Art

Students are encouraged to be creative through projects that cover a wide range of media and techniques in art and design. This allows students to develop a high level of skill. An awareness of the formal elements; colour, shape, balance, texture, proportion etc. are developed alongside the use of symbols to convey ideas and feelings. Students study of a wide range of artists, craftspeople and designers which supports their depth of learning.

Drama

Drama at KS3 has five strands.

Creating and Exploring explores a student’s ability to work well in a group, and to put forward ideas that go towards shaping their work.

Using Voice, assesses a student’s use of pitch, tone, pace, pause, projection and accent. Using Movement assesses a student’s use of physicality, posture, locomotion and stride. Performing a Role assesses how realistically a student can bring a performance to life, and also covers their use of the performance space. The final strand is Evaluating, which helps students identify how they can improve their work.

English

In studying English, students develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Students learn to express themselves creatively and imaginatively and to communicate with others confidently and effectively. Students learn to become enthusiastic and critical readers of fiction, poetry, drama, non-fiction and media texts, gaining access to the pleasure that reading offers.

Design & Technology

Design and technology provides opportunities for students to combine their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding, to create quality products. In creating quality products students experience success, and see and handle products that are well made. Preparing young people for a technological society is a central activity within the subject. Students study Resistant Materials, Textiles, Systems and Control and Food Technology. They use different strategies to design and make products. Work is project based and students use a wide range of materials. Electronics and Computer-aided design are used alongside hand techniques, all with the aim of making well-made, desirable products.

Geography

Geography provides an opportunity for students to explore their views and air their opinions on world issues as well as considering the future of our planet.We study many topics in Geography so that students gain a breadth of knowledge. These topics include; Population, Tectonic Hazards, Brazil, India, Global Warming and The Oceans as well as looking at our local area and Shepton Mallet. Geography lessons vary in their approach and provide opportunities for students to learn in different ways including videos, extended writing, drawing graphs, discussions, role play, memory techniques and questioning. Our aim in Geography is to provide lessons that enable students to discover the wonders of the natural and human world and to develop the skills that will enable them to develop into successful citizens.

History

We use a variety of teaching and learning techniques in History and we aim to foster a real desire to learn about and investigate the past. Our students have helped to design our curriculum and we study a variety of topics including; The Romans, Lives of Medieval people, The English Civil War, The Slave Trade, The Industrial Revolution, The World Wars, The Great Empires, The Cold War. We also study women’s rights, important battles, ancient civilisations, castles, and some local history.

ICT

The ICT curriculum is designed to give students the opportunity to improve existing, and learn new computer skills that help their learning and improve their efficiency across the curriculum. Students are assessed on their ability to communicate information to specific audiences and on their ability to handle and process data. New this year is a focus on programming and computing. The new Computer Club on Wednesdays after school allows students to experiment and create their own projects.

Maths

Students study a range of topics which cover number, algebra, data handling, shape and space. Students also use and apply mathematics in everyday contexts and engage in problem solving.

Modern Foreign Languages

In French and German students gain an insight into French and German culture, and become more aware of cultural differences, for example, the German and French school systems. They learn how to talk about a number of topics such as family, home and the local environment and holidays. They also practise and improve their listening, reading, writing and communication skills.

Music

In Years 7 to 9 music is taught in topics. These include: Elements of Music, Pulse and Rhythm, Gamelan, Minimal Music, Tonality, Indian Classical Music and Bhangra. These are taught through vocal and instrumental performance, composition which is supported by the use of ICT, and appraisal techniques.

Ethics & Culture

We start by looking at how religion and belief affect us and those around us; how religions treat the environment and the answers to some of the big questions in life. We move on to consider where we belong, and how that affects us; how others show they belong, and religion and the Media. In Year 9, students begin the two year GCSE course, completing the short course in Year 10.

Science

The science curriculum covers a wide selection of topics from Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students are initially trained in basic laboratory skills and how to record information for data handling purposes. Students follow a practical curriculum, designed to enthuse and encourage the study of science. The course is modular, allowing us to carefully monitor progress so that we can help the students to achieve their very best.