1
Year 9 Curriculum Outline 2015-16
The table below provides an outline of which topics/modules are planned to be taught in each of the three terms across the year. The topics/modules may not
be taught in the order listed, but should be taught during the term outlined.
Subject
Art and Design
Autumn Term
TOPIC: SURREALISM
REFLECTIONS AND DISTORTION
Key Skills: painting drawing/digital art
symbolism
 anamorphic distortion
 mixed media /including digital
 surrealism – real/unreal
 working from imagination
Biology
(Introduction to
GCSE [Edexcel])






Chemistry
(Introduction to
GCSE [Edexcel])
Creative and Critical 
Thinking
English
(Introduction to
GCSE English
Language [OCR])


cells and cell transport
respiration
heart and lungs
circulatory system
atomic structure and bonding
acids, alkalis, bases and salts
‘Raven’ revision/ hoax
photography/bizarre media reports
The Gothic Genre: main text
‘Frankenstein’ - Mary Shelley plus
skills for writing ‘Alter egos’
Poetry Anthology and unseen poetry
Spring Term
TOPIC: IDENTITY - LOWER
SCHOOL EXAM
Key Skills: composition/mixed
media/assemblage/contextual
understanding
 generating ideas / exploring materials
 examination preparation &
development
 effective planning
 examination final piece
 homeostasis
 endocrine system
Summer Term
TOPIC: SHOE PROJECT
Key Skills: design/illustration /3D
construction
 historical & contemporary design
 innovation
 working to a brief
 product design
 fashion illustration/ making
 marketing


endocrine system (continued)
the nervous system

the Periodic Table

solubility


Kelly’s accident – creativity
team building – the Phoenix Lights
project


argument writing and flaws in
arguments
habits of mind - Rensen


Shakespeare – ‘Romeo and Juliet’
Reading and writing non-fiction texts
including 19th century texts plus skills
for writing ‘Explain’


‘Of Mice and Men’ – John Steinbeck
Modern Drama text
2
Subject
French
(Expo 3)
Autumn Term

Summer Term
Module 1- Leisure: TV, film, music and
books
working with three tenses (past, present
and future)
Module 2 – Future plans
introduction of the future tense
(Regular vocabulary tests throughout)


Natural Hazards (Tectonics)

Natural Hazards (Tropical Storms)


Natural Hazards (Tropical Storms
Natural Hazards (UK Coastal Flooding))

Unit 1 – Holidays (perfect and imperfect
tenses)
project to consolidate grammar,
vocabulary & cultural knowledge

Unit 2 – Shopping & Food (introducing
dual case prepositions)



revision of all grammar skills
preparation for Year 9 examinations
consolidation of Year 9 course with
reference to GCSE expectations
oral exam with GCSE style mini
presentation
consolidation of advanced grammar
(Regular vocabulary tests throughout)

Geography
(Introduction to GCSE
[AQA]
German
(Echo Express 2)
Spring Term


Module 2 – Future plans completion
developing fluency with the three tenses
Module 3 – Healthy Living, illness and
injury
reflexive verbs
(Regular vocabulary tests throughout)




(Regular vocabulary tests throughout)

(Regular vocabulary tests throughout)
(Regular vocabulary tests throughout)
History
ICT (Cambridge
National Certificate
[OCR])
 development of Germany 1871-1914
 lead up to WW1
 experience of WW1
Trip to WW1 Battlefields of Flanders
(09/10/2015)
First Half Term
Unit 2 – Using ICT to create business
solutions
Students need to be able to:
 use techniques to search for store and
share information
 select and use software to handle data
 use software to combine information for a
business purpose
 use software tools to format information
Unit final assessment
revision of all grammar skills
consolidation of Year 9 course with
reference to GCSE expectations
consolidation of advanced grammar
introduction of the imperfect tense


impact of WW1
Interwar years: dictatorship versus
democracy
Second Half Term
Unit 3 – Handling data using spreadsheets
Students needs to be able to:
 Create and populate spreadsheets to meet
user requirements
 Select and use spreadsheet functions to
meet user requirements
 Be able to present spreadsheet models to
present information to support decision
making
Unit final assessment



Interwar years: Europe and USA
causes of WW2
Third & Fourth Half Terms
Unit 1 – Understanding computer systems
Students need to be able to:
 understand how ICT can be used to meet
business needs
 know how to work with information and
data to meet specified business needs
 know how ICT can be used to support
business working practices
 consider legal, ethical, safety and security
issues when using ICT
Examination preparation
3
Subject
Latin
Autumn Term




Mathematics
revision of year 8 vocabulary and
grammar
expansion of grammar to include all
tenses and cases
background work on Mythology
regular grammar and translation
exercises
1) Number (Edexcel SOW Unit 1):
1.1 Number problems and reasoning
1.2 Place value and estimating
1.3 HCF and LCM
1.4 Calculating with powers (indices)
1.5 Zero, negative and fractional indices
1.6 Powers of 10 and standard form
2) Surds Algebra (Edexcel SOW Unit
2):
2.1 Algebraic indices
2.2 Expanding and factorising
2.3 Equations
2.4 Formulae
2.5 Linear sequences
2.6 Non-linear sequences
2.7 More expanding and factorising
3) Interpreting and representing data
(Edexcel SOW Unit 3):
3.1 Statistical diagrams 1
3.2 Time series
3.3 Scatter graphs
Spring Term

project – Major aspect of Roman
society
 increasing competence in translation
skills and familiarisation with the
language itself
 increased vocabulary knowledge
 new grammar
 vocabulary tests
 regular translation
 assessment of project
3) Interpreting and representing data
(Edexcel SOW Unit 3 con’d):
3.4 Line of best fit
3.5 Averages and range
3.6 Statistical diagrams 2
4) Fractions, ratio and percentages
(Edexcel SOW Unit 4):
4.1 Fractions
4.2 Ratios
4.3 Ratio and proportion
4.4 Percentages
4.5 Fractions, decimals and percentages
5) Angles and trigonometry (Edexcel
SOW
Unit 5):
5.1 Angle properties of triangles and
quadrilaterals
5.2 Interior angles of a polygon
5.3 Exterior angles of a polygon
5.4 Pythagoras’ Theorem 1
5.5 Pythagoras’ Theorem 2
5.6 Trigonometry 1
5.7 Trigonometry 2
Summer Term



background work on Housing and
Circus Maximus
new grammar
regular translation work.
6) Graphs (Edexcel SOW Unit 6):
6.1 Linear graphs
6.2 More linear graphs
6.3 Graphing rates of change
6.4 Real-life graphs
6.5 Line segments
6.6 Quadratic graphs
6.7 Cubic and reciprocal graphs
6.8 More graphs
7) Area and volume (Edexcel SOW Unit
7):
7.1 Perimeter and area
7.2 Units and accuracy
7.3 Prisms
7.4 Circles
7.5 Sectors of circles
7.6 Cylinders and spheres
7.7 Pyramids and cones
4
Subject
Music
PE
6 Weeks
2 Weeks
4 Weeks
3 Weeks
3 Weeks
Autumn Term
Spring Term
World Music
 Studying Indian music; Structure and
instruments.
 Improvising using existing Ragas.
 Composing Indian piece following
correct structure.
 Use of GCSE Rag Desh example for
listening task.
 Studying Chinese music and
instruments.
 Learning the pentatonic scale.
 Producing a GCSE level pentatonic
scale composition.
 Studying Gamelan music and
instruments.
 Performance of Gamelan music.
Performance, Composition and
Listening Assessment
9C
Jazz
 Creating a jazz history timeline.
 Using ‘In the Mood’ to learn about
walking baseline and 12 bar blues.
 Compose GCSE level 12 bar blues
composition (using Sibelius / garage
band / correct music theory notation.
Performance, Composition and
Listening Assessment
9O
Summer Term
Popular Music (Chord Progressions)
 Using correct music theory to explore
chords and notation.
 Using ‘Stand by Me’ to analyse use of
chords in pop songs.
 Compose GCSE level original popular
music song using application of
knowledge of chords.
 Use of Sibelius / garage band / correct
music theory notation.
 Use current pop songs as enrichment /
engagement (and choral competition)
Listening, Composing, Analysing and
Performing.
9L
9H
Netball/Dance
Netball/Dance
Netball/Dance
Netball/Dance
Half Term
Half Term
Half Term
Half Term
Netball/Dance
Netball/Dance
Netball/Dance
Netball/Dance
Fitness
Fitness
Fitness
Fitness
Christmas Break
Christmas Break
Christmas Break
Christmas Break
X-Country
X-Country
X-Country
X-Country
Table Tennis
Young Leaders
Table Tennis
Young Leaders
Half Term
Half Term
Half Term
Half Term
5
PE
3 Weeks
9C
2 Weeks
4 Weeks
3 Weeks
6 Weeks
Subject
Physics
(Introduction to
GCSE [Edexcel])
PSHCE
Religious Studies
(GCSE Religious
Studies B[OCR])
9O
9L
9H
Young Leaders
Table Tennis
Young Leaders
Table Tennis
Athletics
Athletics
Athletics
Athletics
Easter Break
Easter Break
Easter Break
Easter Break
Athletics
Athletics
Athletics
Athletics
Life Saving
Rounders
Life Saving
Rounders
Half Term
Life Saving
Half Term
Half Term
Half Term
Rounders
Life Saving
Rounders
Rounders
Life Saving
Rounders
Life Saving
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
Autumn Term
forces and motion
electricity






MADE Study Skills Workshop
Coaching for Success
Police Talks
Risks
Road Safety
Careers
Completion of unit B601
 beliefs about Deity
 death and the after-life
 end of unit test


Spring Term
electricity (cont.)
electromagnetism



Careers Programme
Resilience for Success
Cultural Awareness
Start of unit B602
 good and evil
 end of unit test







Summer Term
particle physics
Law and Drugs
Sex and Relationships Education
(SRE)
Preparing for School Examinations
Samaritans
Finance
post-examination review and target
setting
Completion of unit B602
 religion and Science
 end of unit