Key Stage 3 Curriculum Booklet 2018 by Kingswood School

KEY STAGE 3 CURRICULUM BOOKLET 2018

Contents Introduction

Kingswood KS3 Curriculum

THE SUBJECTS Art

Classical Civilisation

Computer Science

Design & Technology

Drama

English

English as an Additional Language

Geography

History

Latin

Mathematics

Modern Foreign Languages

Music

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Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education Physical Education and Games

Religion, Philosophy and Ethic

Science

Introduction This booklet is designed to offer you information about the Key Stage 3 curriculum at Kingswood. The curriculum at Key Stage 3 is designed to give teachers every opportunity to explore their subjects with you in rigorous and creative ways, without the looming pressure of external examinations. You will be encouraged to learn key concepts and engage creatively with big questions. We are proud to offer a broad and balanced curriculum at Kingswood that is rich in knowledge and ambitious in scope.

The first three years of senior school education are pivotal. It is in the first three years that you will acquire the foundational knowledge that underpins everything you go on to study at GCSE and Advanced Level. Moreover, the first years of a senior school education are when you develop the skills and thinking dispositions that will serve you well further up the School. It is also in these years that you begin to discover for yourself which subjects you love, we hope giving rise to great curiosity and authentic interest.

A Broad Curriculum Our aim is to give you a taste of as many subjects as possible in Years 7, 8, and 9 so that when you come to make curriculum choices for Year 9 Options and Year 10 GCSE Options, you will be better informed to make those decisions.

A Curriculum Overview We follow an enhanced National Curriculum in terms of subject content, although not in terms of timetable allocations. We cherish our commitment to the teaching of Modern Foreign Languages. With this in mind, you will begin by studying two out of the three languages on offer: German, French and Spanish.

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(You may choose one and you will be allocated one more.) In Year 8 pupils will also be given the opportunity to study Latin (or Mandarin from 2019). We are committed to the delivery of History and Geography as separate humanities, and Religious Education has a central place in the School’s curriculum. We are also proud of our commitment to the Practical-Creative subjects, where we achieve very high standards in Art, Drama, Design Technology and Music from Year 7 through to GCSE, Advanced Level and university entrance. In Computer Science you will be guided through a curriculum which helps you to develop computational thinking skills whilst also developing the confidence to use various software packages. Each of the curriculum statements in this booklet has been written by a Head of Department. They give you a broad outline of all the topics covered and the skills learnt over the Key Stage 3 years. Furthermore, as you read you will learn a little about the variety of teaching approaches used, and the methods of assessment employed to keep track of your progress.

Your Tutor Group In all three year groups, class sizes are around twenty pupils, but you will also be allocated to a tutor group. Whether you are a boarder or a day pupil, if you are in Years 7 and 8 you will be based in Westwood, where Mr Pentreath is Head of Lower School and Mrs Herlinger is the Assistant Head of Lower School. Mr Duke is the Head of Boarding in Westwood and he is assisted by Mrs Curtis. A large team of tutors is attached to Westwood as well as specially chosen Year 12 Westwood prefects. You will be allocated to a tutor, who normally has responsibility for between twelve and fifteen pupils. He or she will register you every morning. If you need to talk about your work with someone other than a subject teacher or your parents, then you should go to your tutor. He or she will monitor your academic progress throughout the year, discuss your Interim and Full reports with you, and help you to set targets for future improvement. He or she will also help you to manage your time productively. Year 9 pupils are allocated to Houses in the Senior School, where the same priority is given to the tutorial system, in which the tutor plays an equally important role.

Class Groups Class groups in Years 7–9 are generally mixed-ability. By Year 9 Mathematics, modern languages and Science are taught in ability sets, whilst all other subjects are taught in mixed-ability groups.

HELPING YOU STAY ORGANISED You will be given access to your own profile on ‘Firefly’, our online platform for pupil organisation. Firefly is available as an app, as well as through an internet browser, and is the central place where we record prep. Firefly contains a wealth of supportive links and resources for each subject. You also can use Firefly as a digital timetable, which updates in real-time.

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Firefly is designed to help you plan your work, manage your time and review your progress. In Year 7, you may be offered a simple paper-based diary to also help you manage your work, which may be particularly helpful at first if you have never used a platform like Firefly before. By Year 8, however, we would expect you to be using Firefly to help you stay on top of your workload.

A Partnership between Home and School

In Year 9, all pupils will continue to follow courses in Art, Drama, Design Technology and Music. You will be able to choose between focusing on one of the Practical-Arts as your ‘core’ option or you can continue with Latin / Mandarin (from 2019). If you do choose one of the Practical-Arts as ‘core’, you will then study the other Practical-Arts options in the form of a ‘roundabout’, where you study each for a term only. Any of these subjects can be taken through to GCSE.

All of your teachers want you to enjoy their subjects, whilst making excellent progress. They will have high expectations of you and will encourage you to meet and extend your academic potential at Key Stage 3. This means that you should not only establish effective working habits in School, but that you should also take responsibility for completing all of the prep set to the best of your ability. If you are a boarder, or a weekly boarder, you may want to share your Firefly login with your parents so they see the work you have been set.

Curriculum progression in Years 8 and 9 Most of you will continue with your Year 7 subjects into Year 8. Some of you, however, may only pursue one modern language in Year 8, if we feel that you need extra academic support. Those who only study one modern language in Year 8 will be enrolled on the Study Support programme.

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KINGSWOOD KS3 CURRICULUM Subjects are taught in a mixture of double (75 minutes) and single (35 minute) periods. The diagrams below show the structure of the curriculum in each year group as well as the number of taught periods in a week. Those subjects where students can choose options are highlighted.

English

Maths

Science

MFL 1 or EAL

MFL 2 or EAL

History

Geography

RPE

PSHCE

Art

Drama

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Music

Games

YEAR 7 CURRICULUM

(41 PERIODS)

History

Geography

RPE

PSHCE

Art

Drama

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Music

Games

2 + 2 or

Latin OR MANDARIN (2019)

Study Support

MFL*

Science

MFL 2 or EAL

Maths

MFL 1 or EAL

English

YEAR 8 CURRICULUM

3 +1

(41 PERIODS)

Geography

RPE

PSHCE

Games

ART

DRAMA

MUSIC

LATIN OR MANDARIN

History

PHYSICS

COMPUTER SCIENCE

CHEMISTRY

MFL 2 or Class. Civ.

BIOLOGY

YEAR 9 ROUNDABOUT MFL 2 or EAL

Maths

MFL 1 or EAL

English

YEAR 9 CORE CURRICULUM

Combination 3+3

(37 PERIODS)

(4 PERIODS)

* MFL – students can choose their first choice language from French, German or Spanish. Pupils will begin (I)GCSE courses in the three separate sciences in Year 9.

Students choose one Practical Arts subject to study all year – the remaining Practical Arts subjects (or Latin / Mandarin) are then studied each term

Getting Started You will need to bring a well-equipped, named pencil case to all your lessons. It should contain: • Pens

• Ruler

• Pencils

• Coloured pencils

• Pencil sharpener

• Rubber

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It will also be helpful to have glue and scissors. For mathematics you will need a long ruler, a pair of compasses, a protractor and a scientific calculator; the Mathematics department recommends the Casio fx-83GT X Plus. All of these items can be purchased at the School Shop. Items purchased may be paid for with cash or placed on the school bill.

ART

Mr S Brown

Year 7 (Foundation Year)

WHAT WILL I LEARN? During Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) you will have the opportunity to develop your creativity and imagination through a range of activities. These help you to build on, and improve, your practical and critical skills and extend your knowledge and experience of materials, processes and practices, including ICT (for example, drawing, painting, collage, print making, digital media, sculpture). You will engage confidently with art, craft and design in the contemporary world and from different times and cultures. You will learn to work on your own, and collaborate with others, on projects in two and three dimensions and on different scales.

This year is a vital period for helping all students from many different backgrounds to start on the same footing. The first term is structured as a transition stage from junior to senior school in which you will go through a range of different activities. During the year you will be engaged in termly projects in which all basic drawing skills are taught and strengthened. You will have a chance to work in 2D and 3D and learn to have confidence and knowledge with handling a variety of media.

Year 8 (Development Year) An exciting year where you will have time to push boundaries and experiment with a wider range of media. You will have the chance to express yourself and work in group situations to produce large-scale work. Perspective, repeat pattern and basic printing are some of the areas you might investigate. Discussion will take place during the Spring Term as to whether you will be taking Art on as your core subject in Year 9.

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• visual recording skills from a primary stimulus and employ visual elements such as line, tone, colour, form, compositional organisation, structure and scale. You will also learn to develop a personal sketchbook showing your thoughts research and ideas; • understanding of contexts in Art, craft and design by integrating into your own practical work the knowledge and understanding of visual language gained from analysis and evaluation of artists’ work, images, objects and artefacts and their contexts, including some first hand experience of original work, and from personal research from books and the internet;

Year 9 – Roundabout – (Strengthening) If you pick this option you will have approximately one third of the school year in which to work on a thematic project building on what you have learnt in previous years. The focus will be creativity, enjoyment and realising your intentions in a positive environment. Basic skills for GCSE are taught and will give you a glimpse of what will be on offer during Years 10 and 11.

Year 9 – Core – (Strengthening and Preparation Year) You will be able to focus on Art for a whole year. Each term you will engage in a different project that will help you to develop your:

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• practical skills by developing and exploring ideas using a wide range of media, processes and resources in two and three dimensions including, where appropriate, ICT; • realisation skills by creating and presenting a personal response (final piece / conclusion).

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? You will develop an independent way of working and thinking and be fully prepared to start your Art GCSE.

CLASSICAL CIVILISATION

Mrs S Dakin

• read, understand and make a personal response to literature in translation; • develop an awareness of the similarities and differences between the classical world and later times; • make an informed response, based on evidence, to the material studied, using written and, where appropriate, oral and other means of communication. The Assessment Objectives of this course focus on students’ demonstration of knowledge and understanding of classical civilisation, and ability to interpret, evaluate and respond to classical literature. Classical Civilisation is available to take as a GCSE. However, as the course content is not started until Year 10, a pupil is not precluded from taking it as a GCSE if they have not taken the course in Year 9.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? Pupils studying one modern foreign language in Year 9 will study Classical Civilisation. The purpose of this course is to acquire an understanding of some of the elements of classical civilisations, literature and culture which have had a profound influence on modern societies, to fire imagination and to deepen and develop experience by considering aesthetic, political, religious and social questions. In our study of Classical Civilisation, we shall explore Ancient Greece. Our course looks at ancient religion; daily life; landmark historical events, such as the Battle of Thermopylae, and characters such as Alexander the Great. We use a range of textbooks, set texts, DVDs and videos, as well as an interactive programme on our Intranet focusing on Greek gods and goddesses.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? The course provides students with opportunities by means of a range of topics to: • acquire an understanding of Greek civilisations studied in historical context;

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COMPUTER SCIENCE

WHAT WILL I LEARN? During Year 7 you will be introduced to a range of programming concepts and software. In Years 8 and 9 you will build on your knowledge to develop increasingly advanced applications and solutions to problems. The skills you develop will enable the most efficient use of programming and professional presentation of your work. In all years, we regularly work with other departments to reinforce the use of Computer Science and software skills as a tool to aid the development and presentation of your work across the curriculum.

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Mr G Edgell

In Computer Science, we are keen to equip pupils for life in a world where they will increasingly need computational thinking skills. In Years 7 and 8 pupils are introduced to the concept of writing algorithms using decomposition and abstraction. They develop a logical approach to problem solving and gain exposure to a wide range of software. By the end of Year 9 they have developed sufficient skills to solve a range of complex computational problems. The course covers both practical and theoretical understanding and is intended to give students the opportunity to develop the Computer Science skills laid out in the National Curriculum. In addition to computational thinking skills, by the end of Key Stage 3 pupils have gained an understanding and practical use of software skills which are relevant to their everyday learning experiences as well as laying solid foundations for future Computer Science courses at higher levels. They will also understand how computers use algorithms to solve problems and will have developed a core understanding of key programming concepts using a text based language.

Topics covered include: • Under the hood of a computer – learn how to ‘think’ like a computer, and understand how computers process data • Think like a computer scientist – learn about the concepts of decomposition and algorithms • Drawing and manipulating shapes – write a program that creates an artwork based on geometric shapes • Web page creation – design and code a web page and upload it to a server • Designing a new operating system for a hand held digital device – research the needs of a specific user group and design a device for them • Programming a calculator – learn how to program a calculator using Scratch • Programming a quiz – program a maths quiz for primary school pupils

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? • The ability to develop algorithms to solve problems. • An understanding of how computers use binary data.

• Python programming – write a range of programs using a text based language

• The ability to select the appropriate tool(s) for any task undertaken.

• E-Safety – develop greater awareness of the importance of responsible use of the Internet

• The confidence to use software independently and efficiently.

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

‘Design & Technology is about making things that people want and that work well. Creating these things is hugely exciting.’ Sir James Dyson, Chairman, Dyson Ltd.

WHAT WILL I LEARN & WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? At each level in the first three years, the emphasis is on enjoyment and learning through experiencing a wide range of practical skills and techniques related to design and the manufactured world that is all around us. All the projects that are undertaken will consist of key elements taught at exam level.

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Mr B Brown

Safety All pupils are introduced to the proper safe working practices at every stage of their work and will be issued with the appropriate personal protective equipment (and given appropriate instructions) whenever necessary.

Years 7 & 8 In the first two years pupils will have two lessons of Design Technology each week. They will learn workshop skills using a wide variety of tools and equipment – including some power tools and computer aided design software. Alongside this they will begin to design aspects of their own projects and learn about the design process. The work is mostly practical with some drawing and writing. As their confidence and ability increase, they will have more say over how their design projects look and work. Each pupil will be expected to research aspects for their projects for themselves. Projects will involve the use of wood, metal and plastics using a wide range of manufacturing techniques, including the use of

CAD (computer aided design) and CAM (computer aided manufacture) and 3D printing. Included in the programme is a module of graphics to ensure that all are able to successfully produce drawings that can convey exciting and innovative ideas.

Year 9 Pupils in Year 9 are invited to consider Design Technology as an option; they will not automatically take this subject as a core subject. They can either choose DT as a core option or study it as part of the roundabout. There are two ways in which pupils may gain access to the necessary foundation for GCSE: a. Opting for the Core Practical in Design Technology where they will experience the work that will give them the ability to maximize their potential at GCSE. The course is design based and will provide them with many of the fundamental graphic, designing and making skills that they will need. It will address many of the design function concepts and will draw on a commercial and industrial perspective. The projects will be exciting and challenging and introduce a better understanding of workshop skills. b. Opting for the Practical roundabout will give pupils some awareness of the material that will be covered at GCSE. As the course forms a roundabout, each student will study DT for one third of the school year. This level of experience will be adequate to continue to GCSE although pupils will not have the depth of knowledge of those who have followed the one year Core practical option in this subject. The course is design based and will provide them with some of the fundamental designing and making skills that they will need at GCSE and will involve a design and make project.

Work in this year will be far more focused on the design process and all practical projects will be pushing the pupilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; design and workshop ability to produce accurate and exciting products to take home. DT allows you to apply a great range of the knowledge and skills learnt in the workshop and other subjects, such as Maths, Physics, Chemistry, English, ICT and Art. It is a great subject for pupils wanting to go on to creative industries, engineering, architecture, Product Design, Industrial Design and many more. The planning and time management skills learnt though Design Technology are transferable into a wide range of potential career paths.

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DRAMA

Mrs C Nash

Year 7

WHAT WILL I LEARN? Drama is ‘serious fun’. Learning about Drama is not just about learning to act – it is also about developing communication skills, learning to work effectively as part of a team and developing invaluable speaking and listening skills that can also be used in other subjects. Pupils will develop their creativity, imagination, emotional maturity and self-esteem. Through developing an awareness of Drama as an art form, pupils will encounter different cultures, an ability to analyse dramatic texts and an understanding of the place of performance.

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Pupils will be taught two periods of Drama a week. During this year they will develop the skills and techniques that they will continue to use throughout their disciplined study of Drama and beyond. We will study various practical techniques including the use of tableaux, thoughts aloud, improvisation, soundscape and mime. We will explore the importance of body language and vocal and facial expressions to create and sustain atmosphere as well as characters on stage.

Year 8 Pupils will be taught two periods of Drama a week. Pupils will build on the work started in Year 7 as they will look at various stimuli such as poems and stories that can be developed into pieces of drama. They will also look in more detail at how to use the voice effectively when creating and performing a variety of characters of differing status. In the final term we will study a scripted play so that pupils can apply what they have learnt confidently and imaginatively.

Year 9 Pupils have the option in Year 9 to study Drama for two lessons a week for the entire year, or two lessons a week for a third of the school year (providing that they do not opt for Latin / Mandarin). All pupils, regardless of whether they opt for the year long or shorter course, will spend the first term practically exploring some important genres from the History of Theatre. These include Ancient Greece, 16th Century Commedia Dell’arte, Elizabethan, and Victorian Melodrama. We also spend some time exploring key skills including characterisation, audience communication and improvisational techniques. The Core group go on to explore a GCSE set text – this year this has been ‘Blood Brothers’ – and to look at more contemporary aspects of theatre including use of verbatim accounts and devising using the skills of a playwright. Pupils will be set prep in Year 9 if they study it as a ‘core’ option.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? As well as the development of specific drama skills, including interpreting scripts, preparing, developing and performing a role, we believe Drama teaches a wide variety of essential life skills – communication, confidence, creativity and cooperation, to name but a few. All of the skills developed over the three years of Key Stage 3 can be used and developed further by those wishing to study Drama at GCSE. In addition to the above, all pupils in Years 7-9 will be offered the opportunity to participate in the Lower School production that is usually performed in the Summer term. Previous productions have included, ‘Arabian Nights’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘Rapunzel’, ‘Grimm Tales’, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, ‘The Tempest’, ‘A Winter’s Tale’ and ‘Rats Tales’ Theatre visits and workshops for the younger years may also be organised by the department from time to time. There are also weekly Drama clubs for all year groups.

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ENGLISH

The English Department at Kingswood School believes in helping students to develop into lifelong readers, writers and thinkers. You will become an independent, imaginative student who is increasingly confident and accurate in your written expression. We wholeheartedly believe in instilling in you a passion for our subject, encouraging you to become a lifelong literary explorer who takes delight in reading, writing and thinking. You will be encouraged to think both creatively and critically, and your development in these areas will be structured and supported.

Mrs E Brown

At KS3, pupils follow a bespoke curriculum that encourages you to think, to enjoy English and to develop as a reader and writer. You will embark upon a challenging journey through literary heritage, understanding major works in the context of their time.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? In Years 7, 8, and 9, you will learn how to read fiction, drama and poetry, and how to write in a variety of styles and in a range of forms. In Year 7, you will revise how to use grammar and punctuation correctly through discrete lessons that are focussed on technical accuracy. We passionately believe in the importance of you becoming an independent learner, and we therefore encourage you to make decisions with your own work based on your interests and the creativity of your ideas. Specifically: In Year 7, your journey will begin with the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, in which you will develop your decoding strategies to help you understand exciting

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new texts. We will then travel through the Middle Ages with The Canterbury Tales, before encountering the Fairies and Mechanicals in the forest of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Finally, Year 7 will conclude with some non-fiction work on print journalism. In Year 8, you will take a blood-soaked sojourn north of the border with your second Shakespeare play, the terrifying Macbeth, before travelling to the capital for Dickens’ ghostly classic: A Christmas Carol. Both of these texts will provide you with the opportunity to hone your analytical skills. Later in the year, you will explore a selection of poetry including Keats, Wordsworth and Coleridge during our Romanticism unit. We conclude with some nature writing and a culmination of the first two year’s work in the form of a TED Talk. In Year 9, you will study your third Shakespearian text, Romeo and Juliet. There will also be the chance for you to read a range of Dystopian fiction, from 1984 to The Knife of Never Letting Go, as well as Victorian Gothic novels, such as The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Year 9 will also help to prepare you

for the rigours of KS4 as you focus on transactional writing and produce coherent and engaging responses to these exciting texts. By the end of Year 9 you will have covered centuries of literature in all genres, giving an excellent foundation for GCSE and A Level and for your own personal reading choices.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? By the end of Year 9, you will have mastered many of the skills needed not only for the GCSE English and GCSE English Literature courses, but for many other subjects that you will be studying. These will include the ability to write with confidence for a variety of purposes and audiences, and the ability to participate in group work in a purposeful and independent way.

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ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

WHAT WILL I LEARN? You will build on your knowledge of English by: • reading books, graded readers and graded magazines in your spare time; • using games and activities that develop your academic vocabulary; • doing exercises to improve your grammar; • talking about things you do in and out of school to build up your confidence in using and speaking English; • taking part in other language-based activities to help you learn more about Britain and the British way of life. You will be in small groups with pupils from your own year. If you need help with understanding the English and vocabulary of your other subjects, your EAL teacher is there to help you.

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Ms B dreher

The EAL Centre is located in the heart of the English department. It is a resource centre equipped with a wide variety of reference, reading and audio-visual materials designed to help all pupils in the school for whom English is not their mother tongue to improve their language skills and competence so that they can derive the maximum benefit from an education delivered in English. For many pupils from overseas it is appropriate that they should receive extra support and tuition in English rather than take up a modern European language. English as an Additional Language is therefore taught in those periods on the timetable when the other pupils in the year group are learning another modern language.

Year 7 You will spend a few weeks getting used to talking and reading in English. You will be given a great deal of help with new words but you will have to use English all the time. The main focus of this year will be to develop your overall English language ability and be working between level A2 and B1 of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You will do a number of reading activities about interesting subjects which will focus on developing overall

comprehension, teaching you correct grammar usage, as well as helping you to increase your reading sub-skills. Reading activities will contain pre-reading discussion activities to develop your confidence in speaking in your regular classes. You will also be reading graded readers outside of the classroom between pre-intermediate and intermediate level depending on your prior knowledge of English. You will also do a number of vocabulary games and exercises to help you learn key academic vocabulary. You will practise your writing by producing a weekly diary about a number of different subjects, such as boarding school life and the environment. Your teacher will give you feedback on your writing and will help you correct any errors.

Year 8 You will continue to use reading and vocabulary exercises to develop your English, but at a higher level than in Year 7. The vocabulary exercises and games in Year 8 will use academic vocabulary to show you how words are formed in English which will help you with your grammar. You will be working at level B1 of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and will read graded readers at this level outside of the classroom. You will continue to write your diary and you will be encouraged to be more stringent in your use of correct grammar, particularly tenses, as well as use a greater range of vocabulary in your writing. You will also have EAL tutorials in which your teacher will help you with any language problems you are having in your mainstream school subjects.

Year 9 You will be working between level B1 and B2 of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and will read graded readers at this level outside of the classroom. You will continue to do reading and vocabulary exercises at this level and will be introduced to more sophisticated reading skills, such as predicting and inferring the meaning of new vocabulary from context. You will continue to write your diary and will have the language ability to express your own ideas and opinions. In your mainstream subjects you will be expected to produce more extensive pieces of written work as well as classroom projects. EAL tutorials will help you to succeed in this work by giving you language support at the conception stage of the work, as well as providing you with language feedback before you submit your work to your subject teacher.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? At the end of your first three years at Kingswood, you should have a good enough command of English and the way we do things at school in Britain to start on your GCSE courses with confidence, as you will have had the opportunity to develop all your language skills â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reading, writing, listening and speaking.

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GEOGRAPHY

MR T MOAT

WHAT WILL I LEARN? The topics covered in the different year groups are as follows: Year 7 • To the Ends of the Earth – what can we geographers learn from the Arctic and Antarctica, the last true wildernesses on Earth? • Map skills • Independent Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping project • World Heritage Sites –what are they and why are they important to us? At Key Stage 3, we take pupils on a journey across a range of some of the most fascinating and diverse places on Earth, exploring key geographical ideas and concepts. Geographers are interested in the interaction between people and natural environments. The course in Years 7-9 aims to explore a range of contemporary examples of this. Over the three year course, pupils will learn about a range of natural and human environments in different parts of the world. They will study the processes that create major landforms or affect natural systems. They will develop their understanding of how these both affect and are affected by human activity. Finally, we hope that they will develop an awe and wonder about the world they live in and a greater awareness of the diversity of places which exist on Earth, as well as their role and place within these.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? The Key Stage 3 curriculum has been re developed in response to the changing demands and skills required for GCSE and A Level Geography. Some skills are specific to geographers, for example interpreting Ordnance Survey maps, the use of Geographic Information Systems, interpreting satellite and remotely sensed imagery, as well as the ability to plan, carry out, analyse and evaluate pieces of fieldwork on a range of scales. Other skills are transferable and work towards the wider goal of developing pupils who are independent, resilient and creative problem solvers. These skills are developed through independent and group projects, as well as fieldwork activities. Numeracy skills are developed when interpreting data and information to help explore individual topics, and graphical skills are integrated into all units of study.

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• Fieldwork trip to Blaenavon and Big Pit

Year 8 • Coastal landforms and issues – what is happening at the coast and why should we be interested? • Fieldwork trip to Swanage • Tourism in Europe – why is this important for a geographer to study, and what are the impacts of it? • Ecosystems – what makes these places so unique, how are they under threat and how we can do something about this? • Africa – the most diverse, misrepresented continent on Earth with some of the most fascinating Geography.

Year 9 • World Development - how do we measure development, and how can we help close the development gap? • China – an overview of some of the biggest geographical, economic and demographic challenges faced by China in the 21st century • The Restless Earth – an overview of the causes of earthquakes and volcanoes and an exploration of two contrasting case studies to illustrate the different factors which determine the impacts of them. • Weather hazards – how and why do Tropical storms form? What are their impacts and can we ever fully manage them?

HISTORY

Mr P MacDonald

The Year 7 Course

WHAT WILL I LEARN? At the heart of the History curriculum at Kingswood is a study of the development of British History from the Norman Conquest to the Second World War. This is complemented by investigations into aspects of European and World History from contrasting periods.

• Medieval Realms: Britain, 1066-1500 • Islamic Civilisations during the Middle Ages • Pupils in Year 7 also take part in a field trip to Chepstow and Caerphilly Castles as an introduction to a project on medieval castles that they will research and write.

The Year 8 Course • The Tudors and Stuarts • The Industrial Revolution • The Struggle for the Vote in Nineteenth Century Britain • Pupils in Year 8 also take part in a field trip to the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the SS Great Britain as an introduction to a project on Brunel that they will research and write.

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WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? As well as contributing to the improvement of independent learning skills, the study of History also fosters the development of a number of other skills: • Chronology Pupils will gain an understanding of the order in which the events of the past occurred. • Knowledge and Understanding Pupils will learn about the key events and personalities of the past and develop an understanding of the causes, consequences and significance of what happened in British and World History. • Historical Interpretation Pupils will gain an appreciation of how events and personalities in the past can be viewed in different ways.

The Year 9 Course • The First World War • International Relations, 1919-1939 • The Second World War • In the first week of the summer holidays, 2019, the History department will be running an optional 5-day visit to the First World War Battlefields in Belgium and France.

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• Historical Enquiry Pupils will learn how to use critically a range of source material, considering issues such as the reliability and usefulness of evidence. • Organisation and Communication Pupils will learn how to organise and express their ideas, both orally and on paper.

LATIN

Mrs S Dakin

Started in Year 8 and an option in Year 9

Latin is taken by almost everyone in Year 8 and has been greatly enjoyed by pupils of different talents and abilities.

There are some popular misconceptions about studying Latin in this modern age. Pupils sometimes say: “It’s dead, isn’t it?” (Yes, like Mozart and Shakespeare.) “It’s hard, isn’t it?” (Some have found it so.) “It doesn’t lead to anything, does it?” (The following explanation should put the lie to that.) Modern teaching methods of Latin are far removed from the old image. The Cambridge Latin Course teaches primarily reading skills which are very different from, and much easier to acquire than, writing skills. In Book 1 the stories are set in the context of a 1st century A.D. Pompeian family, immediately prior to the eruption of Vesuvius. During the first months the pupils learn about subjects and objects, three tenses of verbs and the use of prepositions and pronouns. But equally important is the work done on the background material. Here we deal with family life, the Pompeian house, the working day for rich and poor, slaves and freedmen, gladiatorial shows, the baths (the Romans were a scrupulously clean lot!), Roman attitudes to foreigners, and finally the eruption of Vesuvius. We aim to complete Book 1 in Year 8. After Pompeii the course moves on to Roman Britain where we encounter irregular verbs, participles and infinitives, as well as Roman high-handedness and

British rebellion. The next stop is the turbulent city of Alexandria with its uneasy racial mix, and we examine the amazingly advanced medical treatments of the best doctors, comparing them with the horrifying ones of the worst. All the while great attention is paid to vocabulary and grammatical detail because, despite all the fun elements of the course, disciplined learning is still essential.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? The reasons for studying Latin are cultural and linguistic. A vast amount of European culture, both literary and artistic, is based upon a knowledge of the Classical world, and the benefits conveyed by even a small amount of Latin to the study of most European languages (not least English) are immense. But, in addition to all the spin-offs, the great joy is the subject itself. The literature - serious, moving, and often hilarious, deals with the constants of humanity and is among the greatest of all time. Not all will become great Latin scholars and, if after one year you decide that Latin is not for you, that is fine. However, because of the inherent interest and value of the background material, and the relatively light linguistic demands of the first year of Latin, even those who decide not to continue with the subject after Year 8 should have found much to benefit them. Some may feel that although they have learned much from studying the Latin language, their skills are better suited to the historical and social aspects alone and, for these pupils, Classical Civilisation may be an attractive option. Pupils have the chance to develop their knowledge of Classical Civilisation as a GCSE subject at the start of Year 10; they will not be at any disadvantage if they have not studied Classical Civilisation before and the work done in Latin will support this choice.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Booklet 2018 / 21

MATHEMATICS

WHAT WILL I LEARN? As is the case at Key Stage 2, the content is broken down into certain broad areas of study: number, algebra, measurement, geometry (i.e. shape and space), and data handling (i.e. probability and statistics).

Mr M W Smith

Mathematics is a subject which recognises the order and sense in life, and puts that order into a framework. It is a universal language, which can represent the material facts from other disciplines in an abstract way. At Kingswood, we aim to help the pupils to notice the patterns in numbers and natural “facts”, to consider and analyse them, and to understand them. From this understanding, we hope that they will learn to appreciate and enjoy the universality of the subject, its power and precision in communication, and the possibilities it presents for prediction. We also hope they gain sufficient understanding and proficiency in calculation to be able to make sense of the numbers involved in everyday life, both with and without the aid of a calculator. Upon arriving at Kingswood, students will find the focus of their Mathematics education is to ‘Master’ each concept they are presented with. We believe that every student, regardless of prior attainment, should be given the opportunity to be the best Mathematician they can be, with teaching focused on achieving such development. In line with the focus of GCSE and A Level Mathematics, students will develop three key areas in Key Stage 3:

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Procedural fluency, Mathematical reasoning and Problem solving. In Year 7, pupils will be taught in mixed ability classes. We all follow the same syllabus for all five groups with the focus being on deepening understanding of the fundamental principles of Mathematics. Pupils are assessed regularly throughout Year 7. As pupils move towards Year 9 and we begin the IGCSE, we set in a more linear fashion, to prepare students for the examinations at a level appropriate to them. By the start of Year 9 pupils will be placed in ability sets. Extra-curricular activities include opportunities for gifted mathematicians, such as lunch time clubs to stretch and challenge, team events enabling students to represent the School, code cracking activities, and national Mathematics competitions. We also provide weekly lunch time ‘clinics’ for Key Stage 3 pupils to visit the department and discuss their prep tasks with staff and A Level students.

COURSE OUTLINE This course provides the pupils with a thorough grounding of the subject matter that underpins the lower order techniques found in the IGCSE course. As pupils make the transition through Year 7 into Year 8 and, subsequently, Year 9, this material is covered in a style more suited to preparation for the IGCSE qualification.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? The curriculum is designed to secure and build upon prior knowledge, as well as deepen understanding and a pupil’s ability to reason and problem solve from their strong Mathematical foundation. Students will be able to take a problem they have never seen before and apply Mathematical techniques to a find a solution (if one exists) but also be able to justify the decisions they made throughout the process, relating their efforts to what they have previously learned. We would see a successful Kingswood Mathematician as being both fluent in procedure and the ability to effectively explain and describe the Mathematics they have used. As Mathematics is a cumulative subject, the skills acquired during Key Stage 3 will form the backbone of work for IGCSE and even A Level. An effective grasp of Mathematics is vital to the study of many other subjects, particularly the sciences. All pupils should be prepared for lesson and the minimum requirement for equipment on any given day is: Pen, pencil, ruler, protractor and compass. All of these items are available at the school shop. By the time they move into year 8, we require all students to have a scientific calculator available for every lesson.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Booklet 2018 / 23

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Mr D WALKER

curriculum by allowing you to explore the life-style and culture of countries in which these languages are spoken. It can give you the experience of entering a foreign environment and existing within it. Coping for a while in a different language, whether in the classroom or in a foreign country, will be an enjoyable, rewarding and intellectually challenging experience. If you are able to communicate competently in French, German or Spanish this will enhance your ability to travel, make a wide circle of friends and gain a job in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world. You will need to be prepared for a world where greater skills in modern foreign languages will be very much in demand.

THE COURSE

WHAT WILL A LANGUAGE TEACH ME? Studying French, German and Spanish, amongst other languages, will teach you to attend to the meaning of words and sentences, to recognise differences in concepts and usage, and develop an awareness of the nature of language. It will enhance your ability to interact with others and you will learn to appreciate other people’s roots, concerns and cultures. You will also learn to appreciate your own culture. Learning a language will allow you to respect others more and promote greater tolerance. The developments in computer technology mean that the world is becoming ‘a smaller place’ and you can have instant access to French, German and Spanish culture, as well as to young native French, German and Spanish speakers.

WHY SHOULD I STUDY FRENCH, GERMAN AND SPANISH? The experience of learning and using French, German and Spanish makes its unique contribution to the

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In Year 7 you may choose one language from French, German or Spanish and you will be allocated your second modern foreign language. There are significant structural differences between French, German and Spanish and this gives real breadth to the language learning experience. You follow a very accessible and practical series of textbooks in the two languages you study which come with an impressive online blending learning package, which allows staff to monitor your progress. You will be able to do listening and reading comprehension exercises, in addition to grammar consolidation for prep. We have a state of the art digital language laboratory, which allows you to engage in listening tasks, often linked to the courses studied, at your own speed, and record yourself speaking in the foreign language. This means that you will have personalised feedback on pronunciation from your teachers, as well as offering more opportunities for independent learning. We also use music, DVD and the Internet, including subscriptions to a number of excellent websites which can be used in class and at home. The Pearson course books we use across Years 7 – 9 have excellent online resources to support all four skills and the grammar. Staff can analyse pupil progression in great detail and use this information to inform future teaching. Pupils who currently use this material have responded very favourably.

WILL THERE BE OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL? Yes. You will have the opportunity to travel to France, Spain and Germany in the course of the second and third year of your learning. On a biennial basis pupils in Years 8 and 9 are given the opportunity to visit Paris, Seville and the Rhineland (these destinations could change); these trips have been hugely popular over the last ten years. Such trips are designed to give you a taste of the culture and language before participating on an exchange in Year 10 and above to Germany and / or France and / or Spain.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? Within the focus on listening, reading, speaking and writing, you will also acquire many transferable skills. The predominant language in the classroom will be the target language which will encourage you over time to respond in this language.

HOW ARE CLASSES ORGANISED? Some setting of French, German and Spanish takes place at Key Stage 3, where the timetable allows. Progress in class and end of year examinations in Years 7 to 9 are used to establish ability sets.

WHAT WILL I STUDY? Year 7: You will learn to make yourself understood through studying some of the following topics, depending on the language: personal descriptions, family, leisure activities (including holidays) and school. In terms of tenses, the focus is on the present tense. Year 8: You will refine your language skills and explore different tenses through studying some of the following topics depending on the language: family, where you live, holidays, film, reading and TV habits, health and daily routine. Throughout this course you will gain a wider appreciation of the French, German and Spanish speaking worlds. You will also learn skills to state advantages and disadvantages, as well as phrases to persuade another person to accept your point of view. Year 9: Your competence in French, German and Spanish will increase and you will learn to use more complex grammar and have at least four tenses in your repertoire. You will also become more familiar with elements of the GCSE in terms of translation skills and gain exposure to abridged literary texts. Depending on the language studied, topics might include: celebrities; role models; music and film tastes; future jobs and ambitions; reflecting on your childhood; discussing global issues, rights (childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and human) and responsibilities; social media; healthy living; celebrations; environmental issues and social concerns.

You will learn to become more creative and spontaneous in the foreign language being studied and your ability to mimic sound (phonics) will be a real focus of your language learning. You will be encouraged to respond to visual stimuli and role-play situations involving practical situations, which will require you to develop conversations, cope with unfamiliar language and unexpected responses. You will learn to deduce meaning from an audio or written text and develop analytical strategies to access more complex, authentic and adapted texts by skim reading and looking carefully at key words and questions. Such texts might include letters, poems, songs and stories. Your ability to tease out the key facts from authentic audio extracts will make you a better and more intuitive listener. You will learn to transcribe words and short sentences with increasing accuracy. Learning the art of questioning in the target language is a key feature of foreign language learning. You will improve your personal and social skills by learning to communicate, co-operating and contributing in class and considering the views of others. The art of translation into English and the foreign language is also a key feature, which encourages accuracy, linguistic sensitivity and analytical skills. Finally, effective foreign language learning equips pupils with a skill which is crucial to future careers. Competence in foreign languages will be of huge importance in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world.

(Where a topic is mentioned more than once, the coverage incorporates consolidation and extension work.)

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Booklet 2018 / 25

I AM A (NEAR) NATIVE SPEAKER; CAN I TAKE GCSE EARLY? Whilst the main aim of the Language Faculty is to provide you with the opportunity to learn a language, if you are a native speaker of French, German or Spanish you will be able to sit the GCSE early under the supervision of and with the agreement of the Language Faculty. While an A Level in the language might be linguistically possible for you, the topics discussed might be too demanding to pursue without formal teaching. If you are a native or nearly-native speaker, we would encourage you to study other European languages on offer. The Faculty can also offer activities to enhance your knowledge of the language of which you are a native, or near native, speaker. There may be scope for a (near) native speaker to have a privately arranged weekly conversation class with a language assistant. We employ first rate Foreign Language Assistants. In 2018-19 we will have French, German and Spanish assistants in school.

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS We encourage all pupils studying languages to subscribe to carefully designed magazines in the languages they are studying to develop their reading for pleasure skills. These magazines are used in library lessons occasionally and sometimes for prep. Information about these is sent to parents in the summer mailing. Parents are only required to reply, if they wish their child(ren) NOT to subscribe.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO TAKE A MODERN LANGUAGE GCSE EARLY AS A NON-NATIVE SPEAKER? The Modern Language Faculty is wary of you taking GCSE early simply for the sake of being fast-tracked. The benefit of fast-tracking must be that you will gain an A*. The decision to accelerate a whole group is dependent on an identifiable cohort making exceptional progress in Year 8. The decision to fasttrack is considered on a year on year basis.

Mandarin Why should I study Mandarin? Mandarin is a new subject available in the Kingswood curriculum. Studying Mandarin is becoming a more popular option in British Schools, due in part to the rise of China as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading economic powers, along with an increasing interest in the rich traditions and heritage of the Chinese people. Like studying any language, learning Mandarin enables pupils to develop their communication skills as well as their cultural awareness and knowledge. In some ways, Mandarin could be a more challenging option compared to the European languages we offer,

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partly due to the Chinese written character system as well as the tonal nature of the spoken language and the lack of cognates. Pupils who choose to study Mandarin will certainly find it a stimulating option and quite different from the languages they may have experienced before coming to Kingswood.

What if I have never studied any Mandarin before? Pupils who are novices will be given the chance to learn some foundational Mandarin in Year 7. These lessons will take the form of an enhanced activity, twice a week, after lessons have finished at 4:30pm. In addition, all Year 7 pupils will be given some taster lessons in the latter part of the summer term in Mandarin during their main curriculum language classes. This will give them a sense of whether the subject could be a good choice for them. Mandarin will then be available for pupils to choose as an option in Year 8 (from 2019), as an alternative to Latin. In order to choose Mandarin, pupils will have either shown an early interest in Mandarin through attendance at the Mandarin activity, or will have demonstrated a particular aptitude for languages.

What if I am already proficient or fluent in Mandarin? Some pupils will join Kingswood with a good level of proficiency and fluency in Mandarin due to having studied the language at an earlier age. Pupils who are already proficient or fluent in Mandarin will be able to continue their study of the language, and pursue appropriate qualifications, in small groups or one-to-one lessons with our Mandarin specialist. This arrangement will be organised on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the level of the pupilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mandarin and qualification ambitions. Some pupils may wish to study Mandarin in this way outside of normal lessons (and continue to study two other European languages), or they may be able to have Mandarin tutorials in place of a timetabled language lesson, if deemed appropriate in discussion with the Deputy Head Academic.

What will I study? As with the other Modern Foreign Languages, pupils who take Mandarin will learn to speak and write confidently on a variety of topics, such as: family, school, hobbies, health and holidays. They will also learn to talk and write about Chinese society and culture.

Where will this lead? The aim is to enable pupils who begin Mandarin in Year 8 to be able to sit a GCSE / iGCSE qualification in Year 11 or Year 12. This means that the first mainstream cohort of pupils sitting a Mandarin GCSE / iGCSE exam is likely to be in 2023. Pupils who have advanced prior knowledge may be able to take a qualification earlier.

MUSIC MR A BARTON

Year 7

WHAT WILL I LEARN? You will learn the following skills: • play a range of solo and group pieces with increasing fluency, expression and control; • sing unison and part songs developing technique and musical expression; • practise, rehearse and perform with awareness of different parts and roles; • improvise, explore and develop musical ideas in a range of musical styles and genres; • analyse, evaluate and compare pieces of music; • communicate ideas and feelings about music using musical vocabulary; • listen with discrimination to a wide range of music; • identify contextual influences that affect the way music is created, performed and heard. Music is a compulsory subject in Years 7 and 8, and is part of the practical creative group of subjects for Year 9. During these years the aim is to give our pupils such musical experiences as to enable them to participate successfully when performing, composing, listening, and appraising. Pupils will also develop the necessary skills to use IT applications such as Garageband to help them compose.

In Year 7, pupils will develop their skills in four major areas of music: pitch; rhythm; structure; timbre and texture. They will perform, compose, listen and appraise focusing on the areas above, all within an historical context. Pitch – pupils will accurately sing and play melodies and learn to understand basic scale systems, the relationship between melody and harmony, and the difference between major and minor. Rhythm – pupils will understand the concept of bars and metre, and play simple rhythms involving crotchets and quavers. Structure – pupils will learn to recognise and understand simple structures such as Rondo form. Timbre and Texture – pupils will explore basic relationships between high / low and thick / thin textures, and gain some understanding of instrumental sounds.

Year 8 In Year 8, pupils will continue to develop the skills they have acquired in Year 7. Pitch – pupils will accurately sing and play more complex melodies. They will learn to understand more difficult scales (eg chromatic), the relationship between bass and harmony, and apply knowledge of chords such as major, minor and diminished.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Booklet 2018 / 27

Rhythm – pupils will learn about more difficult rhythmic subdivisions such as triplets and semiquavers, and understand the use of syncopation. Structure – pupils will utilise structures such as variations, ternary and recitative. Timbre and Texture – pupils will begin to understand instrumental roles and further explore timbral qualities.

Year 9 In Year 9, pupils who opt to pursue music as a core subject will spend the year studying music at a more advanced level in preparation, possibly, for GCSE.

Pitch – pupils will sing and perform both solos, and as part of ensembles. They will understand and utilise ideas such as motif, augmentation and diminution. Pupils will also understand more complex chord relationships. Rhythm – pupils will consolidate their understanding of more complex subdivisions. Structure – pupils will understand more popular song structures such as Verse / Chorus and 12 Bar Blues. Timbre and Texture – pupils will further understand instrumental roles and ranges through listening exercises and score-reading. Pupils who do not opt for Music as a core subject will receive one third of the school year of music teaching, unless they have chosen to study Latin. In this time, they will focus on the same areas as above, but in less detail.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? All of these activities will use a wide range of musical styles from Western Art music to all forms of popular music and music from around the world. This will help to broaden your musical and cultural outlook. At Kingswood, we regard music as a skillbased subject where pupils are encouraged to develop self-discipline, creativity, problem-solving skills, critical awareness and an ability to cope with nerves. These are all very important “life skills”, which music can play a vital role in nurturing and developing. And it’s fun!

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PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health & Citizenship Education)

Miss B Rolfe

WHAT WILL I LEARN? There is one lesson of PSHCE every week in each of Years 7, 8 and 9. PSHCE is about how individuals develop personally, in ways such as how we grow up physically and how we change through adolescence. It is about our relationships with other people, our families, friends and teachers at the school. It also covers matters relating to being healthy and fit and what it means to be a good citizen. We also look at the world of work, and consider the government and politics of Britain. Work in PSHCE includes some teaching, discussion, role plays, videos and written work. In some topics you will be spending some time producing a project, or preparing to give a talk on a chosen subject.

Towards the end of the year you will become a ‘Young Entrepreneur’ and rise to the challenge of designing a new product, whilst hearing from inspirational business people throughout the workshop.

Year 9 Year 7 Near the beginning of the year you will experience the Year 7 Challenge Day, when you will be placed in teams and set a number of exciting challenges. This will help you to get to know other pupils, and the layout of the school. In lessons, we will cover subjects such as: settling into school routines and rules; what to do if you have a problem; coping with prep.; being organised; dealing with difficult people; developing relationships during puberty; keeping safe; learning to be responsible with money; healthy eating; citizenship; preparing for examinations.

We will cover a range of topics, including: healthy eating; peer pressure; drug awareness; sex and relationships; cyber bullying; making good choices; mental health; body image; the judicial system and the British Government.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? • You will develop the ability to understand and express your opinions in a safe environment. • You will learn some information on important matters, such as drugs, e-safety, relationships and citizenship.

You will also complete an independent learning project in the library.

• You will develop your strengths in working with other pupils.

Year 8

• You will increase your skills in planning, research and IT as you compile your projects.

Some of the topics we cover are: well-being, relationships between boys and girls, marriage and divorce; self-esteem; drugs and alcohol; citizenship; reflection on Year 8 and plans for Year 9. You will also do a project on a topic, such as eating disorders, that will further develop your independent learning and research skills.

This should have a positive effect on your academic performance, your social development and your well-being, and help give you more self-confidence in all aspects of school life.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION & GAMES

WHAT WILL I LEARN? Physical Education contributes to the overall education of young people by helping them to lead full and valuable lives through engaging in purposeful physical activity. At Kingswood the physical education programme aims to help our pupils to: • develop physical competence and help promote physical development; • understand and value the benefits of participation in physical activity while at school and throughout life; • develop an appreciation of skilful and creative performances across a range of activities; • develop the personal qualities of commitment, fairness and enthusiasm.

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Mr T Reeman

In the first three years we follow the National Curriculum for Key Stage 3. During this stage all pupils will have one double lesson of physical education and one triple lesson of games each week. They will experience at least four areas of activity in any year. The areas of activity include athletic activities, dance, games, gymnastic activities, outdoor and adventurous activities. Swimming is included in the programme as part of athletic activities at this stage. Throughout this key stage pupils will be involved in the planning and evaluation of sessions as well as taking part. The basic elements of the P.E. curriculum are: Year 7

Educational Gymnastics, Swimming, Outdoor Activities, Games for Understanding

Year 8

Gymnastics, Swimming, Dance, Outdoor Activities, Minor Games

Year 9

Basketball, Gymnastics, Swimming, Health Related Fitness.

In all of these activities, the requirements needed to lead a healthy and active lifestyle are emphasised, and provide a useful introduction to those who wish to develop their practical and theoretical knowledge by choosing to take a GCSE in Physical Education in Years 10 and 11. The Games programme in Years 7, 8 and 9 has an emphasis on team sports. Working together in order to achieve success is a fundamental requirement in many areas of life and our Games programme hopes to prepare our pupils for this. In addition, we hope to teach students how to win and how to lose graciously; some will also experience the demands of leadership, and all that a more responsible role requires. On a practical note, we hope to fulfil the talents of all our students whether that is representing the School at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; team level, or going on to gain international recognition. The main Games played in Years 7, 8, and 9 are: Boys

Rugby, Hockey, Cross Country, Tennis, Athletics, Cricket.

Girls

Hockey, Netball, Cross Country, Tennis, Athletics, Rounders.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? Over the course of the three years, students should develop many of the skills which underpin the successful performance of these sports. Strength, speed, stamina, balance, and co-ordination should all be enhanced, and many students will establish the basics required to enjoy a long and successful career in a variety of sports. In addition, students will learn the importance of teamwork, good communication, winning and losing with equal respect for the opposition and, for some, the leadership skills required to bring the best out of each team member.

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Religion, Philosophy & Ethics (RPE)

“Thinking Critically, Cultivating Empathy, Respecting Diversity.”

As a Christian school within the Methodist tradition, RPE is recognised RPE is a thought-provoking and engaging subject which is studied by all our pupils from Year 7 to Year 9. The RPE department has an exciting opportunity to give its young people the chance to explore and respond to the rich diversity that the spiritual, the religious, and the non-religious life offers. The department will never impose or inculcate any particular worldview; rather, at all times, we seek to elicit a spirit of respect, open-mindedness and enquiry from all of our students, as we aspire to remain a thought-provoking and engaging subject that everyone can enjoy.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

“Educating the Heart and Mind through Reason, Truth and Love.” In Year 7 students explore a variety of topics that include The Phenomenon of Religion, which investigates the nature of religion and its origins, purpose and role in society. This is followed by An Introduction to Ethics and Morality, where students engage in a critical and

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Mr M Thatcher

reflective study of approaches to moral decision making which include studying: The Conscience, Kantian Ethics, Utilitarianism and Christian Ethics. Finally, students study The Philosophy of Religion, which explores fundamental questions and theories surrounding the existence and non-existence of the Judaeo-Christian God, the problems of evil and suffering; and theodicy. In Year 8 students will progress to study a variety of faith traditions, including Judaism, Islam and Hinduism, exploring the historical traditions; fundamental beliefs and practices; and social dimensions of each one in detail. Finally, Year 9 provides students with the opportunity to explore a range of religious, philosophical and ethical issues as some also prepare for the optional IGCSE course in Years 10-11. Humanism (with comparative elements of Christianity), Human Relationships and The Philosophy of Suffering are studied, alongside dedicated sessions which aim to develop higher order thinking skills through analytical writing.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? The programme in Years 7-9 is designed to foster many thinking and learning skills that focus on: self-reflection and evaluation; critical analysis; creative thinking and expression; effective participation; problem solving; organisation; presentational skills; and collaboration. RPE is delivered by a team of dedicated and enthusiastic teachers. The department appreciates the vital role that belief and spirituality plays in a pluralistic and multi-faith world; we invite our students to be part of this realisation and negotiate an informed path that is defined by integrity, reason and a lasting respect for all people, at all times, and in all places.

SCIENCE

Dr J Wood

YEARS 7 & 8 At Kingswood pupils follow a course based on the AQA KS3 Syllabus that develops the 10 Big Ideas. The aim of this course is to allow the pupils to understand how they can apply their current knowledge to new or unfamiliar concepts. This spiral approach to the material allows these ideas to be revisited at a higher level each year so that learning is reviewed, consolidated and mastered throughout the course. In Years 7 and 8 Science is taught in mixedability sets. Pupils are taught by the same teacher for each year of the course. At the end of Year 8 the internal test results, together with the end of year examination result, are used to place pupils in ability sets for Year 9.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? Pupils will cover many topics that develop the Big Ideas throughout Year 7 and Year 8.

Forces Electromagnets

Year 7

Year 8

Speed

Contact forces

Voltage

Current

Energy

Energy transfer

Waves

Light

Matter Reactions

Magnetism Work

Particle model

Separating mixtures

Metals

Acids and alkalis

Earth

Electromagnets

Periodic table

Elements

Types of reaction Climate

Earth resources

Organisms

Cells

Ecosystem

Plant reproduction

Respiration

Human reproduction

Evolution

Genes

There will also be field trips to Bristol Zoo in Year 7 and a science museum in Year 8 to allow all pupils the opportunity to engage with real science outside of the classroom.

Year 9 Pupils in Year 9 start the Edexcel IGCSE course in Science. Pupils study the three separate sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and take the related papers for the IGCSE examinations in June of Year 11. This course is timetabled for nine lessons a week, three for each science subject, taught by a specialist teacher.

Digestion

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP? Science investigative skills are developed during the course, with the pupils able to enquire, analyse, solve and communicate effectively. This will be developed with plenty of practical work, including investigations that are planned by the pupils. The content is kept relevant to everyday life, and pupils are encouraged to research and critically analyse information using books and the internet.

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