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  • Year 8 Curriculum Map

    Click the term buttons below to see the curriculum for each subject.

    Autumn term

     

    Autumn 1

    Autumn 2

    English

    Power Poetry: analysing dramatic monologue; iamb/trochee; line analysis; rhyme variation

    A Christmas Carol: shaping a narrative using using chronology manipulation; plot development; endings

    Maths

    N4: Multiplicative reasoning
    Ratio and proportion, compound measures

    G2: Perimeter, Area & Volume
    Working out the perimeter, area and volume of 2D shapes including surface area

    Science

    Working scientifically
    Focuses on planning and carrying out a full scientific investigation. They will learn how to ask a scientific question, learn the steps required to plan an investigation, and learn how to record, analyse and evaluate data.

    Biology: Health & Lifestyle
    Introduction to the components of balances diet and the importance of maintaining health. Study the process of digestion and the roles of specific organs. Will look at smoking, alcohol and drugs and how each affect the body.
     

    Chemistry: Separating mixtures
    Using chemical knowledge to solve problems and linking the ideas of elements and sounds.

    Physics: Energy
    Students will look at energy resources, stores and transfers; including electricity generated by both renewable and non-renewable energy. Students will study the links between energy, work done and power by looking at real life scenarios.



    Biology: Health & Lifestyle
    Introduction to the components of balances diet and the importance of maintaining health. Study the process of digestion and the roles of specific organs. Will look at smoking, alcohol and drugs and how each affect the body.


    Chemistry: The Periodic Table
    The arrangement of elements in the periodic table, cataloguing and categorising elements. It will illustrate how scientific ieades change over time.
     

    Physics: Energy
    Students will look at energy resources, stores and transfers; including electricity generated by both renewable and non-renewable energy. Students will study the links between energy, work done and power by looking at real life scenarios.

    Computer Science

    Understanding Computers
    Theoretical unit covering the basic principles of computer architecture. Identifying input, output and storage devices and their uses. Input-Process-Output sequence and the Fetch-Decode-Execute

    Binary and Logic Gates
    Binary to decimal conversion and vice versa, and learn how text characters are represented using the ASCII code. Designing Boolean logic gates to simulate real-life scenarios.

    Geography

    Development & Economic Activity
    Gender Equality
    UK trade
    Globalisation
    Aid
    Sustainable development
    Fair Trade
    Trans-National Corporations (TNCs)

    Africa
    The danger of a single story
    Africa’s climates
    Can we save the Sahel?
    Opportunities & Challenges
    Kibera
    Trade with China.

    History

    How did the Tudor monarchs change religion?
    The Reformation and the religious policies of Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

    Focus: Change & continuity;

    What happened in the English Civil War?
    Factors which have shaped the development of London.

    Focus: Evidence

    French

    Vive les vacances
    Talking about the school holidays

    Revising the verb etre and avoir.

    Saying what you did during the holidays

    Using the perfect tense of regular –er verbs.

    Describing a visit to a theme park

    Using the perfect tense of irregular verbs.

    Saying where you and how.

    Using the perfect of verbs that take etre.

    Listening for negatives in the perfect tense

    Vive les vacances suite
    Using the perfect tense of irregular verbs.

    Saying where you and how.

    Using the perfect of verbs that take etre.

    Listening for negatives in the perfect tense.

    Asking and answering questions

    Spanish

    La gente
    Talking about activities

    Describing friends using adjectives

    Describing celebrities

    Talking about

    Understanding nationalities

    ¿Vamos a salir?
    Talking about places in town

    Future activities

    Inviting someone to go out

    Making excuses

    3rd person likes/dislikes

    Art

    Portrait
    What is a portrait?

    Learning correct proportions and how to draw facial features.

    Students will build up their skills and knowledge to create realistic self-portraits

    Key artists: key portrait artists from different periods of Art, Jonathan Yeo, Adrian Brandon

    Portrait
    What is a portrait?

    Learning correct proportions and how to draw facial features.

    Students will build up their skills and knowledge to create realistic self-portraits

    Key artists: key portrait artists from different periods of Art, Jonathan Yeo, Adrian Brandon

    Citizenship

    Why was the struggle to vote important?
    The changes in political rights over time, the role of Chartists and Suffragettes in extending the franchise, reflection on future extensions to the franchise

    How has the law changed?The difference between criminal and civil law, the age of criminal responsibility and young people in the justice system

    Dance

    Bollywood
    Kathak and Bharatanatyam

    Group and individual performances

    Emancipation of Expressionism
    AQA GCSE Set Work

    Group and individual performances

    Design Technology

    Design and Technology
    Measuring and Marking out
    Health and Safety in the workshop
    Kinetic Pen STEM challenge
    Communication techniques: Graphic design

    Food
    Health and safety in the kitchen
    Units for weighing and measuring ingredients
    Knife skills
    Pizza Toast
    Scones
    Cheese and Onion tartlets (tolerances, shortening, gluten, egg)
    The importance of a healthy diet
    The Eatwell guide.
    Food related illnesses

    *2022-2023 Students in Year 8 will study either Food or Design and Technology rotating from the subject studied in Year 7

    Design and Technology
    Material knowledge: Wood and man-made boards: Trinket Box
    Or Cultural Cushion textiles project

    Food
    Function of ingredients: Yeast
    Bread project: including practicals of:
    Bread rolls
    Chelsea Buns
    Yeast based pizza or Pizza
    Pinwheels
    Allergens and Natasha’s Law

    Drama

    The Stones / Drama Skills Toolkit (part 2)
    Exploring status, staging and cross-cutting in response to a script.

    Gothic Thriller – Theatre Design
    Developing lighting and sound design skills within the Gothic Thriller genre.

    Music

    Jazz and Blues
    Background and cultural of Jazz and Blues

    Improvisation skills developed

    Keyboard skills developed

    Paired performance using the Blues scale and 12-bar Blues

    Critical listening skills

    Ukulele revisited

    Small group ensemble Blues performance

    Minimalism and Music Technology
    Critical listening skills

    History of minimalism and compositional techniques

    Understanding how a piece of music is put together and a motif developed

    Solo performance / composition piece

    Using Soundtrap to sequence a piece of music

    Understanding of texture in music

    PE

    Introduction to PE
    Understanding and developing core fundamental skills of physical exercise, health and fitness.

    Sport 1- Netball, Football or Rugby
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and perform rules and tactics in a game situation.

    Sport 2- Badminton or Gymnastics
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and perform rules and tactics in a game situation.

    Core skills in isolation and developed through a routine

    Sport 3- Handball, Volleyball, Basketball or Hockey
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and perform rules and tactics in a game situation.

    Religious Studies

    Religion and the Environment
    Religious responses to environmental issues, including global warming and climate change.

    Different Types of Relationships
    Exploring ethical questions around human relationships.

    Spring term

     

    Spring 1

    Spring 2

    English

    Survival Novels: analysing hero/anti-hero; plot twist/ back story/ reveal; cyclical structure

    Cliffhanger/suspense/tension;
    Unreliable narrator; multiple narrators; third person limited narration

    Maths

    A2: Solving Equations
    Finding unknown quantities in equations of all types

    G3: 2D Shapes & 3D Shapes
    Properties of shape and extending the learning in this area from Year 7

    N5: Factors and powers
    Factors and finding prime number decomposition of numbers, working with powers and roots, understanding the laws of indices

    Science

    Biology: Biological process
    The process of photosynthesis and its importance for all life on Earth; the effect of plan minerals on plant growth with a ficus on aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration.


    Chemistry: Chemical energy
    Introducing the concept of thermodynamics building on prior knowledge of chemical reactions.

    Physics: Motion and pressure
    Introduces speed, pressure and turning forces. Students will learn about pressure in gases, liquids and solids. They will develop mathematical skills using equations.

    Biology: Ecosystems and adaptation
    The relationship between food chains and webs and how this can result in bioaccumulation. Students study the interdependence of organisms and the adaptations of organism to enable them to be successful competitors and survive in harsh and changing environments.

    Chemistry: Metals and non-metals
    The reaction of metals with links to industries such as construction and engineering.
     

    Physics: Motion and pressure
    Introduces speed, pressure and turning forces. Students will learn about pressure in gases, liquids and solids. They will develop mathematical skills using equations.

    Computer Science

    Microbits:
    Using the BBC micro:bit pocket-sized computer to understand how software and hardware work together. Creating programs using the LED light display, buttons, sensors and many input/output features.

    Intro to Python:
    Focus on the process of developing programs, the importance of writing correct syntax, being able to formulate algorithms for simple programs and debugging their programs.

    Geography

    Population
    Population distribution
    Population change
    Population pyramids
    Development and birth rates
    Migration and climate change
    Rocinha, Rio de Janero
    Government policies to control population size.

    Hazards & Rocks
    Structure of the Earth
    Rock types
    Causes & effects of earthquakes & volcanoes
    Predicting tectonic hazards
    Hotspots
    Super volcanoes
    Tsunami
    Why people live in hazardous areas

    History

    How did industrialisation change the lives of people in Britain?
    Economic, political and economic impact of industrialisation.

    Focus: Causation; Consequences

    Why was the slave trade abolished?
    The impact of the slave trade and the abolition of slavery.

    Focus: Causation; Consequences.

    French

    J’adore les fetes
    Talking about celebrations and festivals
    Saying what you like and dislike
    Describing festivals and special days
    Buying food at a market
    Using transactional language
    Talking about a future trip using the future tense.

    A loisir
    Talking about celebrities and TV program
    Talking about digital technology
    Arranging to go to the cinema
    Talking about leisure activities
    Spotting synonyms
    Using 3 tenses when speaking

    Spanish

    Mis vacaciones
    Where you went on holiday
    What it was like
    How you travelled
    What you did on holiday
    Additional details

    La comida
    Mealtimes
    Time expressions
    Shopping for food
    Eating at a restaurant
    A past meal
    Likes and dislikes

    Art

    Portrait
    What is a portrait?

    Students will continue to explore an idea of a portrait through distortion (joiners, Cubism), mixed media.

    Students will learn basic Photoshop edits

    Key artists: David Hockney, Cubism, Naum Gabo

    Portrait
    What is a portrait?

    Students will continue to explore an idea of a portrait through distortion (joiners, Cubism), mixed media.

    Students will learn basic Photoshop edits

    Key artists: David Hockney, Cubism, Naum Gabo

    Citizenship

    Are people treated equally in the UK?
    Historical changes to discrimination law in the UK, the Equality Act 2010, how discrimination still affects different groups in society

    Why do people move around the world?
    Exploring the reasons why people migrate, factors that affect migration and the debate around migration control

    Dance

    Dance Through Time
    Ballet, Charleston, Jive

    Group and individual performances

    Dance Through Time
    Jive, Hip-Hop, Contemporary

    Group and individual performances

    Design Technology

    Design and Technology
    Material knowledge: Wood and man-made boards: Trinket Box
    The 6Rs and sustainability in design
    Or Cultural Cushion textiles project
    Systems and Control: Levers and linkages
    Gears and cams

    Food
    Food safety and Cross contamination
    Chicken Fajitas
    Deboned and cheese stuffed chicken thigh enrobed in breadcrumbs
    Meatballs in Ragu sauce
    The role of an EHO
    Careers in the Hospitality and Catering Industry

    Design and Technology
    Materials knowledge: Polymers
    Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture
    KeyFob

    Food
    Tasty Careers
    Food Choices : Reasons and Influences:
    Health/Medical
    Design a menu for……….

    Drama

    Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    Developing vocal technique, staging skills and relationship with the audience.

    Stanislavsky – Naturalistic Acting
    Understanding and applying Stanislavsky’s methodology to scripted work.

    Music

    Rap and Grime
    Lyric writing

    Composing a bass riff and a backing track in a contemporary style

    Understanding of how Hip hop and Rap have changed over time

    Critical Listening skills

    Soundtrap mixing and editing skills developed

    Popular Music
    Ukulele revisited chords and TAB notation

    Introduction to harmony and chords

    Keyboard skills developed – two hands together

    Critical listening skills

    Knowledge of development of popular music since the 1950s

    PE

    Sport 1- Netball, Football or Rugby
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and perform rules and tactics in a game situation.

    Sport 2- Badminton or Gymnastics
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and perform rules and tactics in a game situation.

    Core skills in isolation and developed through a routine

    Sport 3- Handball, Volleyball, Basketball or Hockey
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and perform rules and tactics in a game situation.

    Religious Studies

    Evil and Suffering
    How does evil and suffering provide a challenge to religious belief?

    How do religious believers seek to defend faith in light of challenges?

    Humans are Special
    Understanding the difference between the quality and sanctity of life. Religious beliefs about what makes human beings unique.

    Summer term

     

    Summer 1

    Summer 2

    English

    The Gothic:
    analysing drama for duologue; subplot; set; writing description using sound/contrast/hyperbole; writing rhetoric using contrast and exaggeration

    Emma: analysing women writers and characters in literature; research/independent reading skills

    Maths

    S2: Probability
    Working with probability in different ways to produce sample spaces, tree diagrams and work out the probability of conditional and unconditional events

    A3: Sequences & graph
    Continuing sequences, finding rules for sequences and identifying types of sequence in and out of context.

    N6: Fractions, decimals and percentages

    Over view of all work on fractions decimals and percentages including compound interest

    Preparation for Year 9

    Science

    Biology: Inheritance
    Introduces the concept of variation in characteristics in individuals within a species and determines whether these are a result of inherited variation, environmental variation or both. How evolution occurs through the process of natural selection, why some organisms become extinct, and the role of gene banks.

    Chemistry: Climate
    The issue of global warming and climate change is discussed through a scientific lens, giving an awareness of the effect of human activity on the atmosphere. Students examine the ethical and moral cases surrounding extraction of materials and suggest how chemical processes can provide alternatives.

    Physics: Electricity & Magnetism
    Introduces students to electric fields, current and magnetism. Students will learn how to build simple circuits and take measurements of current and potential difference using ammeters and voltmeters.

    Students will then study electromagnets and plan how to investigate the shape of magnetic fields.

    Biology: Inheritance
    Introduces the concept of variation in characteristics in individuals within a species and determines whether these are a result of inherited variation, environmental variation or both. How evolution occurs through the process of natural selection, why some organisms become extinct, and the role of gene banks.

    Chemistry: Earth’s resources
    Students will learn about the composition of the Earth and the atmosphere. They are reintroduced to the different types of rocks, learn how they are made, their properties and how their properties make them suitable for their uses.

    Physics: Electricity & Magnetism
    Introduces students to electric fields, current and magnetism. Students will learn how to build simple circuits and take measurements of current and potential difference using ammeters and voltmeters.

    Students will then study electromagnets and plan how to investigate the shape of magnetic fields.

    Computer Science

    My App
    Use Microsoft Power Apps to build professional-grade apps by using prebuilt templates, drag-and-drop simplicity, and quick deployment, then roll out continuous improvements as needed

    Faking IT
    Practise skills in design, photo-editing and image manipulation using Adobe Photoshop

    Geography

    Rivers & Glaciation
    Drainage basins
    River processes
    Deltas
    Causes & effects of flooding
    Glacier location, uses, processes & features
    Investigation locations using GIS
    Climate change impacts.

    Energy & Natural Resources
    Natural resource origins
    Fossil fuels & climate change
    Alternative energy
    Middle East climate and economic opportunities
    United Arab Emirates
    Conflict in the Middle East

    History

    Was the British Empire a force for good in India?
    The impact of the British Empire on India.

    Focus: Interpretations

    How did women in Britain get the vote?
    The campaign for women’s suffrage.

    Focus: Causation; Interpretations

    French

    Le monde est petit
    Talking about where you live and describe it using pouvoir + infinitive.
    Discussing the weather.
    Using different strategies to decode words when reading.
    Talk about daily routine using reflexive verbs.
    Talking about moving houses using irregular adjectives.
    Using 3 different tenses when writing.

    Le sport en direct
    Talking about sports using jouer a + faire de.
    Giving opinions using the comparative.
    Asking the way and giving directions using imperative.
    Using il faut to say you must.
    Translating from French to English.

    Spanish

    De moda
    Clothes
    School uniform
    Comparing
    Choosing an item
    What you wore in a fancy dress ball

    La ciudad
    Saying what there is to see and do in Barcelona
    Justifying opinions
    Different types of shop
    Directions
    Describing a holiday

    Art

    Portrait/culture
    Students will incorporate the idea of portrait into the creation of masks inspired by non-western cultures.

    Non-Western culture: Asia/Africa

    Portrait/culture
    Students will incorporate the idea of portrait into the creation of masks inspired by non-western cultures.

    Non-Western culture: Asia/Africa

    Citizenship

    How does the media affect us?
    The concept of news, the role and responsibilities of the media in a democracy, and freedom of the press

    How can citizens bring about change?
    The role of pressure groups and other social movements in campaigning for changes in society

    Dance

    Gumboot
    Gumboot Group and individual performances

    Summer Spotlight
    Own choreography

    Group and individual performances

    Design Technology

    Design and Technology
    Biomimcry and the iterative design process

    Food
    Food Choices: Reasons and Influences:
    Cultural/Moral/Social
    Where does our food come from?
    Food miles and sustainability
    Cultural Food Project

    Design and Technology
    Biomimcry and the iterative design process

    Food
    Presentation skills
    Tunnocks Tea cake challenge style task.
    Apple Swans (enzymic browning)
    Lemon Berry cheescake

    Drama

    Devised Theatre
    Using an extract from Top Girls as a stimulus to create original performance work.

    An Introduction to Frantic Assembly -
    Physical theatre and an exploration of Frantic assembly’s devising techniques.

    Live Theatre Evaluation
    Analysis and evaluation of professional theatre performance work.

    Music

    Film Music
    Understanding of Leitmotifs

    Using the musical elements to create a specific mood or effect

    Composing a Leitmotif relating to a film character

    Solo keyboard performance

    Using Soundtrap to compose music for a set film clip

    Reggae Band Project
    Ukulele and keyboard skills developed.

    Small ensemble performance

    Critical listening skills

    Understanding of Reggae and Jamaican culture

    Optional introduction to guitar and bass guitar

    PE

    Athletics
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation across a variety of events.

    Cricket
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and perform rules and tactics in a game situation.

    Street Sports
    Develop a range of core skills in isolation and in group challenges across a variety of street sports.

    Religious Studies

    Prejudice and Discrimination
    What is prejudice and what is discrimination? How do religious believers use their faith to challenge discrimination?