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Y9

CURRICULUMAND

ASSESSMENTINFORMATIONFOR

PARENTS

North Bromsgrove High School Year 9 Parents Handbook

Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 pupils

Curriculum and Assessment Information for parents of pupils in Year 9

Here at North Bromsgrove High School, we are keen to involve our parents in every aspect of their school. Parent often ask questions like “what is my child doing at school”, “how is my child being assessed … and when?” and even more importantly “what can I do to help?” What we have tried to do in this booklet is to provide you with some answers to these questions. Each subject has a dedicated page which outlines the curriculum plan for the year, explains the different forms of assessment and wherever possible includes dates so that you can see when your child needs to prepare for important deadlines. You will read about formative assessments (those that are continuous throughout the scheme of work) and summative assessments (those that come at the end of a period of study and can take the form of tests, examinations or controlled assessments). You will also find an email address for subject leaders so that if you have any queries regarding your child’s work in that area then you can contact them at your convenience. As you will see from the following pages, a great deal of planning and organisation, not to mention skill and creativity, goes into ensuring that your child gets the most out of their curriculum time here at North. Because we are dynamic and forward thinking, things change: we all know about the shifting sands of educational policy! However, we think that what follows is a comprehensive guide to our curriculum that will keep you fully informed of the day-to-day nuts and bolts of what happens in your child’s lessons. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the contents of this booklet and may I take the time to thank you all for the wonderful support you offer to your school. Best wishes S. Schofield – Deputy Head Teacher, North Bromsgrove High School [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



English

Curriculum – what we’re doing Autumn 1: Identity (reading and writing)

Autumn 2: Conflict (prose and drama extracts from 19th-21st centuries)

Spring 1: Poetry (reading)

Spring 2: Animals (writing fiction and non-fiction)

Summer 1: Love and Relationships (comparative poetry and non-fiction extracts from 19th-21st centuries)

Summer 2: Seminal World Literature (reading Of Mice and Men, Catcher in the Rye, A View from the Bridge or To Kill a Mockingbird)

Formative Assessments For all modules assessment will take place at least twice and will give students clear targets based around GCSE criteria in order to prepare them for when they commence formal GCSE study in year ten. Earlier assessments in the units will be linked to an understanding of a skill (for example an analytical paragraph) and provide preparation for the skills tested in the end of unit assessment. This final assessment will be an extended response. It will be produced in controlled assessment conditions in class with notes allowed that are prepared at home. When these have been marked, students will have time to address skills gaps or areas of weakness to consolidate their learning before moving onto the next unit. Students' speaking and listening skills will be assessed informally and formally across the year across for individual performances, group work and paired discussions. This will help develop the skills needed for GCSE study.

Summative Assessments

How you can help Encourage your son/daughter to read in his/her spare time, whether it be fiction or non-

fiction, printed or website, it all helps.

Support your son/daughter by discussing his/her targets in exercise books.

Ensure homework tasks set in booklets are completed to facilitate independent study. Contacts: Mr Horton (Head of English) – [email protected]

Dates Assessments

w/c 13/10 Baseline assessment - GCSE specimen Reading and Writing (Identity)

w/c 8/12 Extract based reading response on the theme of conflict

w/c 2/2 Poetry Reading Essay

w/c 16/3 Writing two responses based on the theme of animals

w/c 11/5 Comparative questions exploring language and structure in Love and Relationship based texts

w/c 6/7 World Literature: extract based essay based on the text studied




Mathematics

Curriculum – what we’re doing

The curriculum in Year 9 follows a two year GCSE syllabus and is based around the following themes:

Within these four themes they are areas that are promoted throughout the syllabus, including:

Mathematical processes and applications

Number and Algebra Geometry and Measures Handling Data

Competence Creativity Applications and Implications of Mathematics Critical Understanding

Formative Assessments

Formative feedback will be given every three weeks in the form of the completion of an assessment sheet by both the teacher and the student. This will be done twice per half-term: half way through and at the end. The expectation is for teachers to choose an appropriate piece of work, sequence of work or independent study piece of work that will be assessed formatively and students will receive feedback on this. The assessment sheet, which will be glued into every student’s book, will be added to by the students once teachers have provided direction on where they need to improve. Students will then record when they have acted on the comments and the feedback loop will be closed.

Summative Assessments All year 9 students will be assessed once at the end of every half term. This will take the form of a past GCSE paper, (with the tier of entry appropriate to the pupil). This will provide real time accurate tracking grades, as the assessment will be identical to what they will get at the end of Year 11. As more concepts and techniques are taught throughout the year, the expectation is that these grades will improve. This is the only way to provide accurate data during a two year course. All assessments will be completed in lesson time and marked by classroom teachers. A team assessment sheet will then be filled in which will help your child to identify areas for improvement. The first assessment of each term will be a GCSE non-calculator paper, with a calculator paper in the second half of each term.

How you can help Useful web-sites www.mymaths.co.uk www.mathswatchvle.com www.gcsepastpapers.blogspot.co.uk Contact: Mr Wynne - [email protected]




Science Syllabus: OCR Science B

Curriculum – what we’re doing During the first term, the majority of students in year 9 follow the OCR Gateway GCSE science course, as an

introduction to Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This allows us to ensure ALL students have a taste for all

topics and science. From Christmas, the students will develop a ranger of coursework skills, including

writing hypotheses, selecting apparatus, writing methods and collecting data/drawing conclusions based on

primary and secondary evidence. The OCR gateway course is comprised of the following topic areas:

Biology Chemistry

Fit for Life – the body and fitness What’s for lunch – Digestion and food Keeping Healthy – Infectious diseases, vaccination and the immune system Keeping in touch – Senses, nerves and reflexes Drugs and classification - the effects of alcohol and smoking Staying in Balance - Homeostasis mechanisms Gene control – cell and DNA structure Who am I - inheritance and gene control

Cooking and food additives – chemical reactions; decomposition; preservatives, flavour enhancers and anti-oxidants Smells – perfumes, solvents and solubility Making crude oil useful- Fractional distillation Polymers and designer polymers Carbon fuels- combustion and monoxide poisoning Energy in reactions- endo- and exothermic reactions

Physics

Heating Houses – radiation, conduction and convection Keeping homes warm – glazing and insulation How insulation works- properties function of insulators Cooking with waves- properties of microwaves and uses

Infra-red signals – properties of waves and uses in TV remotes and communications Wireless – Digital vs. analogue signals Light – properties of light, reflection and refraction Stable Earth – Global warming and sunburn

For those students doing Core Science in Y9 please see the Y10 assessment booklet (see appendix)

Formative Assessments Three homework booklets to be completed for Christmas, followed by a key assessment at the end of the first term. The topics will be evenly divided so there is a constant delivery of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Their Controlled Assessment for the GCSE will be completed for the end of the year and will add to the formative assessment. The outcome of this assessment will help us understand which KS4 pathway is best for your child, in terms of Double science or BTEC science.

Summative assessments:

Christmas 2013: baseline assess the students using past Core GCSE Exam papers B1, C1 and P1 June 2015: GCSE coursework for submission in June 2015.

Contact: Mr Kinnaird - [email protected]




History Curriculum – what we’re doing Industrial World – Railways, Children, Cities, Slavery The Twentieth Century – Women’s Suffrage, The First World War, the Holocaust

Formative Assessments At the end of most topics a Key Assessment is set. These are based on National Curriculum skills. In addition, three extended tasks are set for Independent Study. These are marked to National Curriculum sub-levels and specific targets for improvement are set. Targets are recorded by students on an assessment sheet in the front of their exercise books. Exercise books are monitored regularly by teachers and additional targets may be given on specific tasks where applicable.

Summative Assessments Key assessments marked according to National Curriculum sub-levels:

Dates Assessment

End Sept/beg Oct

Railways – extent of change

Oct-Nov Independent study- Heroes of the Industrial Age – research, extended writing, assessment of change and importance

Dec Cities – source skills

Dec/Jan Twentieth century event – research, presentation, assessment of importance

Jan Suffrage - Causation

March Trenches – Source skills

April First World War

How you can help In year 9 encouraging an interest in and love of History is vital. There are many excellent

documentaries on television and YouTube which will develop increased awareness and

understanding of the past. Some of the best include “Who do You Think You Are” and “What the

Victorians Did for us” Reading relevant books, especially biographies of key Historical figures is

always helpful and will improve literacy as well as Historical skills. Visits to places of Historical

interest will also help. Finally, encouraging your son or daughter to read a broadsheet newspaper

or regularly watch the news will make them aware of some of the issues such as international

relations and government actions which we study in the past.

Contact: Mrs Noble - [email protected]




Geography

Curriculum – what we’re doing 1. September-November: Plate Tectonics 2. November- February: Development 3. February- May: Ecosystems

Formative Assessments Each half term students will have one formal activity which will include comments from themselves, their peers, and their teacher. Pupils’ work will be marked with subject based and literacy comments where appropriate with an overall comment at the end. Each half term students will complete a Key Assessment which again will have an overall comment for how to improve - this feedback will need to be recorded on the student sheet at the beginning of the topic for easy student reference and ease of monitoring.

Summative Assessments Summative and formative assessment will continue to go hand in hand in Geography. The key assessments will generate a percentage which will indicate the quality of student learning, whilst other tasks within the key assessments will generate a national curriculum level and hence indicate their level of understanding. This will happen at the end of each topic. Throughout lessons, students can also expect to do a number of exam questions which will be marked to GCSE standard, enabling teachers to model the assessment methods at GCSE.

Dates Assessment

End of September

Subduction zone assessment - to inform CAT/Target grade

Early December

End of plate tectonic key assessment- 50 mark paper marked with mark scheme

Mid February

Development key assessment- 50 mark paper marked with mark scheme - Marks passed onto GCSE Geography teacher

How you can help Students will have a weekly homework of various forms and your assistance in ensuring its completion is important. Geography is all around us and it is important that students form opinions about the world in which they live. You can help by providing them with a newspaper or encouraging them to look at the news on-line so that they develop an awareness of topical issues. Contact: Miss Price - [email protected]




Religious Studies

Curriculum – what we’re doing Two GCSE units: Believing in God and Matters of Life and Death

Formative Assessments Each key unit assessment will be recorded in a front cover sheet but pupils will also have to feedback on what they have done well and create a focus for improvement agreed with their teacher.

Each unit, pupils will complete a piece of work which will be marked formatively. In the Believing in God unit, pupils will create a poster to show their own beliefs in God.

For Matters of Life and Death, pupils will produce work on euthanasia and similarly for abortion, identifying arguments for and against in both topics. They will also create an information poster explaining Muslim beliefs in life after death. Finally, pupils will produce either a market place test or a visual dictionary tests on non-religious beliefs in life after death.

Summative Assessments Depending on ability and assessment outcomes, some pupils will sit one section of an exam paper based on their work on Believing in God at the end of unit (at the end of term). This will be graded to GCSE standard. Other pupils will be tested on key words and concepts.

Dates Assessment

End of Sept Poster on Believing in God

End of Oct William Paley story board

End of November Cartoon on Evil and Suffering

End of Dec End of unit assessment – full section of GCSE paper relevant to Believing in God Bottom sets will do a key word definition test.

Spring half term Akhirah poster Abortion diamond plus for and against questions

End of Spring Term Euthanasia diamond plus for and against questions

Summer half term Key word definition test plus one extended answer exam question. Bottom groups will sit 20 question and answer test on Matters of Life and Death.

End of Summer term Pupils choosing RE as an option will do the GCSE end of unit assessments for Matters of Life and Death and a key word definition test plus one extended answer question for Believing in God.

How you can help All homework and assessment revision will be recorded in planners so a regular check of your

child’s homework planners would be very helpful.

Testing key word definitions and double-checking your child’s spelling is also important as spelling and grammar marks are given at GCSE.

Encourage your child to watch or listen to the news so that they are aware of current events. Contact: Miss Jones - [email protected]




French

Curriculum – what we’re doing Talking & writing about your interests outside of school

Your future plans after your GCSEs

Your health & keeping fit

Friends 7 understanding other people

Visiting a region in France

The rights of young people

Formative Assessments At the end of each topic area pupils will complete a key assessment which will alternate between writing and speaking. Pupils will receive a task sheet outlining the success criteria and key assessment levels and targets will be recorded by pupils in their exercise books. Reading and listening assessments will be completed once a term with a standardised test. Feedback and results will be noted by pupils. Classwork will be monitored and exercise books will be looked at and marked every three weeks. Additional targets can then be set and concerns addressed.

Summative Assessments Pupil progress will be measured by their results in their key assessment and homework and their levels will be recorded by teachers and pupils. Pupils will complete a key assessment every half term

Dates Assessment

Oct ça t’intéresse Speaking What you do at home in the evenings

End Dec l’avenir Writing What you are going to do at the week end & in the future

Mid Feb En bonne santé Speaking Talk about keeping fit & healthy

March Les gens comme nous Writing When you were little & what you did

End May On y va Writing Write about an event you went to

End June Write about a trip out Writing

How you can help Your support at home is always welcome. Ask your child how their assessment preparations are going; test them on their grammar (past and future tense verbs, for example). You could also check their planners and make sure that homework is completed. Contact: Mr Boyle - [email protected]




Spanish

Curriculum – what we’re doing 1. Greetings and personal details 2. You and me (family, animals etc.) 3. School 4. Home life and daily routine 5. My town

Formative Assessments Key assessments in writing or speaking will be carried out at the end of each topic area and all will be marked according to the level descriptors and targets set. Key assessment results and targets will be recorded by students on assessment sheets that will be in the front of their books. Spanish targets will initially be set one whole level below the French target because this is a subject that is completely new to them. After completion of the first key assessment at the end of the first half term, original targets will be reassessed in view of results. Classwork will be completed in exercise books, including listening and reading exercises, and will be monitored closely with additional targets being set where necessary. Closer monitoring will take place where a student needs additional intervention.

Summative Assessments Your child’s progress will be measured from their performance in the key assessments as well as homework tasks. Work will be graded to level descriptors and marks from their listening and reading tasks will be taken in to consideration.

Dates Assessment

Oct Greetings and Personal Details- speaking

Dec February

You and Me (family, pets, friends)- writing School-speaking

April Home Life and Daily Routine

June My Town

How you can help Your support at home is always welcome. Ask your child how their assessment preparations are going; test them on their grammar (past and future tense verbs, for example). You could also check their planners and make sure that homework is completed.

Contact: Mrs Brown - [email protected]




Design and Technology

Curriculum – what we’re doing Students will experience a varied curriculum which will include some or all of the following technologies; Food, Textiles, Resistant Materials and Graphics activities which are delivered on a termly basis on a rotation. Activities include a combination of skills in designing and making supported by theory study relevant to the specialist area.

Formative Assessments This can be in the form of discussion with a teacher, self or peer assessment of the following.

Creativity, design and analysis skills

Making skills of final product

Practical Skills for test pieces

Summative Assessments At the start of Year 9 all students will participate in a baseline assessment project. This will include an assessment of design and analysis skills in line with key stage 3 criteria. This assessment forms the basis of the students’ target grade to be achieved by the end of key stage 3. The baseline project is then followed by a series of projects with the specialist areas. At the end of each project, work is graded in line with KS3 assessment criteria. These assessments inform progress toward the final key stage 3 level at the end of the year.

At the end of each project, work is graded in line with key stage three assessment criteria. These assessments inform the progress toward the final key stage three level awarded at the end of the academic year

Improvement comments are recorded alongside student reflection

Half

termly

Recorded in students workbooks with feedback.

Contact: Mr Wadams - [email protected]




PE

Curriculum – what we’re doing Students will experience a varied curriculum including games, gymnastics, athletics and fitness activities. Activities will be run on a half-termly basis and will include a combination of skills development, specific fitness, tactical awareness and performance opportunities. There are extra-curricular opportunities to become involved in clubs or represent school teams

Formative Assessments

At the start of Year 9 all students will participate in a baseline assessment. This will include a fitness assessment including

agility test

multi stage fitness test (bleep test)

muscular strength test

They will also take part in an ability test in games. These tests will be repeated towards the end of Year 9 to assess progress.

Summative Assessments At the end of most activities, students are assessed in line with National Curriculum guidelines and these assessments inform the key stage level awarded at the end of Year 9

How you can help Encourage your son or daughter to remember their PE kit every week and to participate in all activities to the best of their ability. Contact: Mrs Haley - [email protected]




Art & Design

Curriculum – what we’re doing 1. Cultural Unit 2. The Environment

Formative Assessments Formative assessment is completed mainly in the students’ sketchbooks and can be completed by the students, enabling them to reflect on their own work, and by the teacher to help students to develop or by their peers so they can learn from each other. Formal assessment is completed twice every half term. Students are encouraged to complete on average one hour of homework every two weeks, although many complete a lot more than this. This work takes many forms: some tasks are set by the teacher and are quite prescriptive and may include researching specific artists, techniques, collecting resources or completing a particular practical activity. Other activities will be development work which will be different for each student based on their own ideas and interests. Some tasks will be set for more or less able students to extend or develop their work.


A summative assessment of each project will be completed at the end of each term.

Dates Assessment

Two each term

Recorded in students assessment books and recorded in teacher mark books

How you can help Ensure that your child has some coloured pencils and some basic art supplies

Check that homework tasks are completed to the best of your child’s abilities Contact: Mrs Flello - [email protected]




ICT & Computing

Curriculum – what we’re doing During Year 9 students will cover a range of topics to develop their understanding and knowledge of ICT skills and give them the confidence to apply them in a variety of situations. Topics include using the Internet effectively for research, planning, developing and evaluating presentations and business documents. They will improve data handling skills using queries to search for information and create reports in databases. Spreadsheets will be used to model different scenarios. Finally students will be taught programming skills using both graphical and text based languages.

Formative Assessments Students work on mini projects throughout the year. The end of each project is marked as a key assessment task against the current National Curriculum ICT levels. The assessment sheet covers the areas that have been met, provides feedback on what has been done well and improvements for next time. It also gives the student the opportunity to comment on their own progress.

Summative Assessments All key assessments will take place during lesson time and will be marked against current National Curriculum levels. At the end of year 9 the average of each level will be used to calculate the end of year KS3 Level.

How you can help www.teach-ict.com is a useful website to learn the skills and theory required. Contacts: Ms Lourie - [email protected] Mrs Mann - [email protected]

Dates Assessments

September Internet research

October Presentation

November Using a database

December Modelling using spreadsheets

February Programming using graphics

April Programming using text





Drama Curriculum – what we’re doing Students have an introduction to a range of Drama skills and theatrical forms in the first term. They develop the social skills of communication and cooperation and learn how to present themselves appropriately and with confidence. They use their creativity and critical skills when creating, performing and responding to drama. They explore improvisation, scripts, physical theatre and creating a role. They also explore issues in role-play activities which they create.

Formative Assessments The Drama department believes in engaging pupils in assessment from the beginning by encouraging self-assessment and peer assessment. We use formative assessment as the continuous process of involving pupils in the recognition of their own achievements, and the setting of targets for future improvement. This is built into each lesson under guidance from verbal feedback from the teacher and allows pupils to identify their own strengths and weaknesses

Summative Assessments Summative assessment is the recording and reporting of achievements in relation to shared criteria at a specific time. At the end of the second term students are set a summative task to create and perform a play for a specific audience which is graded using GCSE criteria. This ensures progression and informs pupils of strengths and weaknesses.

Assessment October Assessment of pair or group work. Have they successfully applied the GCSE performance criteria? December Self-evaluation is an essential requirement for the Written Record in Drama. February Assessment of pair or group work. Have they successfully applied the GCSE performance criteria? March Peer assessment task linked to evaluation of another’s work. May Teacher assessment (written and oral) of polished performance

How you can help You could encourage your child to see as many live performances as they can – this will always help them improve in Drama. We would also encourage you to look into extra-curricular drama groups either within school, at the weekends or in the holidays. Any chance to perform will help. For more information http://www.dramauk.co.uk/ Contact: Mrs Rybinski - [email protected]




Music

Curriculum – what we’re doing The year 9 curriculum is designed to develop performing and composing skills. Modules covered (each will consist of about 3-4 lessons):

1. Solo and paired performance based on chord sequence 2. Group performance of a piece 3. Composing and improvising using given stimuli 4. Introduction to ‘Garageband’ software and its use on Macs to compose a soundtrack 5. Composing variations on a given theme 6. Performing and composing music for films

Formative Assessments Formative assessment is carried out at the end of each module. Students are given the criteria to reach each level specific to the module being covered, and informal assessment is carried out during the lesson by the teacher listening to their work.


A summative assessment is recorded at the end of each module, and at the end of the second term an average final level is produced.

How you can help Encourage your child to listen critically to a range of music and take part in extra-curricular activities. Contact: Miss Chater – [email protected]


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