CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

Sislly Wong, Year 8

ART

The Art curriculum is designed to develop the relevant skills and experiences that pupils will need for further academic success at GCSE and A Level. This is based on 4 key areas: developing ideas, exploring materials, recording from observation and ultimately in their ability to resolve a project with one fantastic piece of work. In the Prep School we aim to develop pupils’ knowledge of the formal elements in order to enable them to develop fundamental skills in drawing and observation alongside their ability to respond to and be inspired by the work of others.

CONTROL, EXPLORE, REFINE

In their final year in the Prep School, Year 8 pupils continue their artistic journey by exploring the formal elements: line, shape, tone, texture, colour, pattern and form with projects aimed to inspire them, whilst deepening their understanding of observational drawing practice. Our young artists will explore different observational and drawing techniques in order to refine those essential skills needed for future academic success in Art. Our primary focus is on increasing their level of accuracy when recording from both objects and images whilst further expanding their refinement with different techniques and processes. These essential skills gained in Year 8 will create a solid foundation of knowledge which will prepare them for greater artistic independence in Year 9.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

Art can enable pupils to explore their ideas and opinions in relation to wider world issues and encourages them to be a positive force for good in the world, as such global citizenship and intercultural learning is an integral part of our curriculum within the Art Department. We aim to raise pupil awareness of the UN Global Goals and use these as the thematic driving force for each project being studied. Year 8 pupils will study a range of projects inspired by Goal 4: Quality Education and generate ideas and outcomes inspired by issues connected to access and equity within education across the globe.

DRAMA

The three key components of Drama are creating, performing and evaluating. The Year 8 curriculum is designed to teach a balance of performance skills and transferable skills throughout the year. Pupils will work in a variety of theatrical genres whilst developing their creativity, teamwork, leadership, confidence and empathy skills. Pupils are assessed throughout the year on all three components through written and verbal feedback and peer assessment.

THE TOPICS STUDIED IN YEAR 8 ARE:

• Heroes (devising work based on Heroes) • ‘Lord of the Flies’ by Nigel Williams • ‘Selfie’ by Bradley Hayward • Theatre in Education

CREATING

Whilst creating theatre, pupils will develop their creativity, problem-solving and collaborative skills. Year 8 pupils will create improvised, devised and scripted theatre from a range of stimuli.

PERFORMING

Pupils will learn and develop a variety of performance skills such as writing and performing a monologue and developing characters. In Year 8 pupils are introduced to excerpts and more complex scripts with dynamic characters, developing their performance skills further. They will learn to perform small sections of script and how to use stimuli to devise engaging pieces. The focus is on building pupils’ confidence and the ability to express themselves clearly through the use of voice and movement to establish character.

EVALUATING

Throughout the year, pupils will evaluate their own and their peers’ performances. Evaluation is important in developing awareness of the elements that create effective performance. Pupils will develop their analytical skills and theatre terminology to further enhance their evaluation skills.

DIGITAL LITERACY

This course empowers students to consciously engage in their digital environment. Due to the ever more pervasive nature of the digital world, critical understanding of this for both study and play is increasingly essential. This course will give all pupils dedicated time to develop their digital literacy skills and to start accumulating the hard and soft skills required of a 21st Century learner. Digital literacy is the ability to navigate our digital world using reading, writing, technical skills, and critical thinking. Pupils will learn through exposure to a range of software and creative activities which will give them the practical digital skills to aid them across their subjects and beyond the classroom.

PUPILS WILL FOCUS ON:

• The impact of technology on their lives • How to keep themselves safe online • Digital citizenship

ENGLISH

The Prep School English curriculum is designed to develop the following skills, all of which lead directly into the Edexcel IGCSEs. Pupils will focus primarily on reading and writing, but will also develop their proficiency in verbal communication and public speaking.

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

RAO1

Read and understand a variety of texts, selecting and interpreting information, ideas and perspectives. RAO2 Understand and analyse how writers use linguistic and structural devices to achieve their effects.

RAO3 Explore links and connections between writers’ ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are conveyed. WAO4 Communicate effectively and imaginatively, adapting form, tone and register of writing for specific purposes and audiences. WAO5 Write clearly with appropriate paragraphing and accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation and using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures.

SLAO6 • Speaking and listening skills: • demonstrate presentation skills in a formal setting. • listen and respond appropriately to spoken language, including to questions and feedback to presentations. • use spoken Standard English effectively in speeches and presentations.

The Year 8 curriculum is influenced by the requirements of the IGCSE courses and pupils will focus on improving their writing as well as developing their analysis of fiction and non-fiction texts. In the Autumn Term, pupils will begin the year analysing non-fiction extracts and the effect of writers’ linguistic and structural devices, before applying these techniques in their own writing. There will be a significant focus on the accuracy of sentence construction and using a range of sentence structures for effect as well as using rhetorical devices and developing persuasive skills. Pupils will also read and analyse poetry, a novel and some gothic literature, exploring the presentation of characters and themes as well as using these texts as stimuli for their own writing, before finishing the year studying a Shakespeare play. Pupils’ reading and writing will be developed and assessed throughout, focusing on their ability to analyse the ways in which writers’ linguistic and structural choices create particular effects and on pupils’ ability to use these devices for effect in their own writing.

GEOGRAPHY

Year 8 geographers begin the year by studying Globalisation within the context of the clothing industry. Through a study of their own clothing, pupils will understand how globalisation has an influence on their everyday life. They will understand that globalisation is a complex process and can bring a variety of positive and negative impacts to society, the economy and the environment. Pupils should also begin to reflect on their role in the global economy and whether their shopping habits can make a difference to the lives of others around the world. Pupils subsequently study Weather and Climate. They learn about the different equipment used to measure and predict the weather. They develop key skills such as reading and interpreting climate graphs before going on to study Extreme Weather. For this topic, pupils learn about the causes and effects of floods, tornados, hurricanes and drought. In the second half of the Spring Term, pupils study Population Challenge. They will understand how the world’s population has changed over time and how this impacts the planet and its people. Pupils will investigate different approaches to the management of population change and they will continue to develop their graph skills by interpreting and analysing population pyramids. Pupils will also use current examples to investigate the reasons for migration and the impacts of migration on countries around the world. In the Summer Term, pupils study the ‘Tourist’s World’ unit. They will investigate why some places become tourist hotspots, thereby developing their understanding of the physical and human features of different places around the world. Pupils will consider the impact of mass tourism on specific holiday locations and will judge whether we can manage tourism sustainably. This unit develops pupils’ ability to evaluate information and assess the success of different attempts to manage tourism around the world.

HISTORY

The aim of the department in Year 8 is to continue to develop the core historical skills and to encourage pupils to consider their own environment in the context of the course. The initial focus is the development of industry, towns, transport, medicine and daily life in Great Britain in the period 1750 to 1900. Pupils are encouraged to evaluate change and continuity as well as considering the different perspectives of those affected by change. Some of the focus will be on why Great Britain industrialised first, and why European countries became colonial powers. This leads on to an evaluation of the benefits and costs of colonialism for both the colonisers and the colonised including an enquiry into the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which aims to challenge preconceived ideas about the topic. Pupils also link industry to empire and investigate the nature of British rule in India before assessing the role of Gandhi in the struggle for independence and finally the impact of partition. Pupils are encouraged to compare the story of India with Hong Kong and recognise the part played by Hong Kong in the story of empire. The Year 8 theme of Freedom (and interpretations of freedom) enables pupils to develop the core skills in History: cause and effect, change and continuity, interpretations and significance, all complemented by continual source analysis. We also encourage pupils to consider the links between their learning and present-day events. Lessons regularly see pupils creating, debating, and presenting as well as developing their written work. Pupils in Year 8 now begin to consolidate their technique for written arguments, weighing up factors before making a reasoned judgement that makes links between these factors. Pupils should now be starting to support points with more precise evidence and examples, and when analysing sources there should be a deeper consideration of the nature, origin and purpose of the material under scrutiny. Pupils are assessed formally and informally with a continued emphasis on the Leadership Attributes and deployment of core skills. A written checkpoint takes place every term and is an opportunity for pupils to practise the skills they are developing. The checkpoint could take the form of source analysis or questions with commands linked to the core skills, for example, asking why an event happened or what the effects of an event were. As part of familiarisation with History higher up the School, pupils are now introduced to question stems that are used in the IGCSE. Pupils are encouraged to reflect upon their own learning and that of others.

INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

The Individual Needs Department at Harrow Hong Kong works alongside L&L, Counselling and House Pastoral Teams to ensure that the academic, social, and pastoral needs of pupils are met through quality differentiation, effective collaboration between educational stakeholders, and impactful staff development. The Individual Needs Department works with pupils who require extra support or extension beyond regular classroom differentiation in order to meet their learning needs. The Individual Needs Department supports pupils who enter the School with existing reports of individual needs and those who are later identified through the School’s referral system. Depending on the level of support needed, pupils may receive short-term or long-term intervention from an individual needs staff member within their regular lessons in collaboration with the class teacher, in small groups, or 1:1. The department also works with members of staff by identifying and sharing differentiation strategies based on specific pupil profiles, monitoring student progress, and providing professional development. Access arrangements for both internal and external assessments are facilitated by the department in partnership with the Examinations Officer in accordance with the guidelines from the Joint Council for Qualifications. The department is able to conduct internal assessments to aid the understanding of a pupil’s profile, and may also refer pupils to external specialists, including Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, and Educational Psychologists if further information is required.

LANGUAGE AND LEARNING (LAL)

Language is at the very heart of the learning process and it is the mission of the Language and Learning (L&L) department to fully prepare our multilingual pupils to excel in Academic English. To achieve success across the curriculum (and beyond) our pupils are required to use Academic English for such purposes as explaining, narrating, recounting, arguing, analysing and describing across a range of subject areas and in a variety of modes. Such language does not come naturally and requires explicit teaching. Pupils need to develop their understanding of how Academic English functions in order to achieve a range of purposes that are critical to success in school and exams. In Years 8 & 9, pupils will follow a challenging, in-depth Academic English course adapted from the B2 First for Schools programme from Cambridge English Qualifications (UK). The course will be assessed internally at school, however, it is possible to take the exam formally at external examination centres in Hong Kong. The course consists of academic reading, writing, use of English (grammar and vocabulary), speaking, pronunciation and listening and aims to extend pupils’ Academic English language resources in ways that support increasingly complex learning throughout the school years.

COMPONENT ASSESSMENT & WEIGHTING SUMMARY OF THE COMPONENT CONTENT

Use of English 40%

Writing 20%

Speaking 20%

Listening 20% Students need to be able to understand a range of texts, including how they are organised and the opinions and attitudes expressed in them. Students’ use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well they can control their grammar and vocabulary.

Writing different types of text: articles, essays, letters/emails, reviews. Depending on the question, students will have to advise, compare, describe, explain, express opinions, justify and/or recommend something.

Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc. Tests your ability to follow and understand a range of spoken materials, such as interviews, radio broadcasts, presentations, talks and everyday conversations.

LANGUAGES

At Harrow Hong Kong, we love languages and our mission is to develop excellent linguists and confident communicators who are passionate about learning languages. Our pupils will be able to express themselves effectively, both orally and in writing, and reach their potential in the target language. They will cultivate the necessary skills to grow as linguists and have an excellent understanding and appreciation of the language, culture and customs of the countries of the French, Spanish and Chinese speaking worlds.

CHINESE

The Year 8 curriculum is a continuation of the Year 6 and Year 7 curriculum. The Year 8 programme of study in Chinese builds upon all the skills that pupils have learned so far, while preparing them for the demands of the IGCSE Chinese course in Year 9.

Native stream

In the native stream of Chinese, pupils will continue to study an increasing variety of genres, including prose, non-fiction, poetry, legends, and learn more classical Chinese by using the textbooks Zhong Wen 5 & 6 (Junior Middle school edition) and a range of supplementary materials. Pupils in Year 8 will start exploring more complex ideas and issues through insightful choice of speech, gesture, and movement, establishing roles and applying dramatic approaches with confidence. They will continue to develop reading skills, including how writers convey opinion and emotion through word choice and sentence construction. They explore the connotations and effects of specific words and structural choices. Pupils will continue to develop knowledge of argumentative writing skills focusing on expressing their opinions and comments by using formal language, and enhance their narrative and descriptive essay writing skills.

Near-native stream

For near-native pupils, we will use a range of materials, including Chinese Made Easy 4 (3rd edition) Unit 1 & Unit 2 and Chinese idioms and several texts from Zhong Wen. Pupils in the near-native streams are allocated into sets in the first half term and lessons are differentiated to challenge and support pupils at the appropriate level. One summative assessment takes place per term in reading, writing, listening or speaking skills. Pupils will study a range of topics during the course of Year 8 using contexts familiar to them and giving them insight into the everyday life and culture of China. In Year 8, pupils will study two main topic areas: Education and Travel. Within these topics, they will also study sub-topics, including School trips, Travel plans, Famous attractions in China, Future plans and Family relationships.

The Year 8 programme of study for Chinese builds upon the core skills developed in Year 7 and continues to be based upon reading, writing, speaking and listening. Pupils continue to develop reading skills, including how to infer and deduce meaning using evidence from a text. They understand and respond to a variety of spoken and written texts. They interpret specific information, main ideas and more detail presented in a more complex oral, visual and written language, drawing conclusions and recognising implied opinions and attitudes in texts read and viewed. They speak and write with a clear sense of audience and purpose with argumentative format and style based on the topics they have learned. In speaking, they can communicate substantial information containing relevant and developed ideas and offer opinions on events, experiences and some concepts related to Chinese culture in Mandarin confidently. They will be well engaged in conversations and will be able to write structured text to share informative and organised ideas on topics and cultural contexts.

Non-native stream

The Year 8 programme of study in the non-native stream of Chinese continues to be based around the four elements of reading, writing, speaking and listening. There are some main topic areas in the year: Holidays, Living in the town and rural life, Media and Entertainment, Healthy lifestyle and Information and Technology. Within these main topics, they will also study sub-topics, including Seasons & Weather, Transportation, Holiday Plans, Holiday activities, School events, Commonwealth activities and Money Matters. We use a range of materials to supplement the textbook Chinese Made Easy Second Edition and Easy Steps to Chinese. In the Year 8 non-native stream, pupils will further their competence and proficiency in the core language and communication skills. They will be able to understand longer passages and recognise people’s points of view. They will understand the main points and opinions in written texts from various contexts, including present, past or future events. They will link sentences and paragraphs, structure ideas and adapt previously learnt language for their own purposes. They will start using some descriptive language and a variety of sentence structures to express personal opinions in a written task. They will continue to develop the ability of editing and redrafting their work, using reference sources to improve their accuracy, precision and variety of expression. One summative assessment will take place per term in reading, writing, listening or speaking skills. More informal assessments, including quizzes, vocabulary tests and projects will be carried out throughout the course. There are many opportunities for paired work, group discussions, speech and individual presentations in a class environment. We incorporate digital technology to aid learning.

FRENCH

Pupils in Year 8 may be complete beginners, relatively new to French or more experienced learners of French and they will be exposed to a range of age-appropriate topics. They will cover the same content, though not necessarily in the same depth, depending on their prior knowledge of the language. Topics pupils will study range from introducing self and family and friends to talking about travel plans, leisure activities and cinema, future plans and healthy lifestyles. Pupils may be building on their prior knowledge of French and beginning to develop fluency in their written and spoken responses, or as beginners or still in the early stages of their study of French they will be building on the critical foundations of core vocabulary and key phrases and basic grammar. Whatever their background, our pupils will focus on accuracy in writing and speaking and will be encouraged to communicate their opinions on a range of relevant topics. More experienced learners will also be expected to start developing their answers more fully, drawing on their prior knowledge and expressing their opinions and views. They will also consolidate the use of the past and future tenses. Our pupils will be following the interactive and differentiated Tricolore 3 French course which will be supplemented with additional extension materials to challenge our learners. We aim to develop pupils as linguists by ensuring that our pupils have the chance to work independently and in pairs and groups to develop their oral communication skills. There will be formal assessments throughout the course on all four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing and more informal assessments such as quizzes, vocabulary tests and projects so that pupils can demonstrate their learning in a range of different ways. Pupils will also be given guidance and support on how to learn languages successfully in class and during prep activities. There are many online resources which can be used to support our pupils both in and out of the classroom: in Year 8 Linguascope and Language Perfect are great ways to learn vocabulary and practise pronunciation. The Language Gym and Languagesonline are also excellent websites to practise and consolidate the grammar and verb tenses. The Tricolore 3 resources are also supported by the Kerboodle online resource with a digital copy of the textbook. Our classes in French tend to be streamed based on pupils’ prior knowledge of learning French, but there is sometimes a need for pupils to receive additional support and reinforcement or further challenge in a different set. Set movements will only take place at the end of a term unless there is a very good reason for the change. There is a range of Co-Curricular activities available in French; from Language Clinic at lunchtime where pupils can get extra help if needed.

SPANISH

Pupils in Year 8 may be complete beginners, relatively new to Spanish or more experienced learners of Spanish and they will be exposed to a range of age-appropriate topics. Topics pupils may study could range from introducing self, family and friends to the topics of school, healthy lifestyle or the media depending on their level of experience. They may be building on their prior knowledge of Spanish and beginning to develop fluency in their written and spoken responses, or as beginners still in the early stages of their study of Spanish they will be laying the critical foundations of core vocabulary, key phrases and basic grammar. Whatever their background, our pupils will focus on accuracy in writing and speaking and will be encouraged to communicate their opinions on a range of relevant topics. More experienced learners will also be expected to start developing their answers more fully, drawing on their prior knowledge and expressing their opinions and views. They will also be introduced to the past and future tenses. Our pupils will be following the excellent Viva Spanish course which will be supplemented with additional extension materials to further challenge our learners. We aim to develop pupils as linguists by ensuring that our pupils have the chance to work independently and in pairs and groups to develop their oral communication skills. There will be formal assessments throughout the course on all four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing and more informal assessments such as quizzes, vocabulary tests and projects so that pupils can demonstrate their learning in a range of different ways. Pupils will also be given guidance and support on how to learn languages successfully in class and during prep activities. There are many online resources which can be used to support our pupils both in and out of the classroom: in Year 8, Linguascope, Español-extra and Language Perfect are great ways to learn vocabulary and practise pronunciation. The Viva resources are also supported by an ActiveLearn online resource.

MATHEMATICS

In Year 8, all pupils will continue to delve deeper into the four main themes of number, algebra, geometry and statistics. They will also encounter unfamiliar concepts such as volume of 3D shapes, Pythagoras’ theorem, standard index form and sets. The aim of this year is to give the pupils the fundamentals for starting the IGCSE course in Year 9.

MAIN TOPICS OF STUDY FOR YEAR 8:

• Substitution • Rounding and estimation • Area and perimeter • Simplifying expressions • Angles • Averages and range • Indices and standard form • Sequences • Solving equations • Pythagoras’ theorem • Sequences • Presenting data • Measures • Fractions, decimals and percentages • Volume and surface area • Graphs • Probability • Sets

Alongside a focus on developing understanding in the topic areas and building numeracy skills, curriculum time is dedicated to what we call the Creative Curriculum. During these sessions, pupils are given the opportunity to experience mathematics in a different way from normal. These lessons work to develop problem solving and reasoning skills, as well creativity and collaboration. Throughout these sessions the emphasis is placed on how the pupils choose to approach the tasks and reflect upon their choices afterwards, rather than focusing on content and on the solution alone. All pupils are split into two bands for their learning of mathematics in the Prep School, and within these bands they are further divided by ability into a ‘support,’ ‘core’ or ‘extension,’ group, with movement between the groups as and when appropriate. All groups will cover the same core work over a six-year period, as all pupils at Harrow International will be prepared for the IGCSE Edexcel examination in Year 11. In the classroom, learning mathematics is much more than being able to do routine methods. Our approach in the Prep School aims to develop a depth of understanding of why methods work, as well as an enquiry approach challenging their understanding, seeking links between topic areas and applying their knowledge to new and unfamiliar problems – to try, to fail and learn from their mistakes. This means equipping all our pupils with the numerical skills, enhanced problem-solving abilities, and logical processes that will benefit them far beyond the confines of the curriculum. Each teacher uses various means to regularly test the understanding of all of their pupils. The Summer Assessment tests all of the material covered over the year to that point.

MUSIC

Year 8 Music focuses on two strands – World Music and Pop Music – which are brought together in the final project of the year. Pupils study the concepts and traditions associated with African Music, Samba Batucada and Indian Classical Music, building an appreciation for music from around the globe. They also study Rock and Roll, Pop Music and Electronic Dance Music; through these styles, pupils are introduced to Logic Pro X, a computer-based sequencing package which uses the GarageBand skills acquired during Years 6 and 7. In the final project, pupils use the knowledge and skills acquired through the year to create a piece of fusion music using Logic Pro X, fusing elements of Indian Classical Music with Western Pop Music. Through the year, pupils engage with a variety of activities. They perform and compose in groups, pairs and individually, using keyboards, band instruments, African and Samba percussion instruments and their voices. Summative assessment in Year 8 is based on several performance and compositional projects undertaken through the year, including group percussion and band projects and Logic Pro X composition tasks. Singing, improvising and listening skills are also assessed throughout the course of the year. All pupils also have access to the vibrant Co-Curricular Music programme which runs throughout the year. Individual music tuition is available in a variety of studies and lessons are delivered by a team of experienced and specialised visiting music teachers. There are also many opportunities for pupils to engage with group musicmaking; various orchestras, choirs and bands rehearse on a weekly basis and perform in frequent internal and external concerts.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH

Our vision through PEH is to give every pupil a wide variety of opportunities to develop and strengthen their values, physical competence and confidence. This will ensure our pupils have the tools to lead a long and healthy lifestyle in a complex world. At Harrow Hong Kong, we have incorporated Health into our curriculum to give it a holistic touch. Therefore we have renamed our curriculum “Physical Education & Health”. This allows pupils to explore more about themselves and seek strategies to cope in our ever-changing world. Pupils in Years 6 to 9 have one PEH lesson per week, and a double games lesson, and cover six different units of work to increase physical competence and develop the confidence to be able to take part at participation level and live a long and healthy lifestyle. The premise of the programme is to enable every pupil to flourish and to establish the appropriate pathway that best suits the individual and the skills they possess. The programme aims to develop the pupil first and foremost as an athlete. From this point onwards it allows each pupil to experience and engage in a wide range of sports, allowing them to develop, display and transfer their skills.

GAMES

The PEH department is continuously striving to ensure we are delivering the most relevant programme. The main drive behind games is to ensure we have a programme which places pupil development at the centre and ensures it enables all our pupils to flourish. It is important to acknowledge that all pupils associate with sport and physical activities in different ways. The PEH Department’s goal is to tailor a programme that suits the needs of our pupils whilst allowing them to experience a wide range of sporting activities. We want our pupils, as they move into the Prep School, to think of themselves as ‘athletes’ and to understand that so many of the fundamental skills they have learnt in the Lower School are transferable across sports. To this end we have introduced pathways into our games programme. The pupils and teachers will decide which pathway, from team, individual and all rounder, best suits their needs. The sports delivered in each pathway are slightly different and each teacher sets appropriate lesson outcomes based on the standard of their class. The sports within these pathways are delivered at the time of the year which coincides with the ISSFHK seasons. This allows staff to have the ability to further advance co-curricular teams within the games setting as well as SCAs and CCAs. Pupils do have the ability to change pathways but this would be through consultation with both pupil and parents. The table below shows the sports that are delivered in each pathway. On average, there are normally 4 classes of pupils per pathway with an average of 20 pupils per class. As each class rotates through different sports, they are taught by the teacher with specialist knowledge in that area.

Team Pathway Volleyball Basketball Netball Rugby Football Individual Pathway All Rounder Pathway Harrow Fit Football

Athletics Gymnastics Table Tennis Badminton Volleyball Holiday Games Beach Tennis Badminton

Harrow Fit/Watt bikes Tennis Cricket

GOLF & HORSE RIDING

As part of the games provision, pupils have the opportunity to opt into either golf or horse riding lessons during games. Both activities occur off site and are led by external coaches. Pupils have the opportunity to experience these activities for a term and then return back into the games pathways. The purpose of these activities being placed in games is to offer another new experience and is not designed to develop the elite performer. These are paid lessons and therefore have a cost attached.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH LESSONS

Physical Education and Health units prepare our pupils by giving them experiences through a variety of activities in an array of environments. These include the astro, pool, courts, sand, indoor sports halls and track. Physical Education and Health will open up opportunities for our pupils to participate in sport on and off the playing field. Physical Education and Health is the doorway to careers such as medicine, physiotherapist, lawyer, player agent, CEO of major sports organisations and more.

HOUSE SPORT

At Harrow International School Hong Kong, we have an all-inclusive House Sports Competition that allows our pupils to have another opportunity to play sport and wear their House colours with pride. House sport is a hotly-contested competition and you can see the passion in every House when they compete against one another. All Houses take part in the following sports: Sports Day (Track & Field), Cross Country, Netball, Football, Touch Rugby, Basketball, Swimming, Dodgeball, Badminton and Indoor Rowing. House Sport Competitions are opportunities to: • Build a solid house culture • Develop camaraderie, friendships & trust • Provide leadership opportunities • Represent a team and contribute to competitive competition • Stay active • Take part in a variety of sports

COMPETITIVE SPORTS PROGRAMME

Participating in sports is part of our culture here at Harrow Hong Kong. Recreation and competitive sport is catered for in fifteen sports codes across the academic year. Our competitive sports programme offers regular opportunities to play fixtures against other international and local schools in Hong Kong. We compete in the International Schools Sports Federation Hong Kong (ISSFHK) and Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation (HKSSF) leagues and annual friendly fixtures. Fixtures take place mostly mid-week and also on Saturdays, depending on the sport. Harrow Hong Kong also hosts a number of tournaments throughout the year in various sports and these are well attended by other schools.

Competitive sports leagues start in Year 6 (U12) and reach their pinnacle at Year 13 (U19). Harrovians who do not consider themselves athletes when they arrive at our School discover new sports and the talent to play them with great skill and flair. Many continue to enjoy the sporting abilities they discovered at Harrow Hong Kong long after leaving us and take the lessons they have learnt with them into the world beyond school.

Overseas sports tours are an important part of our sports programme. Tours provide the opportunity for our pupils to bond as a team and measure their progress against schools from around the world. The experience and the memories that our pupils gain will be with them for the rest of their lives.

The Physical Education and Health Department are hugely experienced in high performance sport. Pupils who have aspirations to achieve honours in their chosen sport are well supported by the department as pathways are available for our pupils who choose to compete at the highest level and achieve academically at same time.

All fixtures, results and team details can be found at sport.harrowschool.hk

SUPER CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (SCA)

Sports Super Curricular Activities give pupils more opportunity to explore and challenge themselves in a sporting context. Pupils can enjoy extra time taking part in their favourite sports which will allow them to have more time on task to accelerate their learning. Pupils will apply the skills learned in SCAs in competitive fixtures and tournaments.

Rugby

Harrow Fit

Tennis

Volleyball

Basketball

Football

Athletics / XC

Netball

Badminton

Touch Rugby

Gymnastics

Indoor Cricket

Indoor Cycling Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (CCA)

The Co-Curricular programme delivers extra lessons for pupils to polish their sporting skills or play recreationally. It allows pupils to stay active after a day of academic study and get in the extra work if pupils are pursuing academic and sporting goals. Co-Curricular activities supplement our PEH and SCAs if pupils need to work on their skills to get ahead and achieve the targets they have been set by their teachers. The following sports are delivered throughout the year:

• Rugby • Use of the gym • Tennis • Volleyball • Basketball • Football • Athletics / XC • Netball • Badminton • Touch Rugby • Gymnastics • Swimming • Table Tennis

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PHILOSOPHY & RELIGIOUS STUDIES (PRS)

In the Upper School, Philosophy and Religious Studies is a multidisciplinary subject, looking through the lenses of Philosophy, Theology and Social-Anthropology. Each discipline is a significant academic field in its own right and the topics studied in Year 8 will allow pupils to further their philosophical skills by engaging with theories of perception, questioning how we can come to know a physical world and whether we can be sure that one exists. They will further enhance their religious knowledge, studying the dharmic faiths, and improve their evaluative skills. With global citizenship at the heart of the PRS curriculum, pupils are introduced to a diverse range of ideas and beliefs, learning about groups and thinkers that may have been academically marginalised in the past.

TERM DISCIPLINARY ‘LENS’ AND TOPIC SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE

Autumn

Philosophy

Epistemology - How do we gain knowledge of the world? Explaining theories of knowledge

Social anthropology

Social justice - What are our rights and responsibilities? What does it mean to be a global citizen?

Spring

Theology

Hinduism - What is Hinduism? How did Hinduism emerge? What are Hindu beliefs and practices? Buddhism - What is Buddhism? How did Buddhism emerge?

Summer Theology Buddhism (continued) - What are Buddhist beliefs and practices?

Social-anthropological

Religious Practices - How do beliefs influence practices? • Theories of knowledge • Direct Realism • Indirect Realism • Idealism • Maslow’s hierarchy of needs • Human rights and responsibilities • The social contract • Diversity and community cohesion • Multi-faith society • The origins of Hinduism • Brahman (different beliefs about God/s) • The Samsara Cycle • The Path to Moksha • The life of the Buddha • The three marks of

Existence

• The four Noble Truths • The path to enlightenment • Religious practices, including prayer and pilgrimage from a variety of religions

PRS SKILLS

Broadly, all approaches in PRS encourage pupils not only to be able to explain and analyse theories and beliefs, but also to comment on them and reach their own justified conclusions. However, each disciplinary ‘lens’ requires the development and application of unique skills. In the Philosophy topic, pupils will continue to hone their understanding of the concepts of validity and soundness and make judgements about theories based on this. In the Theology topics, pupils will be able to explain religious beliefs in detail and understand how these influence believers. In the Social Anthropology topic, pupils will analyse sociological ideas and identify the implications of different approaches in society.

ASSESSMENT

Pupils’ progress will be monitored throughout each topic through informal checking of knowledge (such as quizzes and marking of books). Pupils’ progress in each topic will be summatively assessed using a variety of multiple-choice knowledge questions, short-answer questions and essays. Helpful feedback and opportunities for pupils to ‘Step Up’ their work follow both formative and summative assessment.

SCIENCE

Science is the study of the world around us. Biology investigates the wonders of life, and the Science Department is alive with animals and plants of different varieties. Chemistry offers the bangs and the bubbles, while Physics applies the laws and the theories to explain the many mysteries of the ever-expanding universe. The Prep School Science curriculum is largely based on the UK Key Stage Three curriculum, although it is tailored to meet the needs of our pupils at Harrow Hong Kong. The curriculum has been designed to enthuse pupils and to encourage them to develop a love of science, while also gaining the knowledge and skills that they can take forward into their IGCSE studies. Pupils are taught an integrated Science curriculum, with an equal weighting given to each of the sciences across the three years of Prep School (six lessons per fortnight). The Year 8 programme of study is as follows:

SCIENCE INDUCTION

This short unit is an opportunity for pupils to be reminded of the importance of safety in the laboratory and for new pupils to discover how we carry out practicals at Harrow Hong Kong. Pupils will learn about hazard symbols and safety when heating using a Bunsen burner. Finally, they will be introduced to the BBC micro:bits, which they will be using throughout the different topics listed below.

BIOLOGY

• Unicellular organisms Using the broad theme of diseases, this unit takes a detailed look at what unicellular organisms are, the differences between them, their problems and uses. • Growing Food This topic also gives pupils a taster of what is to come at IGCSE. They build on their basic understanding of photosynthesis and learn how plants are adapted to function. Pupils also learn about farming and about the different techniques that plant growers use in order to produce maximum yield.

CHEMISTRY

• Combustion

This unit uses the context of combustion engines to cover combustion and oxidation reactions, including those of hydrocarbons, metals and non-metals. • Metals and their uses

This unit encourages pupils to consider the physical properties of metals and introduces them to their main chemical properties.

PHYSICS

• Light This topic is a good opportunity for pupils to appreciate the link between the sciences, with an overview of how the eyes work and how they work in a similar way to cameras. Pupils learn about refraction, reflection and colour. • Space Pupils will develop their understanding of how scientific ideas can change over time by looking at the various models of how our solar system works. They will gain an insight into how the tilt of the Earth affects seasons, how its rotation causes night and day and how Earth has a magnetic field.

Robotics

Pupils will have the opportunity to develop their understanding of coding, problem solving and engineering in this engaging 3 week unit. They will learn to code their robot to carry out a variety of increasingly complex tasks.

ASSESSMENT

Internal assessment takes place throughout Year 8, with end-of-topic tests used to track pupil progress. Pupils will also be assessed on different skills as they complete different skills assessments within each topic studied.

SCIENCE WEEK

Each year Harrow Hong Kong holds Science Week. A different theme is chosen each year and pupils join in fun and exciting activities around the School.