In year 9 students have 25 lessons a week, these are allotted as follows:
Number of lessons per subject
Below is a general overview of the topics students are taught throughout the year in each subject.
For a more in depth outline of each subject please click on the link for the subject page.
If you would like to speak to us about any aspect of our curriculum please get in touch.
Art
Surrealism – investigate work by Dali and Magritte, understand surreal concepts and apply these to imaginative portrait work.
Underwater world – explore sea forms, creating designs and modelling 3D forms in clay.
Built environment – graphic illustration considering the work of Kyle Henderson, one-point perspective drawing.
Computing
Autumn term
- Digital literacy
- Text programming
Spring term
- Revision of previous concepts
- Sound
- Animation (Blender)
Summer term
- Cybersecurity
- Ethical, legal, cultural concerns
- Excel
Design and technology
Innovate
- Resistant materials – flat pack innovation challenge
- Engineering – sustainable design
- Food – application of skills and knowledge. Design a dish
- Textiles – trash to treasure. Sustainable product design
- Digital Art/ CAD – digital communication and presentation techniques
Drama
In year 9, students continue to develop competence in a range of skills across a broad curriculum offer.
Students are taught advanced performance skills and create a theatre in education workshop that is performed to year 7’s.
Students also explore empathy in drama through a variety of topics and spend time consolidating performing skills from previous years in preparation for GCSE drama.
English language and literature
Autumn term
- The Tempest or Twelfth Night
Key concept – curiosity: freedom
Spring term
- Novel TBC
Key concept – identity: diversity
Summer term
- Modern Britain
Key concept – British Values - GCSE transition unit
Key concepts:
empathy: society
curiosity: power and conflict
identity: adulthood
French
Family: Qui suis-je?
- Myself
- Family
- Free time
Free time/hobbies : Le temps et les loisirs
- Free time
- Sports
- Life online
Festivals and traditions: Jours ordinaires, jours de fête
- Myself
- Home
- Free time
- Festivals and celebrations
- Food and drink
- Daily life
Geography
- Africa: The land of opportunity
- Cold Environments
- Urbanisation
- Global issues
German
Family: Menschliche Beziehungen
- Myself
- Family
- Free time
Free time/ hobbies: Zeit für Freizeit
- Sports
- Free time
School: Auf in die Schule
- School
- Social issues
History
- Causes and experiences of the First World War
- The treaty of Versailles
- The Russian Revolutions of 1917
- The interwar period
- The Second World War
- Decolonisation
- Britain after 1945
Maths
- Number – core/depth/stretch
- Algebra – core/depth/stretch
- Geometry – core/depth/stretch
- Statistics and probability – core/depth/stretch
- Ratio and proportion – core/depth/stretch
Music
- Students will be comfortable performing in a wide array of situations developing new skills such as improvisation, alternative time signatures and experimenting with different genres both composing and performing existing music
- Safe use of musical equipment, setting up music equipment for performance and analytical thinking will aid music performance
- Students will develop an understanding of the key areas of the music business that support the realms of composing and performance.
- Musical language should be proficient and students will be able to communicate using correct musical language whilst understanding the terminology used in the music industry
- Students will be able to compose to a brief and perform with confidence. Areas of study will include: protest music, creating a pop star and performing as part of a band
- Students will be able to work with each other and produce music that shows a contribution made by all members of their groups. Students will be able to identify how as a group improvements can be made using a wide range of musical language and by supporting each other in a mature manner
- Students will be able to analyse how music is used in media, film and is a commodity that generates revenue
- Students will investigate and be able to recall music that is used for purposes other than entertainment
- Students will be exposed to world music that has influenced popular music looking at how this has broadened songwriters and composers knowledge
Personal development
- Peer influence, substance use and gangs
Healthy and unhealthy friendships, assertiveness, substance misuse, and gang exploitation
- Setting goals
Learning strengths, career options and goal setting as part of the GCSE options process
- Respectful relationships
Families and parenting, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and relationship changes
- Healthy lifestyle
Diet, exercise, lifestyle balance and healthy choices, and first aid
- Employability skills
Employability and online presence
- Intimate relationships
Relationships and sex education including consent, contraception, the risks of STIs, and attitudes to pornography
Physical education
In year 9, students continue to develop competence in a range of skills across a broad curriculum offer. Students spend time consolidating skills from year 7/8 and in some sports continue to learn new skills.
In year 9, students are introduced to tactics and in performance and look more broadly at attacking and defensive play.
Religion, philosophy and ethics
Science
Biology
- Health, disease and development of medicines
- The variation between species and between individuals of the same species
- The evidence for evolution
Chemistry
Periodic table:
- atomic structure
- bonding
- chemical calculations
- investigating acids and neutralisation
- crude oil and fuels
Physics
- Energy in the home
- Using conservation of energy to solve problems
- Waves- light and water
- Space
- Gas pressure and temperature
- Cables, plugs and safety
