

Year 9 Curriculum Booklet
Introduction This booklet has been produced to provide you with information about your child’s learning at GEMS Wellington Academy, Silicon Oasis (WSO), during this academic year. It is intended to give a very broad overview of the learning journey students will undertake, along with the learning competences your child will develop and how the courses are assessed. Your child’s chances of a successful education will be greatest where an effective three-way partnership between student, parent and school is established. This booklet is an important tool for developing and maintaining this partnership along with attendance at our parents’ and information sessions. The more information you have about how your child is learning and what she/he is learning, the more you are able to support and enhance this learning. This may be through support with home learning, discussion, identifying relevant books, websites and television programmes or through family outings. At WSO we believe that students should be given a broad and balanced curriculum which equips them for life beyond the school gates in the Twenty First Century. This sees the aims of education as being firstly to enlarge children's knowledge, skills, experience and imaginative understanding and thus their awareness of moral values and capacity for enjoyment. Secondly, it enables them to enter the world after formal education as active participants in society and responsible contributors to it, capable of achieving as much independence as possible. We also ensure that the education we offer ensures progression to Post 16 education and into Higher Education or employment. Students study the National Curriculum subjects: English, Art, Design & Technology, Performing Arts (Drama, Music, Dance), Humanities (History, Geography), Modern Foreign Languages and Physical Education. In addition, students at WSO learn Arabic and Islamic Studies (Muslims) or Cultural Studies (non-Muslims). In addition, students at GEMS Wellington Academy commence GCSE programmes in both Mathematics and Science. The Enrichment programme provides additional opportunities for students to develop their interests and abilities. Details of the Enrichment offer are contained within another publication.
Student Behaviour and Achievements For effective teaching and learning to take place all students are expected to conform to the following: Arrive to class ready to learn Treat others and their belongings with respect Always have the necessary equipment to learn Positive achievements are recorded electronically and result in students being awarded House Points or Commendations from the Directors of School. Occasionally, it is necessary for us to use sanctions and, at all times we aim to be fair and consistent. We use the Academy’s detention system when a student has failed to abide by classroom procedures and routines. The failure of a student to attend a detention without good reason is regarded extremely seriously and may lead to the student working in isolation. All sanctions are recorded. Parents can expect to receive a telephone call, email or letter, if an issue arises which we judge to be serious. By working in partnership with each other the vast majority of problems can be resolved quickly.
Ready to Learn It is very important that students arrive at school ready to learn. This can only take place if students arrive on time; in the correct uniform and with all the equipment they need for the day. Equipment for school: Suitable size school bag Student Planner Pens, pencils, ruler, calculator, protractor, compasses Books for that day’s lessons Specialist equipment for that day’s lessons e.g. PE Kit
Attendance Full attendance should be a realistic aim for all students. Periods of absence from school can be highly disruptive to education and have a negative impact on learning. Attendance and punctuality are recorded for all lessons. We will publish attendance figures on School Reports. Poor attendance could result in students not being ready to progress to the next year of learning.
Marking and Feedback Students’ work will be assessed in a number of ways, which may include peer assessment, where the students are encouraged to mark one another’s work according to a given criteria and reflect on how their work can be improved. There will also be online activities which are marked electronically and work which is marked regularly by the teacher where feedback about how to improve will be included, especially with more substantial pieces of work. In addition to this, formative assessment will also take place in lessons where teachers will give advice on how work can be improved. Students should act on this advice in order to improve their work.
Home Learning This is work that should be completed outside the classroom and will contain an element of independent study that is not directly supervised by the teacher. It is important for raising achievement as it enhances your child’s learning.
Most home learning will, from this year, be available on our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You may find that there will be rare occasions when home learning has not been set, and students should use the time to review their class notes for that subject and learn any subject specific vocabulary.
Academic Concerns At GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis, subjects are grouped into one of three faculties or ‘schools’. These are: AHSL (Arts, Humanities, Sport and Leisure) L&C (Language and Communication) MST (Mathematics, Science and Technology) Any academic concerns about your child’s progress should, as a first point of call, be shared with your child’s subject teacher. Broader questions about how the curriculum is organised should be addressed to one of the three Directors of School or to the Vice Principal.
Pastoral Concerns Should you have concerns not relate to an academic matter, please make contact with your son or daughter’s tutor as a first port of call. Assisting the tutors are the Academy’s Heads of House and Assistant Heads of House. Supporting them in their work is the Vice Principal.
Aims of the Academy Our main aim is to engage and inspire all students to excel in their learning, to encourage and develop independent, inquisitive, resilient young minds, and to prepare our students to become eloquent, knowledgeable and responsible global citizens, who are capable of flourishing in the 21st Century. Our curriculum is not about ‘delivering’ knowledge, but encouraging our students to develop learning competences to resolve problems for themselves. We hope that you, as parents, will support both the teaching staff and your children in this challenging but exciting mission!
اللغة العربية للناطقني بها
Arabic A
اللغة العربية للناطقني بها )Arabic A (Year 9 :وصف املساق :يعتمد منهاج الصف التاسع على مظهرا فهمه ملضمونها وبنيانها وعناصرها - ، النصوص القرائية ويتضمن املقرر دراسة كيف يستطيع الطالب أن يحلل قصة قصيرة ً ذاكرا السبب والنتيجة واألدلة الداعمة نصا معلوماتيًا مبنيًا على عرض قضية عامة .يحلل ً ً املهارات النحوية التي يكتسبها الطالب من الدروس بالتعرف على طريقة الكشف عن الكلمات في القاموس املحيط وأن يعرف املصدر - ويتعرف على مصادر االفعال الثالثية وغير الثالثية ،وإعراب الضمائر واألفعال التي تنصب مفعولني أصلهما املبتدأ والخبر واألسماء .الخمسة واملفعول معه املهارات البالغية :حيث أن الدروس تعمل على رفع التذوق البالغي من خالل دراسة التقديم والتأخير واملقابلة والطباق والجناس- .ومهارة الكتابة بالتعرف على كيفية كتابة املقال التحليلي والورقة البحثية والقصة القصيرة والسيرة الذاتية
Arabic B (Year 9) During this academic year, students who are new to the Arabic language and who have never been exposed to its context, will learn the basic skills of the language through the various levels. They will start with the sound level of the alphabet then the letter level which will enhance their ability to form meaningful words where they learn how to join letters. Additionally, they will experience writing from right to left. In contrast, students who learnt basic skills before will develop more complex language skills including the four language skills (listening, Speaking, reading and writing) which will be integrated within the context of most lessons. In addition to that, some basic grammar skills will be covered. Moreover, the context of the lessons will include themes related to their daily lives such as greetings, introductions, my home, hobbies, family, expressing their views, writing their CVs in Arabic, fashion, and clothing. In addition to those themes, references will be made to other school core subjects. Course Outline Arabic (beginners)
Arabic (prior experience)
Useful websites:
www.mylanguages.org www.arabicreadingcourse.com www.salaamarabic.com www.softarabic.com www.Learnarabiconline.com https://quizlet.com/browse-sets
user name: Mahmoud66
Useful apps:
alphabet Arabe Arabic flashcards Kahoot.it pin numbers: 233236
586234
135194
434829
Anticipated Educational Visits Visit to Heritage Village in Dubai in Term 2
Art and Design In Year 9, students will study the topics of Portraiture and Identity. Projects are inspired by the study of a range of traditional and contemporary artwork and contexts. Students will use sketchbooks to record research, develop ideas and observational work. They will experiment with a range of media and techniques (2D / 3D: drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, digital imagery, sculpture construction). Students will refine their skills to become competent visual communicators, working independently towards a final outcome. Students in Year 9 work on a rotation basis with the Design and Technology Department, with each rotation lasting roughly 18 weeks.
Cultural Studies The Year 9 units aim to get students ready for the ‘real world’, informing them primarily about the world of work and finance. Students think about the effects of unemployment in both the UK and UAE. They look at the importance of carrying out voluntary work and explore charitable organisations within Dubai. The careers unit aims to get students to conduct independent work on what job they might want as an adult. They use this to learn about applying for jobs and the interview process. Mini-projects at the end of each term enable students to take ownership of their learning and complete a practical element of work independently. Course Outline
Useful websites
http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-18_u-130_t-363_c-1271/taxation-and-deductions/nsw/taxation-anddeductions/employment-issues/taxation-and-superannuation http://www.dubaicares.ae/en/section/campaigns-events/section-5
Design Technology In Year 9, students will design and manufacture their own prototype fragrance bottle and packaging; developing their knowledge in both Resistant Materials and Graphics. Students will learn how to draw using 3D drawing and rendering techniques, and learn about branding and marketing. Students will also be hands on in the workshop producing their prototype fragrance bottle using various tools such as rasps, saws and drills. Course Outline
Useful websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ www.technologystudent.com http://www.dafont.com/ http://www.mr-dt.com/materials/main.htm
Food Technology In Year 9, students will develop more advanced food preparation skills including baking techniques. They will develop an understanding of how ingredients are combined and apply their knowledge and skills to create their own final product for a bakery.
Useful websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/ http://www.nutrition.org.uk/
English In Year 9 students are encouraged to develop the skills they will need in preparation for undertaking the iGCSE course in Year 10. The year begins with a unit called ‘Tales With A Twist’; short stories with unexpected events. Next, we undertake an exploration of modern media, looking closely at gender in the media. Following this, the students will then study a unit of dramatic poetry, told through the eyes of different characters. They will be encouraged to develop their own interpretations and to analyse the poems in depth. In term two, all students will study a class novel of the teacher’s preference. Here they will learn to empathise with characters and to explore the writer’s craft, eventually harnessing some of these skills in their own work. A Shakespearean heroes and villains unit will allow students to understand the use of dramatic techniques to interest an audience. In order to develop their skills of inference and deduction, students will analyse a variety of non-fiction texts similar to those they will be faced with in an iGCSE exam. Finally, they will finish the year with the study of how language changes, adapts and evolves around the world. Course Outline
Useful websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/z3kw2hv http://www.rhymezone.com/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramamacbeth/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/reading/nonfictiontextsrev1.shtml Anticipated Educational Visits No visits are scheduled for Year 9 students at present.Â
Geography In Year 9, students will study an array of topics within Physical, Human and Environmental geography. Students will look at various global issues and look to strengthen an empathetic approach to learning that will help them assess these global issues from the viewpoints of multiple stakeholders. They will also use a range of case studies to study how such major events can impact on the social, economic, environmental and political aspects of a country. Course Outline
Useful websites
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk http://www.geograph.org.uk http://www.geographyalltheway.com
History In Year 9 students will study a range of topics from the 19th and 20th Century. They begin with a unit on public health and medicine which asks students to investigate how new discoveries led to the improvement in both health and medicine. Then students then move into the 20th Century with a causation unit looking at the long and short term causes of WWI. The final Year 9 unit allows the students to investigate significant events that have taken place across the world within the 20th Century. The periods studied will build on student’s increasingly detailed understanding of European and world history established in Year 8. Year 9 History will also further develop students by asking them to critically analyse and evaluate historical sources as well as gain a greater understanding of the key historical processes of causation, consequence, change and significance. Students will experience a range of learning approaches throughout the year, from class based learning to blended learning utilising the latest educational technology.
Course Outline
Useful websites
http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/ http://www.historyonthenet.com/ http://www.historytoday.com/ http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ http://www.johndclare.net/ Anticipated Educational Visits No visits are scheduled for Year 9 History students at present.
Islamic (A) Studies In Year 9 students will study topics which build the student’s need to develop an emotional link with every aspect of Islam. They will be inspired to truly love Allah, Prophet Muhammad and other Prophets, the Sahabah and the great scholars and heroes of Islam, the Qur’an, the Sunnah and rules and morals of Islam. Islamic curriculum aims to instill love in the heart of learners toward Islamic principles in general. This heartily link would function as a motivational factor and encourage learners to implement various Islamic principles and practices. Project-based education will help students to retain and internalize their lessons in motivating chapters and lessons of their curriculum which will develop ideas and abilities to think conceptually and abstractly, and capacity to discern logical or numeral matters. Course Outline
Useful websites
www.artcyclopedia.com www.ucreative.ac.uk (our art college) www.nationalgallery.org.uk www.tate.org.uk www.designmuseum.org
Islamic (B) Studies In Year 9, students will study topics that enable them to develop an emotional link with every aspect of Islam. They will be inspired to truly love Allah, the Prophet Muhammad and other Prophets, the Sahabah and the great scholars and heroes of Islam, the Qur’an, the Sunnah and rules and morals of Islam. Islamic curriculum aims to instill love in the heart of learners toward Islamic principles in general. This deeper understanding functions as a motivational factor and encourages learners to implement various Islamic principles and practices. Project-based study will also help students to retain and internalise their lessons through the reading of motivating chapters and lessons, which will in turn enable them to develop further their ideas and abilities to think both conceptually and abstractly.
Useful websites:
http://islamhouse.com/en/ http://www.tvquran.com/minshawi_molem.htm
MFL In Year 9, students will continue with their study of French or Spanish. In French they will follow the Expo scheme of work, and in Spanish follow Mira. In both French and Spanish, students will further develop the language learning skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing and continue to extend their knowledge of grammar. Students will work on extending their vocabulary and the range of structures they are able to recognise and use; in order to prepare them for the new-style GCSEs, there will be an emphasis on skills such as translation.
Useful websites
www.linguascope.co.uk (logon and password available from the MFL department) www.vocabexpress.com (individual student logons)Â www.languagesonline.org.uk www.zut.org.uk www.language-gym.com www.wordreference.com Anticipated Educational Visits Visits to France and Spain are scheduled during Term 1.
Mathematics In Year 9 students will study the first year’s content of the ‘New 1-9 Edexcel GCSE’ curriculum. This enables the students to; Develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts and techniques. Acquire a foundation of mathematical skills for further study in the subject or related areas. Enjoy using and applying mathematical techniques and concepts, and become confident to use mathematics to solve problems. Appreciate the importance of mathematics in society, employment and study.
Useful websites:
www.myimaths.com www.mangahigh.com www.mathswatchvle.com http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/z6pfb9q (Pre-2015) http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/z38pycw (2015 onwards) www.desmos.com http://www.gcse.com/maths/ http://corbettmaths.com/ http://www.subtangent.com/maths/index.php
Science In Year 9, students will study aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, as they begin the first year of their AQA GCSE course. Students will study the content in a variety of ways such as: practical inquiry, problem solving, application and analysis, independent research and blended learning. This will ensure students develop the skills required to become competent scientific enquirers and that students are well prepared for assessments.
Useful websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zrkw2hv http://www.gcsescience.com/index.html https://www.youtube.com/user/myGCSEscience (These are old specification videos, but many will still be relevant.)
Performing Arts In Year 9, Performing Arts students will study a curriculum that rotates around the specialisms of Music, Dance and Drama. Students will expand on their learning from Year 8 Performing Arts with a bigger focus on individual subject specific skills. Students will develop their responding, performing and evaluating skills. Students will use workbooks to record research, develop ideas and reflect on their work.
Useful websites:
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk www.thestage.co.uk http://www.uniondance.co.uk/ http://www.musictheory.net/exercises http://www.musictheory.net/lessons http://www.8notes.com/theory/
Physical Education (PE) In Year 9, students will continue to take part in a variety of sporting activities and continue to develop their level of skill and tactical knowledge in full size competitive situations. Students will also continue to develop their ability to analyze a performance and act on their feedback they to create drills and training programmes for improvement. Lessons will be student led and ownership for development will be given to the students. Students will learn key words and terms associated with the GCSE PE course. Useful websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/znyb4wx http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/academy/default.stm http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx Anticipated Educational Visits: •
Sports Day January 2017