Art

The art staff  cover the specialisms of Drawing and Painting, Graphics,   Textiles, Sculpture and Ceramics.

There are two studios and a computer room.  The department is open most lunchtimes for those students wishing to do more art work.

In year 7 the pupils study:

Colour | through the work of various 19th and 20th century artists.

Pattern  | through the work of Asian and Islamic cultural artefacts.

Line | through the work of Konrad Gesner.

Assessment | Students are assessed on a regular basis through the use of school assessment grades and annual examinations.  Also, staff use end of project group appraisal and self assessment sheets with the students.

Design and Technology

Pupils coming from their junior schools, have very little or no experience in Technology.

The department feels it is essential for all pupils to learn the necessary skills in Graphics, which will enable the pupils to sketch or draw for their design process.  

Workshops are fundamental elements of making products in Resistant Materials or and pupils need to appreciate the importance of safety. The pupils are made aware of safety rules and policy within Technology department areas.

The department believes that pupils should have a finished product at the end of each module and be able to take their projects home.  

Products should be of a high quality, engaging and functional. Expectations from our pupils are very high. In the making module, pupils should spend most of their lessons making in the workshops, which is experiencing tools and equipment with the application and processes.

Pupils will have an appropriate amount of homework so that they are able to understand the knowledge and the design processes in creating the product.  

Pupils are given feedback of the levels they achieve and the targets to improve their level through level descriptors. Pupil friendly level descriptors are given to pupils in the design booklets so they can understand what level they are working at and can identify how to improve. The Levels indicate progress made on each criteria of the four descriptor levels to achieve over‐all level in this subject.  

Drama

Drama is a growing part of the school curriculum at Hamstead Hall with lessons delivered to Year 7 once every 2 weeks.

These lessons are designed to develop skills in working effectively with others as well as teaching performance and communication skills.

Drama is taught and assessed in three disciplines, creating, performing and evaluating. This is to enable students to gain a full range of drama and life skills and build a foundation for their Drama study at Key Stage 3.

Assessments will be conducted on a term by term basis with development, performance and evaluation as key indicators of progress. An end of year report will take into account progress made throughout the year in all practical lessons.

The units cover a wide range of themes and drama skills such as using script, exploring themes and issues, devising, role play, character development, confidence building and team work. 

English

In year 7 pupils cover Victorian literature texts, non-fiction texts, Shakespeare and and poetry. 

All schemes of work are thematic and will involve pupils studying a wide range of different text types related to the theme for each unit of work. Pupils will be assessed on their reading, writing and speaking and listening skills each term. All pupils will sit a final exam at the end of the year.

ICT and Computing

The BITE Faculty has developed a new, tailored Curriculum, which provides everything our students need to help improve their life chances.

This programme of study, which reflects the transition to computing in the National Curriculum, will incorporate Computing, ICT and Enterprise elements. This scheme of work is relevant to the modern student, as well as challenging.

It will provide our students with a strong foundation for further study at GCSE and beyond in areas like ICT and Computer Science.

Our new curriculum will provide topics that are fun and engaging for all our students. It has been introduced to raise standards of learning and develop a breadth and depth of skills, knowledge and understanding needed by our learners throughout their time at the Academy.

Our new curriculum will also incorporate aspects of these five key areas below:

• Digital Literacy
• Skills
• Technology in the World
• Safety, Security and the Law
• Technical Understanding

This will provide our learners with a bigger picture of how technology has and can develop or have an impact on their lives. There will also be exciting opportunities to learn how to use and apply computer-programming languages to develop games. Students will learn how to use Small Basic and Kodu in Years 7 & 8.

At the end of Key Stage 3, we will prepare students for Year 10 courses related to ICT and Computer Science. The aim is to give them experience using a more independent style of learning, opportunities to learning, opportunities to learn an additional programming language such as Python, to solve a variety of computational problems and to teach them the necessary skills that will facilitate their smooth transition onto KS4 courses. 

Geography and History

In the first half term of year 7, all pupils are taught in mixed ability groups where they are given opportunity to master and practice their R.O.C.I.T. skills. 

The R.O.C.I.T. skills are interdisciplinary skills of Reflection, Organisation.  Creativity, Independent Learning and Teamwork.  These are skills which have been identified as essential to academic and workplace success.

For the other 2 terms, pupils will be taught in ability groups where they will learn subject specific content and skills to provide a firm foundation for future study.

Homework is set by each subject once a week in line with school policy. Pupils are assessed through a variety of R.O.C.I.T. challenges, end of unit assessments and end of year exam.

Mathematics

Pupils in Year 7 will develop their numeracy, analytical, problem solving and reasoning skills through a variety of activities based around the following topics:

Special numbers, calculations Averages, data collection, measuring, Coordinates, function machines, graphs, expressions , Formulae, Fractions, equations, indices, Factors, multiples, decimals, scales, measuring, angles, decimals, percentages, Ratio, proportion, direct proportion Classifying objects, symmetry, area, perimeter, volume, surface area, Transformations Sequences, linear graphs, proportion, midpoints Charts and probability.

Modern Foreign Languages

There are 5 teachers in the department.  All teachers can teach French and Spanish.  On top of this, we also have expertise in Portuguese, Italian, German, Mandarin, Panjabi and Latin.

In September, every Year 7 pupil at Hamstead Hall Academy will learn either French or Spanish.  If they are in the top set, they will also start learning Latin.

In the Modern Foreign Language studied, pupils will learn the basics of each language and by the end of Year 7, they will be able to introduce themselves and others, talk about things that are familiar to them (hobbies, friends, birthdays, school, etc...) and use more than one tense. They will also become familiar with the grammatical and syntactical features of the studied language.

Students learning Latin will study the Cambridge Latin Course (Book 1).  The book follows the story of a family in Pompeii in 74AD, the year of the destructive eruption of Mount Vesuvius.  We hope to enthuse as many students in Classics as possible and offer them a route to GCSE alongside Modern Foreign Languages.

There will also be a Mandarin Chinese club available to Year 7 and we are planning on launching an Ancient Greek club too.  

We will expect EVERY student to have dictionary in the Modern  Language they study.  The Academy will sell them from September at a heavily discounted rate.  Please do not purchase them beforehand.  

The Department regularly organises trips abroad or to sites of interest in the UK for Classics.  You will be informed in due time when such trips are organised.

We all look forward to welcoming your child in our classes and hope their language studies are a rewarding experience.

Music

At Hamstead Hall Academy, we believe that Music helps pupils to become successful learners through the development of independence and creativity.  

Throughout Year 7, students will be given the opportunity to grow in confidence as they perform, compose, listen to and evaluate their own and others’ work.

Students will develop their cultural and critical understanding through group, pair and individual work, supported by the opportunity to develop their citizenship skills through participation in school events throughout the year.

Autumn Term

Introduction to Music at Hamstead Hall Academy. Students share their previous experience of Music. Development of rhythmic, aural, performance and listening skills. Vocal workshops. Group, pair and individual performance work.

Introduction to Vocal Music Singing in the Gospel Style. Performance Opportunity – Black History Month Concert. Group arranging Developing Self and Peer Appraisal skills Individual Research Project – Vocal Music Introduction to Notation (graphic and staff notation) Keyboard Performance – Melody and Accompaniment. Developing Vocal Technique – Festive Songs

Spring Term

Introduction to the Orchestra Rhythmic Notation Graphic Notation Introduction to Percussion and development of group work

Summer Term

Film Music Project Song writing – ‘Pop’ songs All students are able to enjoy their learning, making progress whilst developing their functional skills through the clear links made to literacy, numeracy and ICT in each project.

Physical Education

Physical Education at Hamstead Hall The national curriculum for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
• are physically active for sustained periods of time
• engage in competitive sports and activities
• lead healthy, active lives

Range and Content | These are the areas within P.E that the students will be developing throughout the year in a range of different activities. Students are put into groups and the groups rotate through the different activities throughout the year. They have two P.E. lessons per week (2 x 1 hour).

For the first five weeks of the autumn term, all students follow the Physical Literacy Programme which allows specialist staff the opportunity to carry out a thorough baseline  assessment of your child's expected progress through his school life.

These areas are as follows Ice gym induction, Physical and skill related fitness, gymnastics, ball skills/co-ordination, table tennis, games, team building/problem solving. SAQ circuit, endurance run.

For the remaining  time up until the end of the Easter term students will work on the following activities to cover all of the Range and Content. The groups are rotated every five weeks to move onto a different activity.

Orienteering, Badminton, Football, Rugby, Netball/Basketball, Trampolining, Hockey, Table Tennis, Health Related Exercise, Dance, Handball, Gaelic Football,

In the summer term the Range and Content are covered through the following areas on a rotation- Athletics, Cricket, Rounders, Softball, Athletics.

R.O.C.I.T

As part of their history and geography lessons, all Year 7 pupils will follow R.O.C.I.T curriculum in the first term in Year 7.  

This curriculum aims to inspire and motivate pupils to develop their potential in a range of skills.  

The skills that are developed are:

Reflection

Organisation

Creativity

Independent learning

Team work

Reflection | This skill develops pupils’ abilities to: 

Assess themselves and other pupils.

To set appropriate goals and targets.

Organisation | This skill develops pupils’ abilities to: 

Organise their time effectively to complete tasks efficiently.

Creativity | This skill develops pupils’ abilities to:

Generate ideas

Ask questions

Communicate ideas

Consider other beliefs and attitudes.

Independent learner | This skill develops pupils’ abilities to:  

Plan and carry out research

Analyse and evaluate information

Show initiative.

Team worker | This skill develops pupils’ abilities to:  

Lead, follow and take responsibility

Work with others

Listen effectively.  

R.O.C.I.T aims

To use realistic challenges to motivate pupils.

To prepare students for real life and work outside the academy.

Rationale

 We aim to develop pupils’ abilities not just academically, but also by assessing their R.O.C.I.T skills.  

 Our aim is to help pupils develop an understanding of where their areas of strength and weakness are, and through the challenges, provide opportunities for them to develop and improve their skills to achieve their full potential.  

 As the pupils’ independent and problem solving skills develop, they will increasingly take more control of what happens in the classroom. The teacher facilitates the lesson acting as a guide and occasionally an expert. This will help pupils to embed their learning and encourage them to   transfer core skills.

Pupils are grouped in a variety of ways for the different Challenges they work on throughout the   term. The Challenges are designed to develop a sense of enquiry and allow the application of the R.O.C.I.T skills.

The Challenges are:                                                                                                                                   

Challenge 1 – Introduction to R.O.C.I.T                                                                                             

Challenge 2 – Me Myself and Island

Pupils have six R.O.C.I.T lessons a fortnight, in which they investigate a variety of issues linked to each Challenge. These lessons use themes from Literacy, History and Geography – areas of citizenship and PSHE are also covered.

The Challenges are introduced through a Launch lesson and end with a Showcase of the most outstanding work. 

Why deliver a competency‐led curriculum?

“Employers consistently identify the kind of people they want in their workplaces. They want people who are literate and numerate and have information technology skills. They look for people who can build and maintain relationships, work productively in teams and communicate effectively. They look for problem solvers, people who take responsibility and make decisions and are flexible, adaptable and willing to learn new skills. The skills these people have can be developed across subject boundaries. When you ask young people about their experiences and aspirations for the future, many say that they expect their world to become more challenging. They say that school prepares them well for examinations but not enough for real life and work”. -QCA publication 2009

Religious Education

In Religious Education, the content and assessments are designed to start developing GCSE skills from year 7.

This means pupils study Christianity and Sikhism in year 7 as these are the two religions studied in GCSE RE. Each religion focuses on the key beliefs and practices so that a well rounded understanding can be attained.

The scheme of work is as follows:

Half term 1: My community -Exploring your beliefs and the beliefs in the community you live in.

Half term 2: Christian beliefs Looking at the core Christian beliefs

Half term 3: RE skills To get a top grade in RE you need to be able to write a good essay. Over this half term the skills required are taught.

Half term 4: Christian Practices Exploring how Christian worship and live their life.

Half term 5: Sikh beliefs Looking at the core Sikh beliefs.

Half term 6: Sikh Practices Exploring how Sikhs worship and live their life.

There are three formal assessments in year 7; one at the end of each topic and an annual exam assessing the year’s learning. The assessments are in the exact format of the GCSE exam so that pupils will be well trained and ready for the challenges of GCSE. 

Science

The year 7 Science curriculum at Hamstead Hall Academy is the entry point to our challenging KS3 science curriculum that engages with learners of all abilities.

The curriculum is based on ‘Smart Science’ but adapted to suit the needs of Hamstead Hall learners.

Through it we aim to:‐  Provide memorable learning experiences that challenge students of all abilities. Develop transferable personal learning and thinking skills that develop students as learners

Topics covered include cells, separation, forces,  atoms, reactions, electricity and diet.