Curriculum - Year 9

2017-2018

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Kimberley Harris Head of Year 9

This booklet is designed to give parents information about the year 9 Curriculum at Winstanley. In it you will find an outline of the work your child will be doing and the teaching and assessment methods for each subject. We have also included some general information about the National Curriculum, home learning and reports. As your child goes through year 9 and into year 10 at Winstanley you will receive further specific information about curriculum content and option choices for Key Stage 4.

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Attendance / Lateness Students at Winstanley are expected to have a good attendance record of 95% or above. Research has shown that students who miss school frequently fall behind with their work and do less well in exams. Similar research also suggests that those with good attendance can be at less risk of getting involved in antisocial behaviour and crime. Tutors and Heads of Year (HOY) monitor students’ attendance and play a key role in ensuring that they understand the importance of being at school through assemblies and discussions. Parents can also assist by asking about school work, encouraging involvement in activities, discussing any problems they may be having and not letting students take time off for minor ailments. Arranging appointments and outings after school hours, at weekends or during school holidays will also help to prevent disruption to your child’s education and may not be authorised. The Attendance team also keep a note of students who are regularly late and sanctions are issued should persistent lateness become a problem.

Student arrives after 8.40am - first level detention and a text home.

Student has 2 lates in a week – second level detention and a letter home.

Students lateness persists parents will be invited in for a meeting.

Curriculum Structure

Year 9 is the final year of Key Stage 3. Students and staff will be continuing to work hard to achieve their target levels by the assessments in July.

Our curriculum continues to develop subjects studied in year 8: English, maths and science, as well as art, design and technology, drama, modern foreign languages, humanities, which includes geography, history and religious studies, computer science, music, physical education (PE) and RESPECT, which joins together PSHE, citizenship and RE. ICT is used extensively within subject areas as well as during Computer Science lessons.

Throughout the curriculum students will work as individuals, in pairs, small groups and larger teams. They will learn through a variety of processes including discussion, demonstration, practise, review, multi-media presentations and student presentations.

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Rewarding Positive Behaviour The school uses rewards to motivate students, create a positive learning environment, raise student self-esteem, and provide systems which can be used by all staff to contribute to raising levels of achievement. Our behaviour system is based on the SHINE values and incorporates LORIC from the PiXL EDGE

programme. Students are rewarded positive behaviour points for:

Over 95% attendance

Good punctuality to school and to lessons

Good attitude to learning

Always equipped and ready to learn

Completion of homework

Contributing to class discussions

Producing exceptional pieces of work

Showing outstanding behaviour for learning

All SHINE Gold students should have no negative behaviour points during a reporting cycle. These students will qualify to be entered into a draw for an Ipad with medals also given to Gold Students 4 times a year. (Principals Award) Colours will be awarded termly to students from faculties at celebratory assembly. SHINE Silver students will have no more than 1 negative behaviour point issued during a reporting cycle and SHINE Bronze students should have no more than 2 negative behaviour points issued. Silver and Bronze students will receive a certificate. (SHINE Award)

The Timetable The number of lessons allocated to each subject in a two week cycle is as follows:

Subject Number of Lessons

Art & Design 6

Computer Science 2

Drama 2

English 6

MFL 4

Humanities 8

Maths 8

Music 2

PE 4

Religious Studies 2

Science 6

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Home Learning Home learning is invaluable in helping students develop the habit of working at home and organising their own studies. It helps parents keep in touch with expectations and students' studies.

Your son/daughter should now be well practised at recording and completing tasks at home. Research continues to indicate the pivotal role such work plays in young people's success.

All students have a personal organiser where they are directed to write brief details of the home learning tasks and when it is to be handed in. The organiser has many more sheets all designed to support students in their learning and to keep parents informed. Please check your son/daughter's work and sign the personal organiser every week.

As a guide we recommend that approximately 45 minutes a week for each subject should be spent on work at home in year 9. However, this is only an average as some students need to, or like to, work for longer.

Help with Home Learning The Learning Resources Centre has a study club after school until 4.15 p.m. An adult is around to offer help if it is needed. Students have access to computers to aid study at this time too.

Reports to parents Reports will be sent out three times a year. These will show student’s progress against national expectations. There will also be judgments regarding attitude to learning, behaviour for learning and home learning. You will also receive an attendance certificate and details of parents’ evenings as appropriate. Year 9 Subject Evening – 30th November 2017 Year 9 Options Evening – 11th January 2018

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Art, Design & Technology (ADT) The Art, design and Technology department consists of Art, Ceramics, Food technology, Resistant materials and Graphic communication. These subjects are taught on a rotation system, enabling every student to experience all of the areas throughout the academic year. In KS3 students have 6 lessons per two weeks of ADT, and they are currently taught in mixed ability groups.

Outline of work: Students will be expected to build on skills, knowledge and understanding learnt in years 7 and 8, to take ownership of their projects and they will be given more freedom to make their own decisions.

Assessment Individual pieces of work will be marked and at the end of each block of work students will be given a National Curriculum level. Students will also have an ADT mentor where they will be able to record and discuss progress throughout the year. There will also be marks for behaviour, attitude and home learning.

Art & Ceramics

Year9 theme is Fish, students begin a GCSE project and learn about the Assessment objectives: ideas, experimentation, recording and presenting an outcome. They produce work covering a range of materials and techniques including 2D /3D processes. In the final term year 9 specialise in one area of ADT in order to begin GCSE course.

Food Technology The practical focus is on main meals. Students develop their understanding of the form and function of ingredients and gain practical experience of working with a range of products. Emphasis is placed on developing leadership skills and team working, communication, time management and organisational skills by working to deadlines and following detailed production plans. Home learning tasks extend practical sessions through research and the development of evaluation skills.

Resistant Materials Students complete two high quality products per year group. First they complete a practical project which improves their skills using hand tools and machines in the workshop. Then they complete a computer based project to produce a CAD/CAM product. Students learn about the design process and also develop their understanding of resistant materials theory throughout KS3.

Graphic Communication Packaging project is a creative project using 3d shapes. Students will be taught how to draw 2d and 3d shapes and learn about technical drawing. They will build on their knowledge of colour and create personalised logos. They will also learn to use photo shop and publisher.

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Computer Science Outline of work In Computer Science students are introduced to new skills, as well being given the opportunity to build upon skills they have already acquired. Skills include: Covering the basic principles and architecture of local and wide area networks. An Introduction to Python, a powerful but easy to use high-level programming language. Covering the basic principles of computer architecture and use of binary. Building your own apps using a web based app builder.

Autumn Term Networks/introduction to Python

Spring Term Advanced Python/understanding computers

Summer Term The use of ICT in business.

Assessment Pupils will be assessed at the end of each Project using in lesson based assessment. This will be reported to parents at each tracking point. Teacher assessments are made through observing the way in which students approach tasks, the way in which they refine and develop their work and their final product. Other forms of assessing progress include self-assessment, peer assessment and online assessment.

Home Learning This will be set on a fortnightly basis. The majority of home learning will be paper-based or research based tasks. The main focus of this home learning will be to review topics covered within lesson and extend knowledge through practise and short quizzes.

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Drama Outline of work: Drama is an imaginative and kinaesthetic lesson which allows students the physical and creative space to fully explore their ideas. It also helps build students: confidence, teamwork, empathy and resilience. It is used in conjunction with the texts being followed in English, so it allows students to empathise, explore and evaluate the characters, themes and ideas in the stories they are studying and bring their own ideas to the texts. For example, if students are studying “The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas” they will be asked to create a drama which focuses on social inequality. This allows them a greater understanding of the book they are studying. As well as working in connection with the English curriculum it also works independently to teach students specific drama skills such as: freeze frames, split staging and thought tracking. At the end of rehearsal time each student will be asked to perform in front of their peers and share their work. Performing publically on a regular basis helps students overcome the fear of public speaking, which helps them when they do presentations in other subjects.

Ways of working Starter games

Analysing video clips of strong examples of drama

Improvising

Using a skills checklist which will fully explain skills required in different performances

Individually: monologues/soliloquies

Pairs

Small groups

Large groups

Whole class groups (where a class is challenged to create their own soap opera etc

where each character in the class is linked)

Assessment After at least five hours rehearsal time, the students perform the given dramatic performance. They receive an individual score and a group score.

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English Outline of work: Autumn

Prose Fiction – Of Mice and Men

Topic Study – ‘Travel’

‘Of Mice and Men’ - John Steinbeck “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place ...With us it ain’t like that.We got a future ... because I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you.”

George and Lennie are migrant American labourers –the one alert and protective and the other strong, stupid and potentially dangerous. This is the powerful story of their relationship and their dreams of finding a more stable and less lonely way of life.

Spring Shakespeare Unit:

o The Tempest o Othello

The Short Story – Sunlight on the Grass anthology

Summer GCSE Language: Writer’s Viewpoints and Perspectives – Reading and Writing

Non-Fiction and Literary Non-Fiction

Ways of Working Each unit is designed to focus upon aspects of students' broad development in English. The range of activities includes:

co-operative group work and paired work

reading and evaluating literature

reading and analysing non-fiction texts

writing in response to reading and for personal expression

examination technique

writing using varying writing styles for different purposes and audiences.

Individualised learning sessions are used to reinforce, where appropriate, such skills as spelling and punctuation. During the year, students will have opportunities to use ICT to develop and present their work and also to develop their research and study skills.

Assessment Units of work reflect the changes to the National Curriculum and are all planned to incorporate all skills required at GCSE level. Topic Study encourages independent work and personal challenge and aspiration. Exam condition assessments will be more frequent in year 9 to prepare students for the imminent GCSE course. The full range of students' achievement, in speaking and listening, reading and writing, is assessed by a range of methods including teacher observation, course work and classroom tests.

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Geography Outline of work: Students will have opportunities to develop creativity, listening and perceptive skills both in and outside the classroom. Interaction between people will be one of the main themes, with music reflecting cultural diversity, causes of change and sustainability.

The topics covered in year 9 are:

Special Places: Rainforests What processes form and change the rainforest. How do humans use, impact and manage this ever evolving environment.

Development Who wants to be a billionaire? How do we measure the wealth of nations? What are the characteristics of rich and poor countries? How do rich countries help poor ones?

Risky world: Tectonics Volcanoes and earthquakes; what are their causes and effects? How do people respond to eruptions and earthquakes?

Development or destruction: Changing China What do you know about China? Why might you want to know more? A case study of an emerging global giant.

Think! Act! Climate Change Energy use and resources. Why is this an important issue? What are the causes, effects and solutions of climate change?

GCSE Introduction: Ways of working Students have the opportunity to develop and practise vital skills through a variety of activities. This may be through:-

Small group or paired activities

Role plays/simulations

ICT technology/research

Presentations

Film/audio resources

Games and quizzes

Active learning techniques

Extended writing

Create models and display

Assessment Students’ progress is monitored continuously in a variety of ways. Students are given opportunities to use self and peer assessment to improve their skills and awareness. Assessment also includes teacher observations, written and practical tasks, student target setting, teacher marking of written work and role play.

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History Outline of work: In year 9 we cover British, European and World history between 1750 and 1950. The work covered follows 5 key questions and whenever possible subject matter is linked to local history. The topics covered in year 9 are:

How did Britain Unite & Connect to the Wider World?

Why were so many people on the move?

Population explosion, Immigration and Emigration

Irish famine

New ways of travelling and communicating

Causes of the First World War

End of Empire and development of Commonwealth

How has everyday life changed? Why was there an Industrial Revolution - clever inventions/new machines

Why were cities so unhealthy - Poverty and disease - making ends meet

Did women’s lives get better?

Sinking of the Titanic - the end of an era.

Who made the Rules and who broke them? Working conditions in mills, mines and factories

Riot and Reform -how close was Britain to revolution?

Crime and punishment. Getting the vote for everyone.

Second World War, Nuclear and Cold War.

Why did people change their minds about religion? Explorers and missionaries - the Age of Philanthropy

Victorian values.

The Holocaust

How has the war and warfare changed? Battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo

Trench warfare in the First World War

Second World War

The Cold War

Ways of working Students have the opportunity to develop and practise vital skills through a variety of activities. This may be through:-

Small group or paired activities

Role plays/simulations

ICT technology/research

Presentations

Film/audio resources

Games and quizzes

Active learning techniques

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Extended writing

Create models and display

Assessment Students’ progress is monitored continuously in a variety of ways. Students are given opportunities to use self and peer assessment to improve their skills and awareness. Assessment also includes teacher observations, written and practical tasks, student target setting, teacher marking of written work and role play.

Inclusion and Learning Support Outline of work We work to remove barriers to learning.

The Learning Support department works with identified students in year 9, building on work covered in years 7 and 8, to develop their literacy and/or numeracy skills. The department works with teachers, exchanging information about particular students and suggesting ways to help their learning. Progress is tracked and monitored throughout the year. Reading and spelling tests take place in December and at the end of year 9, enabling us to assess progress and decide what, if any, further intervention is required. Teachers and teaching assistants support students during subject assessments wherever possible. Support is given to students who receive additional help with social and communication skills. Students identifies as having additional needs over and above learning difficulties can be recommended for short term inclusion groups which cover areas such as self-esteem, social skills and behaviour for learning.

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Mathematics

In year 9 students are grouped according to how they have coped with their work in year 8. This is subject to review every half-term.

Outline of work There are four lessons of maths per week. The work covers all National Curriculum attainment targets: -

Mathematical processes and applications

Number and algebra

Geometry and measurements

Handling data We prepare students for the new style GCSE maths by introducing problem solving, working systematically, generalizing and visualising skills to help students be successful at GCSE and beyond. Students will be set weekly targets and given the opportunity to develop their skills in order to increase confidence.

Ways of Working A variety of teaching and learning styles is used, including whole class work and discussions, use of ICT, small group work, investigations, games and puzzles and problem solving.

Each topic allows students to progress with an activity, with teacher help as far as their ability allows. This is closely in line with National Curriculum thinking and means that students challenge themselves and are challenged by their teachers to raise their own levels of achievement.

Assessment Assessment is carried out from day to day with fortnightly progress tests and formal assessment every half term. Home learning tasks are set weekly using ‘MyMaths’ with instant feedback given. Assessment includes written and oral work.

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Modern Foreign Languages Outline of Work: Students are taught in ability groups to enable them to achieve as good a level of teacher assessment as possible. All groups follow the same core of grammar and vocabulary but there is variation in the depth of grammar and breadth of vocabulary depending on ability.

In year 9 much of the work covered involves use of tenses and combinations of past, present and future. This is linked to topic areas such as:

TV programmes/cinema holidays and travel/festivals

daily routine

the sporting world

projects on world issues

Ways of Working Students are regularly involved in tasks which use the five skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and thinking. This may be through:

whole class presentations of new work

small group, paired or individual work

role plays

computer assisted learning

activities using DVDs and interactive whiteboards

individual research using books, dictionaries or the internet

games, puzzles and songs

written exercises

tablets

Assessment Students' progress is monitored continuously to assess achievement in each skill through appropriate classroom tasks. More formal assessment takes place at the end of selected units during the year to check knowledge and understanding in the skills areas. Such assessments are carried out under test conditions. A year 9 student is expected to achieve a level 5 or 6 by the end of the year. A top set year 9 should be able to reach level 7.

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Music Why is it important There are a number of key concepts that underpin the study of music. Students need to understand these concepts in order to deepen and broaden their knowledge skill and understanding.

Integration of practice: Developing knowledge, skills, and understanding through the

integration of performing, composing and listening. Participating, collaborating, and working with others as musicians, adapting to different musical roles and respecting the values and benefits others bring to musical learning.

Cultural understanding: Understanding musical traditions and the part music plays in a national and global culture in personal identity. Exploring how ideas, experiences, and emotions are conveyed in a range of music from different times and cultures.

Critical understanding: Engaging with and analysing music, developing views and justifying opinions. Drawing on experience of a wide range of musical contexts and styles to inform judgements.

Creativity: Using existing musical knowledge, skills, and understanding for new purposes and in new contexts. Exploring ways music can be combined with other art forms and other subject disciplines.

Communication: Exploring how thoughts, feelings, ideas, and emotions can be expressed through music.

Outline of Work Our aim is to provide students with opportunities to develop their creativity through a range of directed listening, performing, and composition activities. Topics in Year 9 are designed in a sequence to explore knowledge and skills acquired in Years 7 and 8, and prepare students for the practical and analytical skills needed for GCSE Music.

Autumn Term Band and Studio Skills

Spring Term

Music to Dance to

Summer Term

Podcasting Project

Ways of Working The emphasis is on active learning and the attainment of high standards. Students are expected to take part in all lesson activities, which will include performing, composition/music creation, music technology, music analysis and appraisal. These activities will be organised as individual, paired, group, and whole class methods, as appropriate to the lesson. The department is well stocked with a variety of classroom instruments, and students are encouraged to bring in their own instruments for personal use in lessons (when appropriate), breaks and lunchtimes.

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Assessment A variety of techniques are used in the assessment of music. Much assessment is through on-going classroom observation, followed up with teacher-student tutorials at the end of a unit of study to ensure students are equipped with their 'working at' levels, target levels, and how to achieve them. For the Arts Award project, students will be required to generate a portfolio of evidence in order to demonstrate to external assessors that they have met all the requirements for the award.

Instrumental/Vocal Lessons There are opportunities for students to receive extra-curricular instrumental and/or vocal tuition. Most lessons are in small groups of approximately three students to keep fees at a minimum. The music department has a small number of instruments which may be loaned to students taking these lessons for a small, fully refundable deposit. Instruments are loaned out on a first come first served basis. Alternatively, instruments may be hired from a number of local music shops for a small fee. Please contact the Head of Music for further information.

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Physical Education (PE) Outline of Work

Autumn Term Table Tennis

Rugby

Handball

Netball

Trampolining

Swimming

Spring Term Badminton

Basketball

Swimming

Dance

Trampolining

Fitness

Summer Term Athletics

Rounders

Tennis

Ways of Working Students work as individuals, in pairs, small groups and teams. They learn through discussion, demonstration, practise and experimentation. Students learn how to use tactics to improve their performance.

Assessment Students are assessed on 5 different abilities: physical, personal, creative, social and cognitive. Students are involved in this process through discussion, answering questions, assessing their friends and recording achievements as they occur. Progress is also monitored and recorded through use of the digital recorders and photographs, using peer and self-assessment as well as teacher observation.

Students are finally assessed in games, swimming, athletics, gymnastics, canoeing and orienteering. They will be given a mark for each of these activities which ranges from 0 - 15 (15 being very exceptional performance). These marks will help to assess the one final level that is awarded for achievement in PE as a whole. (There are no individual levels for each specific sports).

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RESPECT

Outline of Work

We deliver national curriculum PSHEE, Citizenship and Careers through Respect. The programme is designed to help young people to have a positive and proactive approach to the challenges that life throws up. We make use of the PiXl Edge programme to aid the delivery of the work and to make it relevant to students. We aim to equip students with the skills and knowledge to make informed choices about their lives.

The course covers the following topics:

Mental Health

Attitude to Life and Death

Human rights (contraception, SSIs and HIV, Sexuality)

Financial Awareness

Health Risks

First Aid

Ways of Working

In Respect new ideas and skills are considered and practiced in a variety of ways including discussions, case studies, role play and simulation games. We endeavour to take students out of their comfort zone and ask them to challenge their pre-conceived ideas and formulate a personally unique and informed framework for their future lives.

Assessment Students are encouraged to self and peer assess in RESPECT which allows them to review their learning and consolidate their understanding. Assessment is via observing students working, written tasks and specific assessment tasks. Students work towards a PiXl Edge accreditation and personal statement which maps the journey they have been on and sets targets for the future.

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Science Outline of Work Year 9 students start their GCSE’s in science with the studying of triple science leading to 3 separate GCSE’s in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students will have 3 specialist teachers to teach them the 3 sciences separately.

Ways of Working Using AQA GCSE Sciences Kerboodle allows the continuation of an active, investigative approach to science similar to their KS3 experience. There are 28 required practical’s which are formally assessed and recorded as part of the course. Practical work is usually done in small groups. Students carry out individual and group learning exercises regularly. There are also videos, demonstrations, discussions, games and a variety of ICT tasks which are used to increase enjoyment and learning.

Assessment Student progress is assessed by a formal test at the end of each topic which yields a GCSE grade. Students receive personalized feedback and personal targets to improve on their individual progress. Differentiated activities and quality marking shows students how they are expected to progress.

Home learning tasks also provide curriculum levels and effort grades. Levelled activities and quality marking show students how they are expected to progress.

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Home Learning Timetable 2017-18 **Some weeks home learning tasks will be set in Year 7 – 9 in Religious Studies, Computer Science &

Music.