Lutterworth High School

The curriculum at key stage 3 is based upon the national curriculum and is followed by all students in years 7, 8 & 9. Our curriculum is broad and balanced and sequenced carefully so that students acquire the foundation on which they may base further study and the development of skills across all of their subjects and, when the time comes, the subjects they choose to opt for at key stage 4.

If you would like to find out more about the curriculum, please contact rsalter@lutterworthhigh.co.uk or for subject enquiries, the curriculum leaders named below.

Art

Curriculum Leader - Mrs J Hornbuckle

JHORNBUCKLE@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

We endeavour to create a fun, safe and stimulating environment where we cater for students of all abilities and value all the work created. We want our students to be imaginative and creative and not afraid to try out new ideas. We want them to become increasingly aware of and inspired by the importance of art and design, its place in the world and how much influence it has over and on our lives. Students should also know how art and design both reflects and shapes our history, and contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation and of cultures around the world.

We have very dedicated, knowledgeable and talented members of staff who are committed to supporting and encouraging all our students to find their artistic voice and develop a life-long love of art and design in all its forms.

We follow the national curriculum and we aim to ensure that all students:

produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.
know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Course Outlines

Within every academic year our Key stage 3 students will complete a 12 week rotation block in Art. This consists of a 100 minute double lesson and a 50 minute single lesson per week.

Year 7

We begin in year 7 by learning important foundation blocks of knowledge and skills focussing on colour theory and the 7 elements of art. The students will learn how to use a sketchbook to test and record ideas and ultimately they will work on a sealife project that highlights current environmental issues. Throughout the rotation the students will experience many different techniques and materials including drawing, painting, collage, mixed media, printing and textile techniques.

Year 8

In year 8 we revisit some of the knowledge and skills learnt in year 7. The students will learn new skills whilst introducing a wider range of art ,craft and design materials. The year 8 theme is food and the students look at artists and craftspeople from different cultures who draw, paint and sculpt. The students will produce a variety of outcomes including drawings and paintings, a 3D cake and learn some photography and digital techniques.

Year 9

This year the emphasis is placed firmly on encouraging students to become increasingly independent in the way they approach their work in order that they can find their artistic voice. They study a variety of pop artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Peter Blake and Andy Warhol. The students revisit and refine many of the techniques they have learned before, including drawing, painting, printing and 3D. They will also learn that art and design can be a vehicle for expressing opinions and highlighting issues regarding politics, race and gender. They will work independently to design their own project in a Pop Art style, with a free choice of subject, size, materials and colours. This year is our pre-GCSE year, where we are giving our students a taster of how art is taught in year 10 and 11.

Assessment

All students are assessed twice in one rotation. This will be done approximately halfway through and then again at the end of the rotation. The assessments are based on written work, knowledge and practical skills. Feedback will be given to students both in written format and verbally, which is appropriate for the practical nature of our lessons. Feedback is designed to help students to know how to improve in this subject area.

The Emerald Way

We provide opportunities to contribute to the ‘Creativity’ path of the Emerald Way. Our technician and artist in residence Megan Hunter runs after school art clubs for Key stage 3, our advanced artists and we have after school provision for our dedicated year 9 and Key stage 4 GCSE students.

We enter both local and national competitions including the Leicester New Walk gallery open exhibition and the Royal Academy young artist.

Homework

Homework is set approximately three times in a rotation. This will usually consist of drawing and research for a current project, a written analysis of an artist or the students own work and completing sketchbook work or final pieces. All tasks have extended tasks built in to cater for a range of abilities and to reflect the ‘portfolio’ nature of our Key Stage 4 GCSE work.

Clear guidelines are always given on Edulink and on Google Classroom. As students strive for higher levels they will need to spend longer on their homework tasks to achieve the quality necessary. We recommend spending 30 - 90 minutes on one homework task which may be spread over 2-4 weeks.

Computer Science

Curriculum Leader - Mr M Patel

MPATEL@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

Our intent and aims are to ensure that by the end of Key Stage 3 all students have been able to problem solve and think creatively with Computer Science concepts, programming languages, techniques and tools for the workplace. They will learn business skills and terminology, such as target audiences, branding, finance and marketing along the way and be able to use software creatively to ensure a wide range of skills.

By the end of Key Stage 3 and when students arrive at KS4, we would like to offer a broad set of qualifications, which consists of various routes which will inspire all learners to choose a subject within the curriculum. This currently consists of Computer Science (programming), Business and Creative Media (creating media based products).

Key Stage 3 will build on skills taught at Key Stage 2, and provide scaffolding for those with little Computer Science experience at Key Stage 2.

Course Outlines

At the end of Key Stage 3, we offer multiple courses and opportunities to students looking to progress through to Key Stage 4. This includes, Computer Science, Business, IT, Creative Media and Enterprise & Marketing.

Through the 3 years in Key Stage 3, these subjects are integrated into our SOW.

A typical year:

Year 7:

Understanding password and staying safe on computers
Digital literacy, e.g. Office/Google Software
Understanding how computers work
Programming with block based software e.g. Scratch, Kodu and BBC Micro:Bits

Year 8:

Understanding Binary and the importance to computers
Building on block based programming skills from Year 7 with more advanced Scratch skills
Creating websites
High level programming with Python

Year 9:

Online safety and security
Building on high level programming skills from Year 8 with more advanced Python skills
Data representation, building on Binary and number representation e.g. Hexadecimal and Computational Logic
Building Business Enterprise skills

Assessment

Students are assessed termly using the school FAR marking strategy.

All students have the opportunity to respond to and improve with each marking point, with a clear indication of where they are working and how to improve.

Typical assessment may include:

Extended writing tasks
Online tests
Programming assignments
Written exam questions
Marking of practical work

Extended writing and reading tasks are integral to FAR marking in all year groups, with mark schemes mapped to KS4 levels.

Seating plans are also arranged with school strategies and assessment in mind. Students and strategies are discussed after each assessment point with relevant teachers and intervention methods put in place if necessary.

The Emerald Way

Computer Science and Business have various opportunities within the Emerald way.

Clubs include coding clubs, the tenner challenge, and 'Get Coding!' during Activity Week, giving lots of opportunities in both Computer Science and Business.

We regularly hold trips to:

The National Museum of Computing
Bletchley Park
Barclays Bank
Jaguar/Landrover

Homework

Homework is provided regularly, normally computer based, although tablets e.g. iPads are normally suitable, as we try to make homework as accessible as possible.

Homework is designed to extend and challenge learners to want to explore the subject more.

This may include practical activities, quizzes, researched or flipped learning activities and videos.

If using computers at home is an issue, the school holds homework clubs at lunchtime and afterschool for any students who require the use of computers. They are also more than welcome to ask their teachers for use the rooms.

All homework is shown on Edulink.

Design & Technology

Curriculum Leader - Mrs J Hornbuckle

JHORNBUCKLE@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

We aim to build students creativity, problem solving, research, planning, practical and evaluation skills to enable them to become independent and resourceful within the Design Technology curriculum area. Our students will learn about health and safety in their working environment, to keep themselves and others safe in the workshop. We teach a range of processes, building confidence using a wide range of tools and machinery. Students will develop an understanding of the role and influence designers can have on real world problems.

We focus on the importance of function vs form and its impact on ergonomic design. The students are encouraged to become moral, social, responsible consumers and designers who can identify, select, make and use products that will make a positive contribution to society. We aim to grow resilience and to foster a culture of ‘design critique’ and ‘learning from mistakes’ whilst respecting the views of others. We intend to inspire students through schemes of learning, extracurricular activities, competitions and trips. We want our students to know about future pathways and careers, whilst developing the skills and attributes required for success both at school and in the 21st century workplace.

Course Outlines

During Key Stage 3 students complete 12 weeks of 2.5 hours per week within year 7. Each week consists of a double and a single lesson.

Year 7 – Through focused practical and theory tasks, students will learn about primary sources of materials, recognise and categorise different materials and understand how the physical and working properties affect their performance.

The students will make a Trivet and Coaster with Packaging. This introduces students to the workshop and personal health and safety. They will apply knowledge of working properties of materials to how they can be processed using waste, forming, shaping, and casting techniques. They will apply maths skills to a practical problem, handling data, geometry and trigonometry. Students will design, develop and manufacture their own trivet, coaster, and packaging whilst producing an accompanying production log and evaluation against a set specification.

Year 8 – Through focused practical and theory tasks, students will learn about the functions of mechanical devices to produce a range of motions and understand the principles of electronic systems. They examine the ecological footprint produced through the product life cycle.

The students will make an anglepoise lamp. This introduces students to the design work of others and how this can influence and inspire Ideas. The students learn about composite materials in order to make a concrete base for the lamp alongside electronic components and soldering skills. Our students learn about the 'Memphis' design movement that centred on the importance of aesthetic form and function. Students are introduced to the potential of automation, using Computer Aided Design software packages and Computer Aided Manufacture equipment, laser cutter, 3D printer and CNC router.

Year 9 – Through a case study on IKEA coupled with practical and theory tasks, students will learn about selecting materials fit for purpose, effective design planning to minimise waste, design adaptation, tessellation and a greater focus on quality control and quality assurance with the use of Jigs, GoNoGo gauges, templates and moulds.

The Peg Board project introduces students to modular design and design flexibility with different techniques and processes. They will build confidence in multiple material areas and a wider range of tools, equipment and machinery in the workshop in preparation for the Design and Technology GCSE. Particular detail is given to creating working drawings and manufacturing plans for third party use.

Assessment

The Emerald Way

• Gift making club - Create gifts for holidays using recycled materials.

• Jewellery making club - This is a new and exciting opportunity for year 8 students to make your own Jewellery in the workshop with Miss Morgan.

• Fashion club

• Crest Award – Bronze & Silver

• Jaguar Land Rover trip - Understand the impact of new and emerging technologies on organisations, see automation in action and how they build and produce Land Rovers

Homework

Key Stage 3

Students are set tasks via google classrooms to complete every two weeks in line with theory lessons to develop, recall and reinforce knowledge.

Key Stage 4

Students are given a Homework workbook and tasks set on google classroom. Tasks are set every week to develop and extend learning from the classroom.

English

Curriculum Leader - Mrs R Bryning

RBRYNING@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

Our curriculum is focused on texts of literary weight often with a theme from the wider world embedded at the core. This enables students to express their point of view, evaluate texts sensitively and academically, while also building their own creative skills.

We believe that:

•every student has a right to be inspired and interested in the fantastic literature available to them. There is a rich variety of literature in the world and this should be communicated to students. Literature is a reflection of a society’s development of thought and expression, and is a fundamental part of who we are as a culture.

•every student has the right to develop their skills of self-expression and communication, both in terms of accuracy and creativity. Self-expression is a basic human right, and is enshrined in our laws and culture. The ability to communicate and to articulate emotions and thoughts is key to self-actualisation and fulfilment in life.

•every student can become a critical reader, understanding a variety of texts, and able to read between the lines. Language is a key part of a society’s culture and again part of who we are.

•every student has the right to excellent focused study that means they can achieve to beyond their full potential. Education and qualifications are key to ensuring students have choices and access to the next level of their personal development.

To this end, our curriculum is unashamedly text based and focuses on students interpreting and expressing their views on the written text. We aim to expose students to a range of writing that they perhaps would not ordinarily choose to read. We use these texts to develop their skills in creative writing and self-expression. We seek to expose students to high quality texts of significant literary weight. We seek to introduce them to ideas and concepts that are new, to texts that they would not ordinarily choose to read outside the classroom, and to ensure that all students have a solid foundation and groundings in what might be considered English classics.

Course Outlines

All units in English at Key Stage 3 focus around the 6 core topics. Each year builds on the texts studied and skills learned in the previous year. All the units are designed as preparation for skills and concepts needed at GCSE.

	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Creative Writing	A study of genre, building on work started at the end of Year 6.	A study of the Gothic genre, reading a range of extracts to inform students’ own writing.	A study of 3 modern short stories with a single image at their core to inform students’ own writing.
Novel	Collected stories from Sherlock Holmes.	A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.	Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
Poetry	Reading and analysis of a range of poetry centred around the theme of love and relationships.	Reading and analysis of a range of poetry centred around the theme of war and conflict.	Reading and analysis of a range of poetry centred around the theme of identity and self.
Non-Fiction	The Power of Language – an introduction to non-fiction and how we might use language to persuade.	Representation in the media – how language is used to make us think and feel in non-fiction texts.	Viewpoints and Perspectives – an introduction to Victorian non-fiction as preparation for later GCSE study.
Modern Drama	A range of extracts from modern dramatic texts.	Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose.	Journey’s End by R C Sherriff.
Shakespeare	An introduction to some of Shakespeare’s best characters.	The Merchant of Venice	Romeo and Juliet.

Assessment

Students are assessed in line with the school policy. Each unit studied ends in a summative assessment. These assessments are similar to assessments that students will encounter later at GCSE. Students prepare for assessments in lessons and are expected to prepare at home as part of their homework.

Years 7-8 are marked to our LHS English mark scheme which tests the same skills taught at GCSE. Year 9 are marked to the relevant GCSE mark scheme.

The Emerald Way

As part of the Emerald Way, we offer the following activities:

Comic Book Club
The Pulse – Lutterworth High School’s magazine, created and edited by students.
The Debating Society

Homework

Homework is set by class teachers via Edulink. Students should expect homework activities every two weeks.

Tasks could be:

Reading tasks Students are asked to read and to complete an AR test on the reading where appropriate. It is expected that all students have a reading book.
Reflective tasks Time reflecting upon past learning is time well spent, especially in Key Stage 4 while following the GCSE Literature course. Students are asked to re-read their notes, re-read the section of the text that week has covered and to ensure understanding of the week’s learning.
Research tasks Context of a text and an understanding of the historical background to a text is often key at GCSE. Students will be set some concepts or periods in history to research.
Active tasks Students are asked to do something active (ie not written) to complement their learning in the classroom.
Comprehension tasks Students will be set a relevant passage, either from the set text for that unit or a similar text that will extend or widen their understanding of the topic.
Exam/Assessment tasks Students will be set work as preparation for or as part of an end of a formative or summative assessment.

Food Technology

Curriculum Leader - Mrs J Hornbuckle

JHORNBUCKLE@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

Food, nutrition and cooking is an integral part of our curriculum because it is important that students are taught about healthy diets and lifestyles and have the skills to cook balanced meals for themselves and their families.

We have constructed our curriculum to be rich in knowledge about diet and nutrition, food science, food safety, food provenance and the choices people can make surrounding food. With this knowledge, students are encouraged to develop their understanding of the world around them and make cross curricular links with other subjects and ‘real life’. We want to enable students to go on to make informed decisions and challenge their thinking about the food they consume.

We want students to have the skills needed to be able to confidently and independently cook meals and key recipes, using fresh ingredients. As students progress through the curriculum, these skills become more challenging and require students to draw upon prior learning and practice to achieve more complex and exciting recipes. Recipe choices are overwhelmingly savoury and are chosen following the government guidelines for better health to promote healthy eating.

There are multiple employment opportunities locally in a range of industries related to food, making the students' studies highly relevant to their lives now and in the future.

Course Outlines

All students will complete a 12 week rotation block in food technology. This consists of a 100 minute double lesson and a 50 minute single lesson per week.

Year 7

We start in year 7 by teaching food preparation and cooking techniques. Our students will also learn about healthy eating, health and safety in the kitchen and start to learn about sensory analysis techniques.

Year 8

In year 8 we strengthen skills for food preparation and cooking techniques. The students will research different cuisines and hone their sensory analysis skills. Food safety will cover cross-contamination and food storage. The year 8 curriculum will focus on developing independence.

Year 9

This year consolidates knowledge learnt in year 7 and 8, whilst preparing students for opting for Food at GCSE level. Students are encouraged to become more independent by adapting meals, studying food provenance, undertaking a scientific investigation and learning about why people make food choices.

Assessment

All students are assessed twice in one rotation. This will be done approximately halfway through and then again at the end of the rotation. The assessments are based on written work, knowledge and practical cooking skills. Feedback will be given to students both in written format and verbally, which is appropriate for the practical nature of our lessons. Feedback is designed to help students to know how to improve in this subject area.

The Emerald Way

Our Food technician, Katy Doughty, runs various cooking clubs after school so our students can follow the ‘creative’ pathway.

Homework

We expect our students to be organised and prepared for their practical food lessons, which will require them to bring a clean apron and a container every time they cook. There will be approximately 3-4 homework tasks set per rotation, which will consist of a written assignment, an evaluation, bringing ingredients from home for a practical assessment and a food knowledge quiz.

Geography

Curriculum Leader - Mr L Allen

LALLEN@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

Geography is a diverse subject that demands students to explore a range of challenges in the modern world through the lenses of:

social change;
economic development; and
environmental sustainability

Geography contributes to a student’s rounded education through investigating issues that affect societies around our world, with a focus on managing resources used by people, and on protecting people from hazards presented by our planet. Through studying Geography, students will develop a worldview encompassing our local area before scaling up to consider issues in national and international contexts. In Geography, students will develop skills of inquiry and investigation, analysing information in a range of formats, presenting data using appropriate maps, and drawing conclusions by applying that information in a range of contexts.

The curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all students:

are challenged to appreciate the diversity of global culture and develop their own place and identity in the wider world;
develop an appreciation of the awe and wonder of natural landscape features through understanding physical processes;
develop a healthy concern for the environment and the need for environmental stewardship; and
recognise how skills can be nurtured and applied in a range of contexts to evaluate issues and to draw valid and robust conclusions in a range of scenarios.

Course Outlines

The Year 7 course begins with the study of core geographical skills and applies these to a study of Lutterworth and Leicestershire before broadening students’ horizons to develop an appreciation of the diversity of landscapes and people in the UK. Students in Year 7 will also have an opportunity to engage with tectonic hazards (their causes, effects and responses), as well as investigate current global issues around challenges such as ocean plastics, climate change, sustainable tourism and diet.

In Year 8, students will examine their role in the global supply chain, unpicking issues of globalisation and how this has led to the growth of emerging nations such as China and India. Their studies will then focus on weather and climate, touching again on issues of climate change, before finishing the year with an investigation into physical processes and how they lead to the creation of distinctive landscapes.

Year 9 Geography begins with a series of lessons exploring the issues associated with waste management in the UK and in low-income countries, as well as a sequence exploring the African continent. Later in the year, students in Year 9 will begin to focus on GCSE topics and apply their learning of physical processes to explore the distinctive landforms and hazards created by coastlines and along rivers.

Assessment

Students are assessed during and at the end of each topic, using question stems to develop students’ skills in approaching a variety of question types. Written questions are used each half term to assess students’ levels of understanding and written feedback is provided to encourage students to improve their work. Standardised assessments at the end of each topic will allow students to demonstrate a range of knowledge, apply their understanding and demonstrate their geographical skills in each unit.

Students in each year group will also have the opportunity to apply their geographical understanding to a decision-making task linked to their topic of study, inspired by the format of similar activities that form part of the assessment in GCSE Geography.

The Emerald Way

Climate Change Heroes - Climate change impacts just about every aspect of our lives and will determine the societies of the future. Using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a blueprint for how we want the world to look, we will welcome experts to not only discuss the impact of climate change, but to show us the options for developing a more sustainable world. We will explore economics, science, infrastructure and society as we look to the future and discover the ways the next generation can enact real change.

Homework

Tasks are set regularly using Google Classroom. Students should expect to receive knowledge quizzes, written questions, skills tasks, investigations and research projects to reinforce learning from the classroom and develop their wider understanding of the subject.

History

Curriculum Leader - Mr L Allen

LALLEN@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

We aim to create the very best historians possible. Whilst we aim to enable our students to achieve the very best examination results possible, we believe that history is able to offer a unique perspective on human society and its diversity, as well as helping them to develop transferable skills which are essential to life in the 21^st century, including challenging the provenance of information and historical sources, evaluating different interpretations and processing and synthesising information to create a coherent argument.

We teach empathy and tolerance and an understanding of how history has created the world we live in today, helping our students to make sense of the present.

We encourage students to gain historical perspective and a chronological framework of British and wider world history that will enable them to make sense of the new knowledge they acquire. This growing body of knowledge and understanding comes through the study of specified key events, periods, societies and significant individuals in local, British and wider world history. We aim to engage students in historical enquiry and to stimulate their curiosity about the past in order that they can develop as independent learners with the ability to ask relevant questions about the past.

Course Outlines

Year 7

Students are taught to understand how developments from the Middle Ages to the 17th Century helped shape the economy, society, culture and political structure of modern Britain.

In the Autumn term, students are introduced to historians’ methods of study of the past through the use of historical sources of evidence and historical interpretations of the past as well as basic research skills.

We begin our study of aspects and themes of the past by investigating the impact through time of the migration of people to the British Isles during early medieval history. We then study the key political developments of the Middle Ages, the Norman Conquest, the feudal system, the Domesday Book, Magna Carta and the origins of Parliament. We then cover the development and strategic importance of castles.

In the Spring term we cover the medieval church, ‘doom’ paintings and beliefs about heaven and hell. Students also find out about medieval strip farming and village life, medieval medicine and the Black Death.

In the Summer term we advance through the years to study the Tudors and Stuarts, including their social groups and daily life, religious beliefs, poverty and crime. Students learn about the significance of key events and individuals, including the Reformation, the dissolution of the monasteries, the Church of England under Queen Elizabeth I and Charles I, the English Civil War and the Interregnum, including the role of Oliver Cromwell.

Year 8

Students learn about the key developments in a crucially significant period in the development of the modern world, what we call the Age of Revolutions, from 1750-1900. These events, developments and changes include:

the French Revolution;
the growth and development of the British Empire, including the loss of America;
the origins and effects of the Industrial Revolution and the vast impact of the coming of the factory system on the economy, society and individuals;
the revolution in transport;
the urbanisation of communities;
slavery and the slave trade;
demands for political reform and the extension of the franchise.

In the Summer Term we begin our study of the recent past on a global scale by investigating the causes of the First World War, as well as the nature of modern warfare in the trenches and the significant battles of the war, as well as the reasons for Allied victory.

We resume our study of changes in the UK by considering the contribution of the womens' Suffrage movement of the early twentieth century to the development of womens' rights in the Twentieth Century.

Year 9

Our ongoing study of the Twentieth Century continues with an examination of the nature of the competing political systems of democracy and dictatorship, of Communism and Fascism, focusing on the rise of dictators in the USSR and Germany between the world wars. We make an in-depth study of Germany under the Nazi dictatorship in the 1930s. We then go on to study the causes of the Second World War and some of the key events and effects of that war, including the Holocaust and the development and use of the atom bomb.

GCSE History: Conflict and tension, 1918-1939.

In the second half of Year 9, all students follow the first unit in the AQA GCSE history course. This will enable us to spend more time developing the knowledge and understanding of students who opt to go on to study history at this level. This unit involves understanding the significant impact of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 on Germany as well as considering the successes and failures of the League of Nations between the wars, and an in-depth study of Hitler’s foreign policy and the causes of the Second World War.

Assessment

Throughout Key Stage 3, students are exposed to GCSE history terminology, concepts, content and skills, both in the language used in questioning and discussion, and in written work, including formative and summative assessments. This is designed to ease the transition of students to the demands of the GCSE history scheme of assessment.

Students are regularly given the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding of the curriculum when they are assessed at appropriate points in the scheme of learning, using a range of GCSE question stems to develop their skills. Developmental feedback is always provided to encourage and assist students to improve their answers and achievement. This will regularly involve FAR feedback and the opportunity to re-draft answers in purple pen during lesson time.

The Emerald Way

Berlin Trip

Homework

The three humanities subjects set homework in line with the department policy, which is based on the principle that all home learning should make a crucial contribution to the overall learning and development of our students.

History home learning assignments are set regularly and are appropriate to the abilities and needs of the students. All assignments are set on Edulink, but also often on Google Classroom. We try to ensure that home learning activities are interesting and challenging and they are designed to either consolidate or extend and deepen the learning which has taken place in lessons.

Typically, these could include written tasks, revision or preparation for assessments, research tasks or learning the spelling and definitions of subject specific key words. They will be promptly marked and returned with positive, encouraging and constructive written comments and advice, clearly identifying specific steps or targets for improvement, accurately assessed and rewarded with merits when appropriate.

Mathematics

Curriculum Leader - Mr R Salter

RSALTER@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

Our curriculum follows the national curriculum for England and Wales and gives students the opportunity to:

become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately;
reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language;
solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and preserving in seeking solutions;
develop their ability to communicate, justify, argue and prove using mathematical vocabulary;
develop their character, including resilience, confidence and independence, so that they contribute positively to the life of the school, their local community and the wider environment.

Course outlines in Key Stage 3

The course in years 7 and 8 is divided and taught in two and three week blocks so that all the five subject areas are covered appropriately.

The five areas are:

Number
Algebra
Ratio and proportion and rates of change
Geometry and measures
Probability

The course promotes the following key objectives in year 7 so that students are able to:

Apply the four operations with decimal numbers
Use positive integer powers and associated real roots
Write a quantity as a fraction or percentage of another
Use multiplicative reasoning to interpret percentage change
Add, subtract, multiply and divide with fractions and mixed numbers
Check calculations using approximation, estimation or inverse operations
Simplify and manipulate expressions by collecting like terms
Simplify and manipulate expressions by multiplying a single term over a bracket
Substitute numbers into formulae
Solve linear equations in one unknown
Understand and use lines parallel to the axes, y = x and y = -x
Calculate surface area of cubes and cuboids
Understand and use geometric notation for labelling angles, lengths, equal lengths and parallel lines

The course promotes the following key objectives in year 8 so that students are able to:

Apply the four operations with negative numbers
Convert numbers into standard form and vice versa
Apply the multiplication, division and power laws of indices
Convert between terminating decimals and fractions
Find a relevant multiplier when solving problems involving proportion
Solve problems involving percentage change, including original value problems
Factorise an expression by taking out common factors
Change the subject of a formula when two steps are required
Find and use the nth term for a linear sequence
Solve linear equations with unknowns on both sides
Plot and interpret graphs of linear functions
Apply the formulae for circumference and area of a circle
Calculate theoretical probabilities for single events

Students are set in mathematics in the first term of year 7 and students who are not at the required standard follow a course so that they have further practise and are better able to:

Multiply and divide numbers with up to three decimal places by 10, 100, and 1000
Use long division to divide numbers up to four digits by a two-digit number
Use simple formulae expressed in words
Generate and describe linear number sequences
Use simple ratio to compare quantities
Write a fraction in its lowest terms by cancelling common factors
Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with different denominators
Multiply pairs of fractions in simple cases
Find percentages of quantities

Solve missing angle problems involving triangles, quadrilaterals, angles at a point and angles on a straight line

Calculate the volume of cubes and cuboids
Use coordinates in all four quadrants
Calculate and interpret the mean as an average of a set of discrete data

Students in year 9 start their GCSE course and follow a three-year course detailed in the KS4 section.

Assessment

Students are assessed against the key objectives shown in the course outline at the end of each section of the course. These assessments are formative and students use them to complete FAR (Feedback Action Response) activities in class. All assessment are stuck into students’ books at the end of the appropriate section of work. These assessments are recorded across the year and teachers use them to make an end of year assessment across all five areas of the curriculum.

All students in years 7 and 8 complete a weekly numeracy test and are able to consolidate their capabilities in number.

The Emerald Way

The department runs short courses after school across the year – the objectives for these vary according to student interest and may include such areas mathematical puzzling, geometrical model making or code breaking.

Students have the opportunity to take part in the United Kingdom Mathematical Trust’s Junior Maths Challenge (UKMT JMC) in the spring term and preparation for this is offered as part of the Emerald Way by the department.

Homework

The department uses the mymaths online platform to set HW at KS3. Homework is set every week and all results are available for parents and students to use to review their progress.

Students are encouraged to score 100% on all tasks and to review and repeat until they do.

MFL

Curriculum Leader - Mrs S Anderson

SANDERSON@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

The purpose of the MFL curriculum is to create confident and successful communicators. Therefore, the curriculum aims to develop a range of essential communication skills, both verbal and written, in every lesson. Lessons encourage students to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and supports students in developing a wide range of transferable skills. The MFL curriculum also fosters an understanding and tolerance of other cultures. It allows students to view their world from a different perspective and learn new ways of thinking through regular exposure to the customs, arts and literature of French and Spanish in lessons.

Course Outlines

In Year 7 students study French and Spanish for three lessons a week and will continue with one of these languages in Year 8 and 9.

Throughout Key Stage 3 students are taught core language, which is recycled across different topics to regularly revisit prior knowledge and develop mastery of key skills. The MFL curriculum is coherently sequenced with interleaving of topics and language structures and frequent retrieval practice. There is a clear transition between each phase with provision to revisit skills and subject knowledge over time.

Units are taught in topics as follows:

Year 7 French and Spanish

Unit 1 – Phonics & Alphabet

Unit 2 – All about me

Unit 3 – Family, pets and relationships

Year 8

Unit 1 – School studies

Unit 2 – Leisure

Unit 3 – House a& Home

Unit 4 – Festivals & Celebrations

Unit 5 – Town and local environment

Unit 6 – Holidays

Year 9

Unit 1 – Special Events & Occasions

Unit 2 – Holidays & Travel

Unit 3 – School life & Future Plans

Unit 4 – Health, Fitness & Social Issues

Unit 5 – Technology & Social Media

Unit 6 – The Environment & Global Issues

Assessment

The MFL curriculum integrates low stakes formative assessments in the form of FAR tasks and regular vocabulary tests (passive and active).

Whole class feedback is consistently used in lessons to support students' ongoing development and application of the skills and strategies they have acquired throughout the term.

Students receive whole class and individual feedback on their performance in assessments and FAR tasks (Feedback Action Response) activities in class to highlight successes and areas for development. They are given regular time to reflect upon and respond to feedback during lesson time.

Students also receive individual feedback on their performance in vocabulary and retrieval tests. Common misconceptions are addressed as a whole class and students are given time to revisit and correct their own mistakes.

Key Stage 3 Assessment:

At the end of the unit, students complete two summative assessments; listening and speaking, or, reading and writing.

Summative and formative assessments are used to inform teachers of our students’ progress and to enable us to provide intervention where necessary.

All assessments at Key Stage 3 mirror the style of GCSE exams in order to prepare students as early as possible.

At the end of the summer term, year 8 and 9 students will sit an exam to assess their retention of knowledge and skills of previously studied topics. The end of year exams test reading, listening and translation skills.

The Emerald Way

The department is committed to providing activities outside the classroom

There are Language and Culture clubs for Year 7, 8 and 9 and a film club for Year 9 students.

Students also have the opportunity to enter various competitions in Key Stage 3 to further extend their language learning. e.g. Education Perfect global language competition.

Year 7 students have the opportunity to compete in the National Foreign Language Spelling Bee and Translation Bee competition.

The European Day of Languages is celebrated each year in lessons through quizzes and competitions.

Homework

Students are set a wide variety of homework tasks that are designed to consolidate and extend their learning and develop key skills.

Homework tasks are varied and with an increasing focus on GCSE skills such as translation, reading, and composition writing.

Weekly vocabulary learning homework is set throughout Key Stage 3 (passive and active). Students are given a list of key words and vocabulary to learn in advance and are taught a range of techniques and strategies to memorise vocabulary.

Music

Curriculum Leader - Mrs E Chinery

ECHINERY@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

LHS Music department aims to provide an education rich with a broad range of music instruments and styles, where cultural opportunities and experiences develop the whole student. By providing performance opportunities, a culture of sharing and celebrating all musical outcomes will broaden horizons for all students. Through the three key areas of music; performing, composing and listening, students will explore a wide variety of genres.

Course Outlines

Year 7:

Learning outcomes of year 7: Students will create music which develops ideas within a structure using appropriate musical devices. They will recognise musical elements and maintain their own significant part when performing.

Students will study two units. Firstly, the students are introduced to the elements of music and compose leitmotifs based on their names inspired by James Bond. This will be followed by a performance unit on ukulele skills, where students will develop their notation reading fluency alongside performing with their peers.

Year 8:

Learning outcomes of year 8: Students will create music which uses appropriate musical devices to achieve an intended effect. They will perform with increasing musical fluency and sensitivity and will describe how elements of music are used.

The second year begins with a programme music composition unit inspired Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. They will further explore elements of music and compose using devices. Following a unit of Reggae music, using keyboards, students will develop rhythmic and textural understanding through a performance unit on djembe drums. A guitar unit reintroduces tab notation finally followed by a composition unit based on Mussorgsky’s Picture’s at an Exhibition.

Year 9:

Learning outcomes of year 9: Students will adapt, extend and discard ideas to create coherent compositions. They will perform with stylistic interpretation and will make significant contributions to group tasks.

In the third year of Key Stage 3 students will begin by composing music for film in small groups and individually. They will then continue their performance skills on instruments such as keyboard and guitars. After having develop melodic understanding using modes, students will finish the year by writing melodies with harmonic progressions.

Assessment

All units are assessed individually, but may be presented as individual or group work. Students will be assessed in the three broad areas of performing, composing and listening.

The Emerald Way

Under the banner of creativity, students will have the opportunity to learn an instrument from one of the visiting peripatetic music teachers. They could also join orchestra or choir, or other instrumental group. Students may choose to perform at an informal Arts in the Terrace event, formal school concert or perhaps to their peers in assembly.

Homework

Homework will be set via Edulink and will continue to develop language acquisition. Students will also make use of Focus on Sound to develop their listening skills in preparation for GCSE.

Performing Arts

Curriculum Leader - Mrs Chinery

ECHINERY@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent

The most valuable asset a nation has is the creativity of its children.

(Alan Plater - playwright)

The performing arts curriculum enables a focus on developing skills in performing, analysing and evaluating dance and drama through exploration of themes, texts and professional practices. We promote core skills in teamwork, communication, co-operation and empathy. We aim to inspire our students to become reflective and creative individuals that have the confidence to explore and question the world around them.

Through engagement in performing arts, students apply their imaginations and draw upon their own personal experiences. Their increasing knowledge and understanding of how the elements of dance/drama work enables them to effectively shape, express and share their ideas, feelings and responses. It requires specific skills, knowledge and understanding which are progressively taught and assessed through and across the year groups.

The language of theatre is international, understood by everyone. It provides an opportunity for students to explore the world of people from other places, times and cultures, and to examine differences and similarities with their own environment.

Course Outlines

Year 7 –

James Bond: Introduction to performance skills

Harry Potter: Introduction to acting skills and Stanislavski

Cartoon Capers: Trio Choreography

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: performance from page to stage

Year 8 –

Nutcracker: Introduction to Trio performance - Bourne’s Nutcracker

Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations: Developing performance skills

Rock ‘n’ Roll: Developing performance

Shoes: Introduction to devising and artaud

Jump Britain: Duet choreography

Melodrama: Developing stock characters and exploring ‘Kneehigh’

Year 9 –

Ghost Dances: Trio performance - Bruce’s Ghost Dances

Verbatim Theatre: Interpreting and performing a scripted extract

The Scream: Developing solo and duet choreography

Suitcase of Stories: Devising drama and Brecht

Reviewing Live performance: Experiencing and reviewing theatre performance

Assessment

Students are assessed on their practical performance skills, their work as a choreographer/creator of dance and drama work, as well as on their analytical and evaluative skills as applied to both their own work as well as others.

The Emerald Way

Students are encouraged to develop their experience in performing arts through the Musical Theatre Clubs, as well as participation in our annual production. In addition we aim to run a number of trips throughout the year to experience live performance.

Homework

Homework is set as appropriate to the unit of work, this is usually in the form of further research or the development of ideas in preparation for practical work.

Physical Education

Curriculum Leader - Mr M Howgate

MHOWGATE@LUTTERWORTHHIGH.CO.UK

Our Intent – Physical Education’s intent at Key Stage 3 is multi layered.

First, it is to provide positive sport experiences that will later lead to lifelong participation in physical activity. In a world that is ever changing, students in PE develop an understanding how to best support their physical and mental health. The sequencing of lessons allows students to develop their own physical literacy whilst building on skills and tactics in a range of competitive sports. The curriculum offers students the opportunity to experience a wide variety of sports mapped to the national curriculum. All curriculum sports have links to co-curricular activities and/or external clubs. Students are exposed to both state and independent schools with the creation of our own bespoke fixture card for some sports. With this, students are encouraged to develop an understanding of the wider world around them.

The second intent plans to establish those students who have the potential to become GCSE PE or OCR Sport Studies students, which then could place them in a mixed set; this is supported through theory blocks and tracked practical data. Lessons intellectually develop students through theory blocks as students gain a greater understanding of academic PE. The curriculum is supported by extensive tracking data, which guides both the students and parents to make the best-informed choices moving into Key Stage 4.

The third intent plans to celebrate student success. Students enjoy award dinners out in the community. They gather in December for a ‘Sports Curry Evening’ and later in the academic year for a ‘Sports Award Evening’ over a 3-course meal in formal attire. Throughout the year students' competitive performances for the school are tracked as they work towards their ‘Sports 50- tie’ and bronze, silver and gold merit awards.

Course outlines - Year 7

Term 1/2

Rugby. Passing, tackling, rucking and mauling.

Netball. Passing, footwork and shooting.

Football. Passing, dribbling and shooting.

Theory work. Warm up, stretching, effects on heart, muscles, principles of training, skill and health tests, types of training and test.

Term 3/4

Handball. Passing, shooting, moving and defending.

Virtual Rowing. 30’s, 1 min, 2 min and team relay races.

Table Tennis. Forehand drive, forehand topspin, backhand flick and serve.

Term5/6

Gymnastics. Rolling and balances, linking and sequences, routines and sequences.

Athletics. Introduction to Javelin, shot, discuss, long jump, high jump, 100m, 200m, 800m and relay races.

Tennis. Forehand, backhand, serving and volley.

Rounders. Fielding and batting, basic rules, tactics.

Additional PE lesson.

Swimming. Back crawl, front crawl, breaststroke, personal survival and water polo.

Teambuilding. Game 1. Game 2. Game 3.

Orienteering. Using a compass, using a map and race.

Health and Fitness. Fitness test, continuous running, boxercise and circuit training.

Course outlines - Year 8

Term 1/2

Rugby. Passing against a static defender, rucking and mauling, game play.

Football. Shooting, game play.

Cricket. Fielding, bowling and bating.

Netball. Passing, footwork, shooting and defending.

Hockey. Dribbling, passing, shooting and defending.

Theory work. Aerobic/circuit training, stretching, functions/types of muscles, heart terms and effects of exercise, skill related fitness tests, principles of training and test.

Term 3/4

Handball. Contested passing, shooting, dribbling, stepping, gameplay, defensive tactics and game play.

Virtual Rowing. 30’s, 1 min, 2 min and team relay races.

Table Tennis. Forehand, backhand, topspin, singles and doubles game play

Athletics. Develop throws and long jump.

Term 5/6

Athletics. Develop high jump, 1500m, 100m, 200m and relays.

Tennis. Forehand, backhand, serve and matches.

Rounders. Fielding, batting, basic rules, front of box, behind/over the line, tactical game play.

Softball. Catching, fielding, batting, game play and rules.

Course outlines - Year 9

Term 1/2

Football. Contested passing and shooting, dribbling and skills to beat a defender and game play.

Rugby. Passing, tackling, rucking and game play.

Netball. Passing, footwork, shooting, defending and game play.

Basketball. Contested dribbling, passing, shooting and lay ups, game play and tactics

Theory work. Skeletal system, movement analysis, muscular system, skill related fitness and principles and test.

Term 3/4

Handball. Contested passing, moving to score and game play.

Hockey. Passing, dribbling, shooting, defensive play and game play.

Virtual Rowing. 30’s, 1 min, 2 min, team relay races and team challenges.

Athletics. Shot put and discus techniques.

Term 5/6

Athletics. Javelin technique, 100m, 200m and relay.

Tennis. Serve, volley and matches.

Rounders. Fielding, batting, basic rules, front of box, behind/over the line, tactical game play.

Softball. Catching, fielding, batting, game play and rules.

Assessment

Students assessments are calculated taking into account three different areas which are in line with GCSE PE students overall grades. Practical ability, theory affinity and their effort/commitment to the subject. Practical assessment concentrates on the core and advanced skills for each sport delivered as well as how they perform in a competitive game. Theory components cover some course elements from PE option choices at Key Stage 4. This estimates what grade they are currently working at if they were to take the GCSE PE exam now. Forecast grades are used to predict what they could get in the future.

The Emerald Way

Half Term 1