Year 7 Curriculum

Autumn 1 & Autumn 2

Animation

• How animation is created
• How and why does animation work?
• Developing an animated character
• Using backgrounds
• Creating animated film
• Creating thaumatropes and flip books

Spring 1 & Spring 2

The Work of an Artist

• Studying the work of Moritz Escher
• Ways in which repeating pattern can be created
• Developing tessellating motifs
• Designing graphic images

Summer 1 & Summer 2

The Surrealists

• The work of Dali, Earnst and Magritte
• Developing imaginary landscapes through visual research
• Creating images on scraperboards

Autumn Term

Programmable Devices

First Lego League

e-Safety: Viruses, Password Security and Digital Footprints

Spring Term

Flow Charts

• The purpose and use of flowcharts
• Flowchart symbols
• How to draw a flowchart
• How to write an algorithm in preparation for a flowchart
• How to use that algorithm to create a flowchart
• Numerous practice flowchart exercises to increase student confidence

Computational Thinking

• Computational thinking
• Decomposition
• Pattern recognition
• Abstraction
• Algorithms

e-Safety: Cyberbullying and Grooming

Summer Term

An Introduction to Python

• The basics of how to use Python, how to run a program and how to write a simple program to output text. 
• Creation of a simple chatbot that will respond to user input.

e-Safety: A Creator’s Rights

Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms

Personal desk stationery storage system

• The design cycle/process
• Quiz: drawing techniques
• Materials and tools
• Quiz: properties of material
• Quiz: tools and equipment
• Final written/design assessment

Visual overview of the texts studied across Years 5-8 (click image for larger view)

Autumn 1

Poetry and Prose

The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond and The Ballad of Frankie and Johnny

• Recount – newspaper article.
• Descriptive writing including figurative language, writing and performing a ballad, role play: trial of a character.

Autumn 2

Classic Literature

Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Speckled Band

• Non-fiction – non-chronological report on aspects of the Victorian Era.
• Character analysis essay.

Spring 1 & Spring 2

Modern Fiction

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce

• Presentation – what would you do with £1 million?
• Narrative – writing in role as characters.
• Character comparison and analysis.
• Persuasive writing – formal letter writing.
• Book and film comparison essay.

Summer 1 & Summer 2

Seminal World Literature

Shakespeare: an overview

• Study of Tudor England, particularly Shakespeare’s London.
• Letter of complaint, non-chronological report.
• Overview of Romeo and Juliet including opportunities to act, recite parts by heart, study of key scenes.

Autumn Term

• School life
• Clothing and shopping

Spring Term

• Hobbies
• Healthy living

Summer Term

• En ville/My town
• Á Paris

Autumn Term

• Geographical skills
• Russia

Spring Term

• Tectonics

Summer Term

• Settlements
• Coasts

Autumn Term

• Medieval Britain – Norman Conquest

Spring Term

• State, Church and Society

Summer Term

• Reformation and Civil War

Mathematics at Hexham Middle School

At Hexham Middle, it is our goal to ensure that pupils are confident, resilient and fluent mathematicians. Our curriculum is built upon the core principles of developing fluent pupils who can articulate their thought processes and reason mathematically and approach problem solving with a systematic attitude. In all year groups, pupils progress through blocks of learning which are linked throughout the year to ensure that memory and retention of key concepts and skills is developed. Pupils spend longer learning one block now and this is to ensure they have time to make links to their prior learning, develop depth of understanding and remember their learning.

In every year group, pupils’ progress is assessed daily by teachers through varied means of formative assessment such as a quizzes and questioning. It is this assessment that powerfully informs planning so that all pupils progress through the curriculum content. Pupils complete topic assessments to identify gaps in learning and are supported to bridge any areas which require more focus. Regular arithmetic and fluency sessions ensure that pupils (across the school) are confident and fluent in mathematical recall and methods. They are also encouraged to reason (verbally and written) to demonstrate their thought-processes when explaining their understanding and problem solving. Pupils complete termly summative assessments and some external assessments to track their progress.

Autumn Term

• Exploring Sequences
• Understanding and using algebraic notation
• Equality and Equivalence
• Place Value
• Fraction, Decimal and Percentage Equivalence

Spring Term

• Application of Number (Four Operations)
• Directed Number
• Fractional Thinking

Summer Term

• Constructions and Measuring
• Geometric Reasoning
• Developing Number Sense
• Sets and Probability
• Prime Numbers and Proof

Autumn 1

Understanding Scales

• Major & minor scales
• The arrangement of intervals within major & minor scales
• Performing a class ensemble in four parts
• Performing scales in similar and contrary motion

Autumn 2

Major Scale Composition

• Composition of a piece of music using the notes from major scales
• Adding accompaniments such as a pulse, drone, rhythm or chords

Spring 1

Chromaticism

• The chromatic scale and how chromaticism is used in music
• Playing the chromatic scale in a variety of ways
• Playing the whole tone scale

Spring 2

Impressionism

• Study of Debussy including the prelude ‘A l’apres midi d’un Faun’
• The compositional style of Debussy and his use of  instrumentation, chromaticism and development of the ‘Whole-Tone Scale’

Summer 1

Extended Composition (linked with Art)

• Creating a variety of moods using different scales and compositional devices

Summer 2

Music in Advertising

• How music is used in advertising including background music, songs, jingles, etc.
• Creating a new product and compose an advert, including accompanying music

Autumn 1

• Invasion Games 1:
  • Netball
  • Football

Autumn 2

• Run4Fun
• Gymnastics
• Dance

Spring 1

• Invasion Games 2:
  • Hockey
  • Rugby

Spring 2

• Cultural Games:
  • Aussie Rules Football
  • Gaelic Football
  • American Flag Football

Summer 1

• Athletics

Summer 2

• Golf
• Striking and Fielding:
  • Rounders
  • Cricket

Autumn 1

• Relationships

Autumn 2

• Personal Finance

Spring 1

• Drugs Education

Spring 2

• Global Issues

Summer 1

• Sex Education

Summer 2

• Enterprise

Autumn 1

Cells

• Cells as the fundamental unit of living organisms
• Using a microscope
• The functions of the cell components

Particles

• The particle model
• Changes of state, shape and density
• Atoms and molecules
• The properties of the different states of matter
• Changes of state in terms of the particle model

Autumn 2

Light

• The similarities and differences between light waves and waves in matter
• Light waves travelling through a vacuum; speed of light
• The transmission of light through materials: absorption, diffuse scattering and specular reflection at a surface
• Colour

Spring 1

Body Systems

• The structure and functions of the human skeleton
• The structure and functions of the gas exchange system in humans

Elements, atoms and compounds

• Introduction to the periodic table and chemical formulae
• A simple (Dalton) atomic model
• Differences between atoms, elements and compounds
• Chemical symbols and formulae for elements and compounds

Spring 2

Forces

• Forces as pushes or pulls, arising from the interaction between two objects
• Using force arrows in diagrams
• Hooke’s Law

Summer 1

Reproduction

• Human reproduction: the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems, menstrual cycle (without details of hormones), gametes, fertilisation, gestation and birth.
• Plant reproduction: flower structure, wind and insect pollination, fertilisation, seed and fruit formation and dispersal.

Summer 2

Acids and Alkalis

• Defining acids and alkalis in terms of neutralisation reactions
• The pH scale for reactions of acids with metals
• Reactions of acids with alkalis to produce a salt plus water

Space

• Our sun as a star; other stars in our galaxy
• Other galaxies
• The seasons and the Earth’s tilt; day length at different times of year, in different hemispheres
• The light year as a unit of astronomical distance

Autumn Term

• What is authority?
• Spirituality – introduction: what is worship?
• Buddhist key speaker

Spring Term

• Rights and responsibilities
• Good and bad – introduction: evil and suffering
• Humanist key speaker

Summer Term

• How far do Muslims express their identity in the world today?
• Global learning – faith/belief in action (Charity)