Years 7, 8 and 9 – Academic Overview
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Years 7, 8 and 9 Academic Information 2018 – 2019 1 Years 7, 8 and 9 – Academic Overview Enabling each individual student to achieve academic success and develop a passion for life-long learning and discovery are key objectives at La Garenne. The boarding environment ensures the stability and structure necessary for each child to thrive and develop. Parallel to this, the academic life of the school provides each individual student with stimulating and challenging programmes of study. The small class sizes favour a personalised approach to teaching, based on inquiry and investigative learning. For Years 7, 8 and 9, the curriculum is underpinned by the objectives of UK English Key Stage 3 programme, particularly in the Core Subjects - English, Mathematics and Science. As an international school, we aim to prepare our students for their academic futures in the world of international education and for life beyond school. With this in mind, since September 2017 the students in Years 7, 8 and 9 have been following the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC). This internationally recognised curriculum provides the perfect platform for further study when the students move on to senior school. The IMYC is a rigorous, concept-based programme, which has been specifically designed around the unique learning needs and brain functions of adolescents. The students are challenged and supported in their learning, in the development of their own personal dispositions and international mindedness. Further details on the IMYC can be found at: http://www.greatlearning.com/imyc or by following the link at the end of this section. In the IMYC programme, students are taught by specialist teachers in all subject areas. While their learning is structured and guided according to individual needs, the students are encouraged to take increasing responsibility of their own learning as they move up the school. The curriculum promotes the consolidation and development of English skills in all subject areas, so that when the students move on from La Garenne, they are well equipped to tackle challenging academic programmes leading to eXternal eXaminations. All the students also study French at levels ranging from beginners to first-language speakers. The students’ study time is structured in such a way as to provide them with individual guidance as required. At the same time, they are given the opportunity to structure their won study time to some degree, so that they develop their abilities as independent learners 2 The Academic Programme In Years 7, 8 and 9, the curriculum is underpinned by the objectives of the English Key Stage 3 programme and is taught via the concept-based International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC). This is a natural eXtension from the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) on which a large part of the primary programme is based at La Garenne. This allows us to effectively articulate the curriculum between the primary and secondary sections of the school, and provide the students within a continuity of approach to teaching and learning. The subjects and the number of 45-minute periods taught in each class are shown in the table below. The number of periods per week may change from term to term. In particular, this may vary during the second term due to the fact that the sports programme is based on skiing and the weekly structure changes a little. Specialist teachers deliver all subjects. Subject Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 English (including Cambridge) 9 9 9 ESL Support (as required) 7 7 7 Mathematics 6 6 6 French as a Foreign Language 4 4 4 Advanced French (optional) 4 4 4 Science and Technology 5 5 5 History 2 2 2 Geography 2 2 2 Philosophy and Beliefs 1 1 1 Art 2 2 2 Music 2 2 2 PSHE 1 1 1 Sports 4 4 4 Introduction to Business Studies 1 Economic Sustainability 1 Global Citizenship 1 1 While the subjects taught remain largely the same across the three years of Key Stage 3, the depth and challenge increases as the students move up through the school. Year 9 provides a firm grounding for students moving into the next stage of their academic career when they leave La Garenne. With increasingly demanding work and the possibility to take extension classes in key subject areas, the students are stretched academically. 3 The International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) The International Middle Years Curriculum favours the way that 11-14 year olds learn. It is a challenging, engaging, internationally-minded, concept-focused curriculum designed specifically for the unique learning needs of 11-14 year olds in Key Stage 3 / lower secondary classes. Linking all subject learning to a conceptual theme Each IMYC unit of work follows a conceptual theme known as the Big Idea. Neuroscientists say the brain learns ‘associatively’, always looking for patterns and linking to previous learning. In primary schools, teachers often find these links for students and regularly mention links between discreet subjects’ learning. The organisation of secondary school teaching and learning is often within departments, resulting in students suddenly having the responsibility of finding their own links in their learning. The aim of the IMYC is to help students develop the habit of identifying links in their learning for themselves through linking all learning with the Big Idea. The IMYC links the knowledge, skills and understanding of each subject to the most appropriate Big Idea. Responding to the specific developmental needs of 11-14 year olds The adolescent brain is undergoing major changes, mainly maturation of the prefrontal cortex and specialisation. This involves ‘pruning’ connections between brain cells and changed behaviours. Research shows that we typically see increased risk taking, increased sensation seeking, and greater peer affiliation. The International Middle Years Curriculum has been designed to respond to these specific needs of the adolescent brain. As a result, each IMYC unit of work provides opportunities for students to work with and learn from peers, to lead their own learning and to take risks, to tackle a wide range of self-directed investigation, to experience security and familiarity through a consistent learning process, to reflect upon their learning and to connect their learning to the world around them. Working towards understanding through a personal and global perspective Journaling throughout IMYC units helps students to reflect and link their subject learning throughout the unit, developing understanding and making personal meaning from the perspectives of ‘self’ and ‘other’. Students then represent what the Big Idea means to them personally and from a global perspective through their creative media project Exit Point. 4 Interlinking Learning To help students link their learning, the IMYC asks all subject teachers to collaborate to connect all subject learning to the Big Idea. Although subject learning remains independent and rigorous, it also forms part of a whole, interdependent unit. Subject teachers connect through the conceptual idea and collaborate during various stages of the IMYC process of learning. Experience has shown that this teacher collaboration helps to develop a shared focus on student learning. Preparing students for the next stage of learning IMYC learning builds upon enquiry-based thematic learning in primary and helps teachers to prepare students for the next stage of their learning. This includes the development of foundation subject knowledge and skills that students need for GCSE, IGCSE, IB Diploma and A levels; skills required for compleX researching and recording, for presenting and for using a range of media forms to present learning. In addition, the personal and international skills that students develop throughout their learning with the IMYC also provide crucial foundations for their senior school learning and even for future work opportunities. Creating a challenging, student-led learning environment The IMYC is an enquiry-based curriculum. Individual and collaborative research and recording tasks all linked to the Big Idea, supporting subject teachers in facilitating student-led, subject-based learning. Learning tasks provide opportunities for students to regularly problem solve, to think creatively - and to develop personal skills such as resilience, communication and adaptability. Each Exit Point asks students to combine their understanding from the unit of work; showing how all their learning links though the Big Idea and what that means to them personally and in a real world conteXt. The work in planning and producing these projects provides opportunities for extensive creative and student-led learning and, as students share in the presentations of their peers, more new learning and creativity is shared. IMYC – Concepts and Big Ideas A common concept and ‘Big Idea’ link the learning in each IMYC unit. These are outlined below, for each year group. Year 7 Concepts and Big Ideas Shown below are the ten units of study available for Year 7. The concepts marked with an asterisk * are those that will be studied in the school year 2018-2019. Adaptability * Adaptability is demonstrated by the ability to cope, alter or change with new circumstances or environments. 5 Balance * Things are more stable when different elements are in the correct or best possible proportions. Celebration There is value in recognizing and observing special events through ritual and with joy and happiness. Collaboration * When people work together, they can achieve a common goal. Consequences Very few actions are neutral. Most actions create impact or change that then have to be dealt with. Creativity Innovative ideas can happen when existing or new concepts are brought together or expressed in a new way. Discovery * Finding out new things is a human driver and affects things for better or worse. Resolution Problems, disputes and contentious issues can sometimes be satisfactorily solved or resolved. Risk * Progress involves eXposing ourselves to and considering the impact or forms of danger, harm, uncertainty or opportunity.