activities widen and by the time they reach Yr 10 and 11 the students have a wide choice of activities that they can specialise in. Physical Education is taught at GCSE level in Yr 10 with excellent examination results.

There are many clubs that run before school, at lunchtime and after school. These clubs offer the core subjects and also offer sports that are not taught in the curriculum eg volleyball, basketball, dance.