CurriCulum Newsletter - s term 2019€¦ · Paper 1 and the students will be given individual feedback on how to improve in their exam feedback. Students will then move on to study

CurriCulum Newsletter - spriNg term 2019

Welcome back to all of our Year 9 students. This is a very busy and important term for our students. In order to enable them to choose the correct GCSEs and to optimise the progress they are making, this term begins with the Year 9 exams, these will begin during the week commencing January 14th. Parents’ Evening for Year 9 is Thursday 7th February; please make every effort to attend this evening in order to talk to teachers about your young person’s progress and how this may be increased. This is closely followed by Year 9 Options Evening at our Borough Road site on Thursday 7th March; this is a vital event in choosing the best possible options for your young person’s future. Please make every effort to attend these evenings and take advantage of the extra help on offer from staff to provide a strong platform from which to achieve the best for the students.If you have any questions regarding the curriculum or any pastoral issues please feel free to contact myself or Mrs Gower on 403005.

Katie Hine, Head of Year 9

ScIeNceThis term students are beginning their ‘Combined Science’ GCSE course. All students will be following the OCR 21st Century Combined Science B in preparation for taking the GCSE exams in 2021. Scientific literacy and the impact of science and technology on everyday life have featured highly in past examinations and there will be a focus on this throughout the year. The term begins with an internal PPE (pre public exam) which will focus on identifying gaps in students’ knowledge from Years 7 and 8. These results will be communicated to parents later in the academic year. Revision guides are available to purchase through ParentPay. The revision guide covers the entire GCSE course and it is recommended that all Year 9 students have one. After the formal assessment, students will begin to work through C1 Air Quality, P5 Radioacitvity and B2 Health. Each of these modules will be taught on a rotation so some students may not cover one of these modules until the summer term. For the remainder of this period regular assessments will take place in a variety of different forms including practical assessments and tasks, and traditional end of unit exams.

eNGlISHIn the first half of the spring term students will begin preparing for their exams by revising all the key skills for Paper 1, Reading. They will refine their skills in retrieving information from a text and analysing and commenting on language. They will explore how writers create effects through manipulation of structure and language and evaluate how effectively this is done. The examination mirrors precisely the AQA Paper 1 and the students will be given individual feedback on how to improve in their exam feedback. Students will then move on to study a classic text, ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck, where they will consider context, theme, character and structure. Throughout the term every student will be set a range of homework tasks and will be expected to read independently as well as at the beginning of every English lesson and during their AR session.

YeAR 9

mATHSStudents will be entering the second term of their GCSE course in mathematics. Students will return from Christmas and will have the first week as dedicated revision in preparation for their examination the following week. Their exam will assess only the areas which have been covered in the first term. These topics include number, algebra, graphs, fractions and percentages. After the exam, students will have two weeks of directed topic improvement time. The teacher will identify areas for improvement during this time and give targeted intervention for each student. This will then be followed by the topics of angles, trigonometry and equations.

All students should now be familiar with our www.pearsonactivelearn.com service. This is an invaluable revision tool which gives students access to worked examples, videos on every topic, access to the textbook and extra questions to support learning outside of the classroom. Most homework will be set using Pearson Active Learn. All students are encouraged to engage with this system as it contributes to the individual learning profile of each student and can help both the classroom teacher and students identify areas which need further development.

coNTAcT INFoRmATIoNT: 01803 403005 E: [email protected]

www.paigntonacademy.org

ImPoRTANT DATeS

201914th January Exams Week7th February Parents’ Evening18th-22nd Feb Half Term7th March Options Evening5th April Last Day of Term23rd April First Day of Summer Term

SPANISHStudents will start the term by recapping what they have learnt in the autumn term, giving information about themselves and members of their families. We will then move on to talking about free time activities, with a particular focus on giving and explaining personal opinions.

eTHIcSYear 9 are continuing their introduction to GCSE Ethical Studies through examining the Holocaust and the events leading up to this tragedy. The module is taught alongside a range of GCSE style questions designed to enhance students’ GCSE technique and ability. There will be a module test at the end which will require students to complete two sets of GCSE questions. Following this module, students will begin to look at the issues and ideas of life after death. There are many complimentary resources on Google Classroom which can be used for revision, home learning tasks and more in-depth study of the topic areas. Students will be given all the material needed for revision to ensure they can enjoy Ethics GCSE success.

Paignton Community & SPortS aCademy

Believe and Achieve

GeoGRAPHYDuring the spring term students will study the exciting topic of hazards and disasters, in particular volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes. They will look at the factors that will create these events and move on to identifying the sometimes catastrophic effects on people, the environment and the economy through a variety of case studies, some very recent. Students will be able to demonstrate decision-making skills through planning an evacuation before and during a volcanic eruption; creative skills by designing and building an earthquake proof building; and independent learning when researching previous natural hazard events. Processes, effects and events learnt during this time will contribute to their knowledge and understanding when recapping this in Year 11 in preparation for their GCSE.

HISToRYYear 9 students will launch into the new term with an investigation into the events leading up to the world’s biggest conflict that was World War 2. Students will learn the impact of Imperialism and how this war compared to that of the Great War. This term will also see the start of their first GCSE module, ‘Crime and Punishment’, which will compare law enforcement and the consequences of law breaking throughout the ages.

FooDThrough a series of focused practical tasks students will investigate traditional dishes from a diverse range of different countries from around the world. They will also consider why traditional dishes are specific to different countries and cultures. They will gain and develop a wide range of practical cooking skills and techniques using food, tools and equipment to gain knowledge and understanding through the exploration of the function and properties of ingredients. They will develop knowledge and understanding of working safely and hygienically.

FReNcHIn the autumn term students have been following a course from the Expo GCSE Foundation textbook, learning how to talk about themselves, family and friends. The spring term will begin with an exam to assess their progress so far, focusing on Reading and Writing. They will then go on to cover the topic of healthy and unhealthy living. Throughout Year 9 they will become more familiar with the expectations of the new GCSE.

FReNcH - How parents can help We would love you to support your child with their home learning by regularly helping them to learn vocabulary in preparation for their weekly vocabulary tests. Allow them to explore fun ways of learning from home, for example sticking post-its on the fridge or on their back, so you can test them aloud, get them to teach you, rap it, sing it, dance along to it, record it and use the “look, cover, say, write, check” method. There are endless ways to learn and only by experimenting will they discover which method works best for them. Thank you for supporting us with your child’s learning. Merci et Bon Courage!

eNGINeeRINGStudents studying engineering in Year 9 have opted to take this course that prepares them for the new WJEC Combined Level 1 and Level 2 course in Engineering, which can be taken in Year 10. The course serves as an introduction to the engineering profession. Year 9 students have been developing a range of bridge structure models, and have begun making a decorative box using a range of materials. The students will go on to produce a products ranging from a mobile phone stand to moving mechanical automata. Course details can be seen on pcsaengineers.uk

comPUTeR ScIeNceComputer Science students will begin looking at more advanced Python programming skills such as ‘lists’ and ‘while’ and ‘for’ loops. These are key skills that are used at GCSE. This term students will be given programming problems and will create an algorithm as a plan to help solve these problems. This approach of planning and solving challenges is a method used by programmers and will begin to get students to collaborate and think critically to create solutions. Students will try to become more independent in their approach to problem solving. In the theory lessons students will begin looking at software - including the function of the operating system and different types of operating system, and the difference between application and utility software. This will include looking at types of utilities like defragmentation software, encryption software and anti-virus as well as different a p p l i c a t i o n s like Word and different design packages.

PeSporting activities shift focus going into the spring term. The school rugby season takes a back seat and football fixtures come thick and fast for girls and boys in all age groups. Core PE activities include HRF, badminton, basketball and dance and students are reminded to bring shin pads, suitable footwear and warm layers to wear under their PE kit for football lessons on the Astroturf.Y9 option groups continue working on the ‘Developing Skills’ unit of their Sport Studies course.

mUSIcStudents will cover a range of topics including jazz, pop and film music before taking their listening and p e r f o r m i n g skills forward by creating their own

compositions and learning some popular songs on various instruments in different groups and pairings. This will build their skill set well should they choose to take Music at Key Stage 4. Auditions for the Easter Concert will be held shortly, see Mrs Bidder for details.Don’t forget to encourage your child to attend one of the music clubs offered at lunchtime and after school. Extra-Curricular: Tuesday lunchtime – Rock SchoolWednesday lunchtime – ChoirWednesday after school (3.15-4.30pm) –BandThursday lunchtime – Karaoke ClubPractice rooms are available to book on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday lunchtimes.

DRAmAStudents will complete 2 projects, ‘Page to Stage’ and ‘Devising from a Stimulus’. Devising and working with scripts is the key focus for Year 9. Students are assessed on the areas of Creating, Performing and Evaluating in Drama. During the spring term they will have a written exam on their set play text and also a practical exam performing an extract from the play ‘The 39 Steps’. Homework is set every 2 weeks. Students will develop skills in physical theatre and the work of Frantic Assembly, leading into devised work. Written work is a key component of the GCSE drama course and students will be developing their skills in analysis and evaluation of their own work and the work of professional actors/ directors and playwrights. Support materials for topics can be found at Paignton Online, KS3 Drama. Drama Club takes place on Tuesdays from 3.15pm -4.30pm in W45. There is a theatre trip to see Blood Brothers on 2nd April 2019 at the Princess Theatre in Torquay for GCSE drama students to support their understanding of the set play in preparation for the written exam.Auditions will take place during the spring term and rehearsals will commence for the Summer Musical in July – watch this space!

PSHeThis academic year will be the first time that all PCSA students from Years 7 to 11 will take part in one Personal Social Health Education lesson a week. For Year 9s this will cover areas such as citizenship, relationship and sex education, healthy lifestyles, life skills, careers and financial studies. During the first half of the spring term, Year 9 students will take part in careers lessons. This will help with their understanding of the modern changing job market, how to earn money, writing CVs and individual learning styles. In the second half of the spring term we will be looking at ethical issues. This will include topics such as Malcolm X, the Suffragettes, radicalisation, discrimination and apartheid.

ARTYear 9 students will continue to explore the theme ‘cells’. After spending the autumn term exploring a range of materials and techniques, students will develop the theme and come up with design ideas, looking at different layouts and compositions which will lead on to making an outcome that relates to the theme ‘cells’. Students will be working to a vocational brief and will need to develop an installation that meets the specification of the brief and relates to the theme ‘cells’ and all their developmental work.After February half term students will start a new project based on an independent theme. They will be researching into their own chosen artists, developing observational drawings linked to their theme, experimenting with materials and techniques, coming up with design ideas and different layouts and compositions, before moving on to making an outcome that relates to the chosen theme. Students will have the opportunity to work in both 2D and 3D materials. This freedom to choose their own theme will give students an introduction to developing ideas and prepare students for Art & Design at KS4. During both projects students use their sketchbooks to develop their ideas, drawings, research and experiments which will be self-evaluated, peer assessed and marked by the class teacher. Targets are regularly set and reviewed to help students to progress. Students will be producing work looking at all of the formal elements. Homework consists of research, collating information and drawings. KS3 Art Club runs on Friday lunchtimes where students have the opportunity to take part in competitions and complete any unfinished work. It would be beneficial for students to have basic art equipment at home, including a black fine liner and glue stick, to help complete homework and encourage independent learning.

cAReeRSMost great things begin with a plan. Your career should be no different. A plan will give you something to work towards. I will also help you make the most of the opportunities that come your way. Use the ‘Making choices’ & ‘Careers research’ sections of the school website to start planning a career that is right for you.During this term students will benefit from:• A variety of off-site university/

employer led activities.• Options assemblies for both students

and parents.• A one-hour guidance workshop hosted

by the school’s careers department.• Participation in a number of employer/

future opportunities assemblies.To help your young person plan for their futures you may find the following website useful:

www.parentadviser.co.uk