Subjects
English Language and Literature
English Language and Literature - Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 English is designed to allow students to practise and further develop the core skills of reading, writing, and oracy. Students are graded on the ability to analyse, juxtapose, organise, compose, and to use language for a range of audiences and purposes.
Reading ability is a significant factor in student achievement within and beyond English. To help raise literacy levels, students undertake 15 minutes of dedicated reading each day, in addition to the reading and analysis that occurs within English lessons.
Throughout Key Stage 3, students are asked to reflect on the work that they produce, be it analytical or creative in nature; to this end, students draft and redraft work to improve their English skills in order to meet the targets that they are set.
Year 7
Autumn 1 – Stone Cold by Robert Swindells
Autumn 2 – Poetry from Other Cultures
Spring 1 – An Introduction to Shakespeare – Midsummer Night’s Dream
Spring 2 – Midsummer Night’s Dream (cont)
Summer 1 – Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
Summer 2 – Non-Fiction Texts
Year 8
Autumn 1 – Dystopian Writing – Hunger Games
Autumn 2 – Hunger Games
Spring 1 – Non fiction
Spring 2 – Using Rhetoric
Summer 1 – Shakespeare - Much Ado About Nothing
Summer 2 – Media and Advertising
Year 9
Autumn 1 – Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Autumn 2 – War Poetry
Spring 1 – Creative Writing Using Image
Spring 2 – Introduction to Romeo & Juliet
Summer 1 – Of Mice and Men
Summer 2 – Speaking and Listening
English Language and Literature - Key Stage 4
At Parkfield we follow AQA English Language and English Literature examinations
Yr 10
Autumn 1 – An Inspector Calls
Autumn 2 – A Christmas Carol
Spring 1 – Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet
Spring 2 – Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet
Summer 1 – Poetry – Power and Conflict
Summer 2 – Poetry – Power and Conflict/Unseen Poetry
Yr 11
Autumn 1 – GCSE English Language preparation (revision Literature)
Autumn 2 – GCSE English Language preparation (revision Literature)
Spring 1 – Revision for both Literature and Language
Spring 2 – Revision for both Literature and Language
Summer 1 -GCSE Exams
MFL
Languages, whether for leisure or business, have an important role to play in education. MFL is as much about the discovery and understanding of a culture other than one’s own as it is about the understanding of, and ability to communicate in, a foreign language. Education is about opening as many “doors” as possible – about giving ourselves as many different opportunities in life as we can. Developing an understanding of a foreign language helps to ensure that “doors” all around the world are open to us.
Internationalism is integral to the philosophy of Parkfield School and we hope to help inspire our students to regard themselves as citizens of the world and to find their own place in their local, national and global communities. Students study French - together with the cultures of French speaking countries around the world – throughout their time at Parkfield School. From Reception through to year 8 they study.
Throughout their time at Parkfield School, students are encouraged to enjoy languages and we hope to instil a genuine love of language acquisition as well as to inspire a desire for onward study of their chosen language and others.
A Curriculum Overview
The Primary Years
In the Early Years and at Key Stage 1 children are introduced to the concept of other countries and cultures through a range of age-appropriate games, exercises and songs. They are given the opportunity to discover France and to interact with a range of basic vocabulary and short phrases.
As they progress through Key Stage 2, there remains a heavy emphasis on games and play with the target language and culture. The aim is that by the end of year 6, students have exceeded what might be expected from Primary-level language acquisition.
Key Stage 3
The study of a foreign language provides students with a greater opportunity to develop more detailed insights into the features, structures and craft of language, the concept of culture, as well as to realise that there are diverse ways of living, behaving and viewing the world.
GCSE
At Parkfield School we have chosen AQA as our exam board. The GCSE course follows a four-unit specification which requires students to develop their ability to write and speak in French and to understand French when it is written down or spoken.
We are entering into a period of transition with all GCSEs and languages is no different. Current years 10 and 11 will complete the old specification GCSE which is assessed in a 60-40 split between Controlled Assessment (completed throughout the two years of the course) and Examination (at the end of Year 11). Current year 9s will be the first cohort to complete the new specification GCSE which is a ‘linear’ qualification, that is to say all four skills will be assessed at the end of the course in separate exams.
For more information please see the relevant pages on the AQA website or contact the Languages department.
Old Specification GCSE:
French - http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-4655
New Specification GCSE:
French - http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658
Maths
In KS3 the Mathematics curriculum consolidates and reinforces content studied in KS2 whilst introducing new content. KS3 follow a mastery curriculum and abstract concepts are gradually built throughout the key stage. Students develop competency and fluency with numerical calculations and gain skills of algebraic and geometric reasoning. There is a strong emphasis for students to think for themselves and decide how problems should be approached to developing fluency, reasoning and problem solving which are embedded throughout. Topics are interleaving and is a key element to reinforce and extend knowledge and understanding.
Year 7
|
Term |
Content |
|
Autumn |
Algebraic thinking – sequences, understand and use algebraic notation, equality & equivalence Place value and proportion – place value & ordering integers & decimals, fraction, decimal,& percentage equivalence |
|
Spring |
Application of Number – solving problems with addition, subtraction, multiplication & division, fractions & percentages of amounts. Directed number - operations and equations with directed number Fractional thinking –addition & subtraction of fractions |
|
Summer |
Lines and angles – constructing, measures and using geometric notation, developing geometric reasoning Reasoning with number – developing number sense, sets & probability, prime numbers & proof |
Year 8
|
Term |
Content |
|
Autumn |
Proportional reasoning – ratio and scale, multiplicative change, multiplying & dividing fractions. Representations – working in the Cartesian plane, representing data, tables & probability |
|
Spring |
Algebraic techniques – brackets, equations & inequalities, sequences, indices. Developing number – fractions & percentages, standard index form, number sense |
|
Summer |
Developing geometry – angles in parallel lines and polygons, area of trapezia and circles, lines of symmetry and reflection Reasoning with data – the data handling cycle, measures of location |
Year 9
|
Term |
Content |
|
Autumn |
Reasoning with algebra –straight line graphs, forming & solving equations, testing conjectures Constructing in 2D & 3D – 3D shapes, construction and congruency |
|
Spring |
Reasoning with number – numbers, using percentages, maths & money Reasoning with geometry – deduction, rotation and translation, Pythagoras theorem |
|
Summer |
Reasoning with proportion – enlargement and similarity, solving ratio and proportion problems, rates Representations and revision – probability, algebraic representations, revision |
Key Stage 4
In Key Stage 4 Maths students will use all the content covered in KS3 as a starting point as they work towards their GCSE exam. All students follow the AQA exam route and as they progress through the key stage they are encourages to show the necessary stages of their calculations in a linked way and helped to develop their communication skills and to justify their reasoning.
Year 10 Foundation
|
Term |
Content |
|
Autumn |
Angles, scale diagrams & bearings, basic number, factors & multiples, basic algebra, basic fractions & decimals, coordinates & linear graphs, rounding, collecting & representing data, sequences. |
|
Spring |
Basic percentages, perimeter & area, circumference & area, ratio & proportion, real life graphs, properties of polygons, equations, indices, standard form, basic probability. |
|
Summer |
Measures, transformations, congruency & similarity, 2D representations of 3D shapes, calculating with percentages, statistical measures, construction & loci |
Year 10 Higher
|
Term |
Content |
|
Autumn |
Angel scale diagrams & bearings, basic number, factors & multiples, basic algebra review, fractions & decimals. Coordinates & linear graphs, rounding, collecting & representing data, sequences, basic percentages |
|
Spring |
Perimeter & area, circumference & area, real life graphs, ratio & proportion, properties of polygons, equations, indices, surds, basic probability, standard form, measures. |
|
Summer |
Transformations, congruence & similarity, 2D representations of 3D shapes, calculating with percentages |
Year 11 Foundation
|
Term |
Content |
|
Autumn |
Probability, volume, algebra, quadratics, rearranging formula & identities, scatter graphs, inequalities, Pythagoras theorem, simultaneous equations |
|
Spring |
Algebra & graphs, sketching graphs, direct & inverse proportion, trigonometry, solving quadratic equations |
|
Summer |
Growth & decay, vectors. - revision |
Year 11 Higher
|
Term |
Content |
|
Autumn |
Probability, volume, algebra, quadratics, rearranging formula & identities, scatter graphs, numerical methods, equation of a circle, further equations & graphs, simultaneous equations |
|
Spring |
Sketching graphs, direct & inverse proportion, inequalities, Pythagoras theorem & trigonometry, circle theorems |
|
Summer |
Gradients & rates of change, pre-calculus & area under a curve, algebraic fractions - revision |
Science
This section is being updated
Information Technology
The BTEC Tech Award in Digital Information Technology is an exiting GCSE alternative to KS4 qualifications. The BTEC Tech award in DIT is assessed mainly through coursework, with only one exam paper in the second year. It is a Level 1-2 qualification which is equivalent in value to a GCSE. This is broken down into three components across the two years. Components 1 and 2 are assessed during class time using real-world scenarios and contexts, preparing students well for the world of business!
Year 10
Component 1: Exploring User Interface Design Principles and Project Planning Techniques
Learners will develop their understanding of what makes an effective user interface and how to effectively manage a project. They will use this understanding to plan, design and create a user interface.
Learning aims
A: Investigate user interface design for individuals and organisations
B: Use project planning techniques to plan and design a user interface
C: Develop and review a user interface.
This component is internally assessed through coursework
Component 2: Collecting, Presenting and Interpreting Data
Learners will understand the characteristics of data and information and how they help organisations in decision making. They will use data manipulation methods to create a dashboard to present and draw conclusions from information.
Learning aims
A: Investigate the role and impact of using data on individuals and organisations
B: Create a dashboard using data manipulation tools
C: Draw conclusions and review data presentation methods.
This component is internally assessed through coursework
Year 11
Component 3: Effective Digital Working Practices
Learners will explore how organisations use digital systems and the wider implications associated with their use. This includes legal and ethical implications, GDPR and the copyright designs and patents act.
Learning aims
A: Modern technologies and their impact on organisations
B: Threats to digital systems and how an organisation can manage them
C: Responsible, legal and ethical use of data
D: Planning and communication in digital systems
This component is assessed by an external exam which covers all four learning aims
Information is derived from Pearson’s official website. The full specification for this course if publicly available for download at: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/btec-tec-awards/information-technology/2017/specification-and-sample-assessments/Spec-BTEC-L1-2TECHAWD-DIT.pdf
History
KS3 History
Year 7
Autumn 1: The Battle of Hastings & Norman Conquest
Students are introduced to medieval Britain by gaining an insight into Saxon life. The claimants to the throne are introduced and students assess who they think should be king. The events of the Battle of Hastings are then explored including why William won and Harold lost.
Autumn 2: Who was powerful in Medieval England?
Students analyse Williams’s problems and his solutions by exploring the Feudal system, the Domesday Book and a study of Castles. They will explore the power of the Catholic Church, including the murder of Thomas Becket, they then study the purpose of the Magna Carta and assess whether it is still relevant today.
Spring 1: Was the Black Death a blessing in disguise?
Students will find out what people believed caused that Black Death, and how they tried to treat and prevent it. They will study the consequences of the disease and make judgements about the impact on society and the economy, and how this eventually led to the Peasant’s Revolt.
Spring 2: Was Elizabethan England a ‘Golden Age’?
Students are introduced to the religious changes that occurred in the sixteenth century and the consequences of the Reformation and the dissolution of monasteries, such as Christchurch Priory, alongside the changes made by Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I. This is followed by a depth study of the problems around religion, poverty and threats from abroad that Elizabeth I faced when she became queen, and an evaluation of how successfully she solved these problems.
Summer 1: Why was there a Civil War?
Students will explore the causes of the English Civil War and the aims of the two sides involved. They will study some of the main battles, including tactics, weapons, and outcomes. They will look at the causes and consequences of the execution of Charles I, the Interregnum, and the restoration of the monarchy. Students will also have the opportunity to complete an independent project about witchcraft.
Summer 2: Local Study of Holdenhurst
The original Saxon church wall still survives, the village is often described as the ‘Mother of Bournemouth’. Students wills study the importance of the historic environment at Holdenhurst (for example, the buildings, space, ecosystems, local stories). They will then produce a documentary which will explain the importance of Holdenhurst to Bournemouth.
Year 8
Autumn 1: From slavery to Civil Rights: Did things change for the better?
Topics covered will include the concept of slavery, how slaves were treated, why the demand for them existed, and the role of the abolitionist movement. Students then study segregation, the KKK & key individuals & groups such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and the Black Panthers & NAACP. Students will employ empathy skills to formulate their own opinions on the inequality and injustice of slavery to consider how much progress has been made and consider modern implications and future progress with direct reference to the Windrush generation and the BLM movement.
Autumn 2: Was the British Empire all bad?
Students explore the origins of the British Empire and the reasons why it was expanded during Victorians times. They will complete a depth study of the colonization of India and use sources and interpretations to consider whether the empire was all bad. This will then lead to a study of the life and work of Gandhi, and the fight for India’s independence.
Spring 1 & 2: How did the Industrial Revolution change Britain?
Students will explore how life in Britain changed between 1700 and 1900 following the revolution in industry and agriculture. They study the impact of the creation of factories on the economy and society, with a particular focus on the role of children and living conditions, and this will be complimented by reading parts of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Students will complete an age appropriate, independent enquiry into the hunt for Jack the Ripper, making links to the problems created by pollution, dreadful living conditions, and the lack of policing.
Summer 1 & 2: How did one bullet lead to the death of millions?
An enquiry into the Great War, and the cause and consequence of World War I. Students will look at the long- and short-term causes of WWI, trench warfare, war poetry and the effects the war had on those involved. Students will complete group work tasks exploring recruitment materials and will research and present findings about one of the battles that took place during the war. Students will also complete a depth assessment based on the interpretations surrounding General Haig and the Battle of the Somme, and make a judgement about whether it was ‘Lions led by Donkeys?’ This will be complimented by reading the novel ‘War Horse’ or ‘Private Peaceful’.
Students will also study the Suffrage movement and evaluate how the role of women changed during WWI.
Year 9
Autumn 1: Was WWII inevitable?
Students will study the consequences of WWI, and particularly the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany. They will explore the causes and consequences of events such as the Great Depression and analyse how these helped Hitler and the Nazis to come to power. Students will look at the rise of Hitler in Germany and how his increase in power led to an increase in anti-Semitism. They will also study Hitler’s aim to create a Third Reich and how this led to breaking the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and will evaluate Britain’s response and the policy of appeasement.
Autumn 2 & Spring 1: The Holocaust
Students will explore the lives of Jews under Nazi rule, including the impact of Kristallnacht, Nuremburg Laws, the creation of ghettos, persecution, and conditions in Concentration Camps and the Final Solution. The historical debate surrounding the intent of Hitler to exterminate 6m people will be explored, as will the reaction of the world.
Students will develop empathy skills by exploring personal accounts of the Holocaust by reading the Diary of Anne Frank and watching excepts from Schindler’s List. The unit will conclude by exploring the legacy of the Holocaust and Holocaust memorial, and whether lessons have been learned with reference to genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia.
Spring 2: What was it like to live through WWII?
Students will complete an independent enquiry into aspect of the Home Front, including the Blitz, evacuation, ARP, rationing, and the changing roles of women. They will also find out how Bournemouth was affected by WWII.
This will be complimented by reading the novel, ‘Goodnight, Mr Tom’. Students will then study the causes and consequences some of the key events of WWII, including the evacuation of Dunkirk, the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Battle of Stalingrad, and D-Day.
Summer 1: What was the Cold War?
Students will study the causes and consequences of the Cold War, including the division of Berlin after WWII and the construction of the Berlin Wall, the creation of the Eastern Block and the concept of the Iron Curtain, and the ‘Space Race’ and the development of nuclear weapons. This will culminate in a study of the fall of communism, and the significance of the Prague Spring, perestroika, and the fall of the Berlin War.
Summer 2: Who killed JFK?
Students will continue to develop their independent research skills by conducting an enquiry into the assassination of John F Kennedy using a range of historic and contemporary sources and interpretations to reach an informed conclusion.
How has life changed? Students will conduct a second independent breadth study into life in the C20th. Starting with the 1940s, they will find out how work, music, entertainment, food, life for children, and homes have changed over time, and make comparisons with their own lives.
KS4: AQA GCSE History (8145)
Year 10
Autumn 1- Spring 1 Britain: Health & the People, c.1,000 up to present day.
This thematic study will begin with the medicine of the Greeks, the Romans and their varying methods and treatments. Students then explore the medicine of the Middle Ages including aspects of the Black Death before the great leaps seen under the Renaissance. The work of Vesalius, Paré, William Harvey, John Hunter, Edward Jenner, Robert Koch, Louis Pasteur, and Alexander Fleming will all be studied in detail to assess their impact on the development of medicine.
The improvements and changes seen in surgery and treatments including X-ray, keyhole surgery, and transplants will also be covered. The establishment of the NHS is where the study concludes, assessing its impact on British health.
Spring 2 – Summer 2: Elizabethan England, c1586 – 1603
This period study will explore all aspects of England under Elizabeth I. Some background knowledge on the early part of her reign will be covered before looking at the role the Royal Court played in Elizabethan England. Students then look at trouble in England caused by religion and the issue of Mary, Queen of Scots; before looking at trouble overseas with the threat posed by the Spanish Armada. Students will consider whether Elizabethan England was a ‘Golden Age’ by exploring advances in exploration and colonization by individuals such as Drake and Raleigh, changes in fashion and entertainment, and attitudes towards poverty. This unit also includes a mandatory historic environment study that is decided on by AQA each year; past studies have included Hardwick Hall, the Spanish Armada, and the Globe Theatre.
Year 11
Autumn 1 – Spring 2: Democracy & Dictatorship, Germany 1898- 1945 + Conflict & Tension, 1918 – 1939: The Interwar Years
These units cover the same time period- one a period study of Germany, the other, a wider world depth study- and are taught together because of the overlap in content and to support students’ contextual understanding of the time. Students explore the links between Kaiser’s aims for Germany and WWI, and the consequences of defeat for the people of Germany and the Allies, in particular the Treaty of Versailles. We evaluate the role of Stresemann in bringing about Germany’s recovery, followed quickly by the impact of the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression. Students then study how Hitler and the Nazi Party take advantage of German’s social and economic problems to take power, and how life changes for different groups of people under Nazi rule.
Alongside this, we explore the creation of the League of Nations and its aims, in the aftermath of WWI, and evaluate its success in dealing with conflicts in Europe and the wider world during the interwar years. We explore the impact of the Great Depression on the work of the League, and how this contributes to its eventual collapse following the Manchurian Crisis and the Abyssinia Crisis. Students then study Hitler’s aims and evaluate the British policy of appeasement as the terms of the Treaty of Versailles are broken. They will also explore the consequences of the decline in the relationship between Britain and Russia, and how this contributes to the Nazi-Soviet Pact and the invasion of Poland and the outbreak of WWII.
Geography
By the end of KS4 Geography it is our intent that all pupils should be equipped with three themes:
Skills & Understanding, Principles & Social Responsibility, Decision Making. Pupils will be confident global citizens, able to make sense of the world around them.
These themes will be overarched and delivered through Enquiry Based Learning. Geography covers physical and human elements, along with fieldwork, which naturally promote enquiry and understanding
Why on Earth – Is it shaped like this? Skills & Understanding
Why on Earth – Is this Happening? Cause & Effect, Impacts
What on Earth – Can we do about it? Principles & Social Responsibility, Decision Making. Careers.
KS3 builds Skills & Understanding with introductions to new concepts
KS4 builds on KS3 learning and demonstrates application of learning, considering Impacts, Principles & Social Responsibility and ultimately Decision Making.
Both key stages will work locally with the National Parks Authority rangers, supporting learning outside of the classroom, on fluvial and coastal fieldtrips. In the past KS4 has had the opportunity to visit Iceland for field studies, we hope to keep this as a Geography tradition!
Recovery Curriculum 2020-21
Please find an overview of the Recovery Curriculum for Geography this current academic year. Recovery is where units have been put in place to support missed learning; GeEx is Geography Extra units, put in place to support missed skills.
Geography Recovery Curriculum Map 2020-21
KS4 Geography
The Geography department currently follows the AQA GCSE Geography 8035 Specification. This qualification is linear where students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.
Examinations:
Paper 1
Living with the Physical Environment
Natural Hazards, The Living World, Physical landscapes in the UK, Coasts and Rivers
Paper 2
Challenges in the Human Environment
Urban Issues and Challenges; Changing Economic World; The Challenge of Resource management; Geographical skills
Paper 3
Geographical Applications
Issue Evaluation; Fieldwork, Physical and Human; Geographical skills
Skills incorporated include:
Map Reading: Atlas maps, OS Maps, Photographic maps
Analytical Skills: reading graphs, data, interpreting maps
Numerical skills, Statistical skills
Collecting and Assessing Qualitative & Quantitate data
Technology
DESIGN Key Stage 3
Technology includes Information Technology and Design Technology. The curriculum is based on the design cycle assessment structure to enable students to develop projects in different materials that include the following areas:
• Inquiry and analysing of the design brief
• Designing and development of chosen ideas
• Creating the solution, including model making
• Testing and Evaluating throughout the process
Students will use a variety of mediums to the meet the requirements of the design cycle, these will include learning in textiles, polymers and wood, and graphic design. Students will be provided with a design brief and given opportunities to explore and generate ideas based on their individual outcome. Students will engage with a variety of practical skills to aid their planning and emphasise more informed choices that meet the needs of the design brief, throughout the creating process. This will encourage students to be curious, creative and reflective learners then over time students will begin to generate and produce more independent and innovative ideas.
The Parkfield technology course will provide students the opportunity to uncover authentic problems. The course will be developed for students not only to master a variety of practical skills, but also to extend their problem-solving skills. It is expected that many of the skills learned during the courses can be applied to problems and situations beyond the design technology classrooms.
The Parkfield Technology course encourages students to be curious, creative and risk takers, among other attributes. Many of the projects will be organised with a degree of flexibility.
Year 7
Graphics and Food Technology
Students gain understanding about a balanced diet and basic nutrition, this will lead to development of food packaging ideas that has an emphasis on graphic drawing skills. This will also lead to learning the basics of 2D design.
Resistant Materials – students carry out a range of practical skills in order to pass a practical licence of capability. This includes:
• Students work with plastic (Acrylic) to create a badge, using hand skills.
• Students work with a manufactured board (Plywood) to create a keyring, using the pillar drill and band facer.
• Students plywood and the fretsaw to create a photograph, recipe or picture holder.
Students will learn the basics about the materials they are using, their properties and uses and be able to identify them.
Textiles
Students learn to apply a variety of decorative skills to fabric and begin to generate design ideas to create a phone sleeve for a user of their choice, following the design process in a logical order. Students will learn basic hand and machine stitching skills.
Year 8
Graphics/design Skills
Learning of key graphics areas needed for GCSE, such as isometric drawing and basic working drawings.
Product Design
Students use a choice of man- made wood, or Acrylic to create a free standing clock. The stand is made from Acrylic, which is formed to shape, using the strip heater machine. They will use familiar machinery, such as the band facer and pillar drill.
Students learn about different wood joints and make a flat pack swivel mirror design using a rabbet joint. They will also use 2D Design and the laser cutter to create the mirror design. This is linked to the theme of flat pack and the company Ikea.
Textiles
Students learn a variety of basic hand and machine sewing skills that enable them to design and create a cushion using recycled fabric and they own design on the front. This is linked to the theme of upcycling.
Year 9
Graphics
Students gain an understanding about designs of products, such as CD, book covers etc. We learn how to do basic photo manipulation of various images and look at how companies carry out digital enhancement of magazine images.
The students can create Product Analysis using Keywords and identify the good, bad points and improvements. They are then able to create their own designs and show development and evaluation throughout.
Product Design and Graphics
Students build on their knowledge of wood joints and learn how to create finger/comb joints to create a storage item. The lid is engraved using 2D Design and the laser cutter. As part of this project, they will learn a variety of drawing skills to aid the development of two and three dimensional ideas, such as orthographic drawing and prepare them for the GCSE NEA (Non exam assessment project).
Textiles
Students learn a variety of making skills to produce a three-dimensional container of their choice, based on applying more advanced skills but building on their prior learning from lower school also.
DESIGN Key Stage 4
The rationale for our Design Technology qualification is to focus on developing skills in an increasingly technological world. We want to emphasise on the ‘creativity’ when designing and making and for students to develop the use of a range of tools and processes throughout the projects they carry out.
We want to inspire and enthuse students with projects guided through designing and making tasks, plus allow students to study core and specialist technical and designing and making principles, including different materials, processes and techniques.
Within the course we will ensure that there is a choice of units to meet the needs of students with different interests, allowing them to progress onto University, or more specialised vocational or academic courses in the sixth form, or at college.
This course gives students the potential opportunity, in due course, to enter employment within a wide range of junior job roles across the Design Technology sector and some aspects of the creative industries. Careers and Job roles include: Product Designer, Graphic Designer, Fashion Designer, Furniture Designer, Engineer, to name a few.
Music
Peripatetic Instrumental Lessons
Rockademy Lessons
Keyboard and Guitar lessons with Rob from "Rockademy". A handful of spaces have become available in recent weeks if anyone would like to sign up, please see Mr Williamson for more information.
Drum Lessons with Mr Speller
Monday afternoon drum lessons with Mr Speller will continue at our new site on our brand new Tama starter drum kit.
Woodwind Lessons
Woodwind lessons on the recorder, flute and clarinet will be on offer in the summer term after our site move. Miss Gobbett, the woodwind teacher, will be coming in to play for us early in the term, and more information about woodwind lessons will follow this.
PE
Within the Physical Education department, we are pleased to be able to offer a wide and varied range of activities. Through core PE lessons we offer a range of sports, leadership opportunities and sport science within the Curriculum. Extracurricular opportunities allow for both competitive and inclusive routes to be taken through range of both traditional and alternative sports. Throughout all lessons at Parkfield School, teaching students how to access sport outside of school and maintaining a healthy active lifestyle remains paramount.
Physical Education Key Stage 3
KS3 begin the year focusing on team building and health related fitness. They begin to apply knowledge from KS2 and independently lead groups for warm-ups and small activities. They will learn how to lead a healthy active lifestyle which includes studying heart rates, fitness testing and training and gaining key information regarding nutrition. Opportunities are provided for students to further their learning of sports studied through competitions in school and within the local area. In Year 8 and 9 students will have the opportunity to participate in a Young Leaders programme through Dorset School Games as well supporting activities within our Primary phase.
Physical and Health Education Key Stage 4
An important focus for KS4 lessons is to ensure that students are equipped to continue physical education outside of school and later in life. During the first term they will have the opportunity to visit local venues within the local area to experience the use of their facilities. They also study a range of fitness and team sport that are accessible to them at any stage of life. Students will also be taught more in depth about the benefits of exercise, in particular how to cope with stress over their Year 11 exam period.
Level 2 BTEC Sport
We currently offer Level 2 BTEC Sport as part of the options process to students in Key Stage 4. This is over and above their core entitlement. This is suitable for students who have an interest in an aptitude for sport and physical activity.
Please see the link for specification details: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-firsts/sport-2012-nqf.html
Art
ARTS Key Stage 3
Our arts students have opportunities to function as artists, as well as learners of the arts. Artists have to be curious. By developing curiosity about themselves, others and the world, students become effective learners, inquirers and creative problem-solvers. Students develop through creating, performing and presenting arts in ways that engage and convey feelings, experiences and ideas. It is through this practice that students acquire new skills and master those skills developed in prior learning.
Thinking creatively can easily become a focus in other subject groups too. This objective is essential in modern education to address the need for student-centred learning and lifelong learning, looking towards a modern context of flexible employment and a higher demand for innovation and change in the workplace. As both an objective in the arts and an approaches to learning (ATL) skill across the programme, heightened awareness of thinking creatively encourages students to develop metacognitive skills and become self-regulated learners.
Arts stimulates young imaginations, challenge perceptions and develop creative and analytical skills. Involvement in the arts encourages students to understand the arts in context and the cultural histories of artworks, thus supporting the development of an inquiring and empathetic world view. Arts challenge and enrich personal identity and build awareness of the aesthetic in a real-world context.
VISUAL ARTS
Year 7
What is Drawing?
Lessons focus on giving pupils practical experience in, and acquisition of, essential drawing skills such as shading techniques, illustration and observation drawing. This is supplemented by research and personal investigation into relevant artists and practitioners. (Giorgio Morandi, Sir Quentin Blake, Tim Steward, David Hockney). Skills are embedded through the production of a personal response, produced both in class and as homework.
What is Colour?
This unit introduces colour. Students learn the relationships of colour, shade and tone and investigate their relationships to the work of other artists (Patrick Caulfield, Andre Derain, Henri Matisse). Student’s knowledge is embedded through their own practice, developing brush handling skills, collage and composition techniques.
Year 8
The Art of Gothic
Artistic styles are often defined by their historical contexts, which affect the visual nature they adopt and represent. Students will research the aesthetics of the Gothic movement in relation to architecture, film and literature. By researching the films and art of American film director Tim Burton, students will develop their own character and environments for a Gothic scene. Practical skills of oil pastel blending, and monochromatic colour schemes, will enable students to produce sketchbook work and final pieces using colour skills learned in year 7.
New York, New York
Through the study of post-war consumerism in New York, students will gain an understanding of Pop Art culture, focusing on its main protagonists Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns. Through cultural research, focusing on fashion, film, lifestyle and celebrity, students will develop an historical understanding of Pop Art culture, and its influence and relevance in the contemporary world. Through a personal outcome, students will practise acrylic painting techniques to convey their artistic intentions.
Independent Project – Art Nouveau
Through the application of study methods gained throughout previous Units and practical skills gained, students can research, plan, develop and make work based upon Art Nouveau.
Year 9
What is Surrealism?
Through the study of European artists Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali, students will become aware of the notion of Surrealism, and its dreamlike, fantastic qualities that promote wider thinking in the arts. Students will use automatic writing, exquisite corpse and chatter boxes to develop unconventional relationships between objects, places and situation, as the basis for their own personal outcome in their chosen medium.
What is Abstraction?
Students are introduced to the notion of Abstraction as a means of visual communication. The notion of figurative representation is introduced as a contrast. Through a guided project, students will then learn the techniques used to abstract an image from the figurative. Students use the study and research of appropriate artists (Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky) to research and plan their own independent outcome.
Independent Project – variable – student directed
Through the application of study methods gained throughout previous Units and practical skills gained, students can research, plan, develop and make work based upon a topic chosen by the class.
ARTS Key Stage 4
GCSE Art and Design provides students with a wide range of creative, exciting and stimulating opportunities to explore their interests in ways that are both personally relevant and developmental in nature. Students are given the opportunity to build creative skills through learning and doing, to develop imaginative and intuitive ways of working and develop knowledge and understanding of media, materials and technologies in historical and contemporary contexts, societies and cultures. Students will become empowered to work independently, and encouraged to take risks in generating ideas and final outcomes.
Coursework
Over the two-year course all students will complete three set projects. They will then select a portfolio of work from these to submit for assessment in Year 11. These will reflect a range of techniques such as drawing, painting, mixed media, photography, print making, ceramics, text and image manipulation.
Examination.
From a selection of exam questions, set by the exam board, students will complete preliminary studies and ideas over an 10-12 week period. Your Art teacher will help you select the most appropriate question, based on your strengths. Previous examples of themes include Journey, The Everyday, Marine Life, Self-Image and Contrasts. Students will then produce a final outcome in a 10 hour period, (most likely in 2 x5 hour sessions, with breaks) unaided but under supervision. At the end of the exam period they must hand in their exam sketchbook and final outcome completed.
Please follow this link for more information:
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-4200-W-SP-14.PDF
PSHE & RSE
Personal, Social and Health Education and Relationship and Sex Education
Our PSHE programme has been developed to reflect the needs of our pupils, aiming to equip them with a sound understanding of risk, together with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions. The Schemes linked below reflect the differing needs of children across our all-through school and builds on the statutory content already outlined in the national curriculum, the basic school curriculum and the statutory guidance on aspect such as drug education, financial education, relationship and sex education (RSE), together with mental wellbeing and mindfulness. The scheme is also well reflected within the school's curriculum intent.
Within the respective programmes, young people are also encouraged and challenged to accept and be engaged with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of difference such as those with different faiths, beliefs and sexuality.
The programme, across the Key Stages, also encourages students to investigate and offer reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, learning to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others.
PSHE 2022-23 Secondary Overview
PSHE 2021-22 Parkfield Secondary Scheme
PSHE 2020-21 Parkfield Primary Scheme - Jigsaw
Jigsaw Primary scheme supplementary documents:
