Subject Information

All students have twenty minutes each day from 10:20 with their Learning Coaches, in addition to the ten-minutes AM registration time from 08:30.

Coaching Time allows Learning Coaches to monitor students’ progress and have regular learning and progress discussions with students

The weekly ‘Coaching’ programme is structured thus:

• Monday: Whole School Assembly (main hall)
• Tuesday: Citizenship (classrooms)
• Wednesday: DEaR ('Drop Everything and Read' in classrooms)
• Thursday Y7: Assembly (main hall)
• Thursday Y8: DEaP ('Drop Everything and Problem-solve' in classrooms)
• Friday Y7: DEaP (Drop Everything and Problem-solve' in classrooms)
• Friday Y8: Assembly (main hall)

Activities around citizenship and British values, and in support of students’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC), are promoted during one whole school assembly and one year-group assembly each week, alongside an accompanying session dedicated to Citizenship within the frame of the week’s particular SMSC theme.

One session each week, DEaR is dedicated to independent reading.

One session each week, DEaP, aims to encourage and develop students’ numeracy, problem-solving and thinking skills.

We will explore a range of fiction and non-fiction texts from across time and different cultures which will be used to develop reading, writing and spoken language skills.  All students in Year 7 are encouraged and given opportunities to develop and consolidate their knowledge and understanding of literacy within lessons, as well as promoting a love of reading by taking part in the Accelerated Reader Programme, where students will be able to access the Academy’s Reading Room. Each half term students will complete an assessment, which will allow teachers to monitor their progress and plan future learning that is effective and engaging.

Curriculum Overview

Year 7 and 9 English Mastery

We will continue to build on the independent learning and problem-solving skills which have been developed in primary school, and then introduce Year 7 students to more sophisticated concepts. They will be covering a wide range of topics from across the curriculum, including ratio, area and volume, algebra, transformations, probability and the data handling cycle. During the two-year Key Stage 3 Maths course, students will be encouraged to work in groups and communicate their ideas effectively, and challenged to strengthen their mathematical reasoning through writing. Your child will also be expected to organise their independent study time in order to complete a rigorous programme of homework which will support the work completed in class.

Click on the links below to view the set plans for each year group:

(*Foundation)     (*Higher)

Students start their first term with a two week introductory unit to the foundations of Key Stage 3 Science. The main aim during Year 7 is to engage students in Science by participating in a range of practical work and experiments. At the end of Year 7, students will either begin Year 8 work early or take part in extended project based work to encourage independence and skills of enquiry. Topics studied include acids and alkalis, cells and the muscular system.

Year 7 Geography focuses on skills based learning to both ensure development within Geography, but also to aid other areas of students’ learning. For example, literacy with written tasks, numeracy with graph interpretation and report writing skills. We cover both the physical and human aspects of Geography with a place based focus each year where students learn all about a particular country.  Year 7 topics include Settlement, Industry, Climate Change and the London Olympics. 

Year 7 Curriculum Plan - UK Map Skills

Year 7 Curriculum Plan - Natural Hazards

Year 8 Curriculum Plan - Urbanisation

Year 8 Curriculum Plan - Natural Hazards

Spring Term Plans

Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10

KS3 history has been constructed around five historical skills which underpin the work of all great historians. Teachers guide pupils to develop a strong command of historical evidence and introduce them to primary sources. Throughout the year pupils will cover a range of periods with a focus on breath of knowledge to develop chronological understanding including ‘What skills do I need to be a good historian?’, ‘Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?’ and ‘How was the world ‘discovered’?’.

Year 7 Autumn Curriculum Plan 

Year 8 Autumn Curriculum Plan 

Year 9

Term 1a,   Term 1b,   Term 2a,   Term 2b,   Term 3a,  Term 3b

Your child will be introduced to the six major world religions and study the different terms for beliefs, the chronology of the world’s main religions, the symbols of these faiths and the meanings behind them, the possibility of miracles, the need for rules and the study of religion itself.

The moral, ethical and social aspects will be explore in relation to challenging contemporary issues.

Spring Term Overview

Year 9

Year 10

Your child will get to experience a variety of new and exciting sports. Students will study a new sport during each half term meaning they will perform in six different sports across the academic year. Between September and Easter, sports include football, basketball, rugby, fitness, netball and gymnastics.  In the summer term, sports include cricket, rounders and athletics. In Year 7 we focus on ensuring that all students can master the range of basic skills for each sport which includes throwing, catching and developing hand-eye co-ordination. 

We run an extensive PE extra-curricular timetable where students can either simply improve their skills or represent the Academy in sports fixtures in local and national competitions.

Learners will be introduced to a broad range of new techniques, materials, artists and themes. These experiences will set the foundations for developing as an effective artist and creative thinker. Drawing is seen as a fundamental art skill, which is encouraged and developed across all year groups. In Year 7, learners begin to develop a more realistic style of drawing and are taught the importance of keen observation, accurate use of line and the use of tone and colour.

Spring Term

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Your child will learn a broad range of new techniques and explore materials linked to design technology specialisms and we will introduce the subjects of Resistant Materials, Graphics, and Food Technology. This will set foundations for your child to develop as a creative thinker and technical problem-solver. Projects will include: brand identity including packaging, merchandising and logo design; healthy eating; and door buzzers using resident materials and electronics.

Full Curriculum

French curriculum overview Years 7-11 (2 year KS4)

French curriculum overview Years 7-11 (3 year KS4)