Welcome to Year 9
Year 9 marks a critical stage in our students educational journey, as they have their say in their chosen curriculum. Our Year 9 team will be there to guide and advise you and your family through this process to make sure your child is choosing subjects in line with their interests and future goals.
As older students in school, we expect our Year 9 students to demonstrate remarkable behaviour, and to show commitment to our learning habits.
Options
We advise students to pick subjects that interest them, reflect who they are, and support their ambitions.
The options process
- Year 9 Options Booklet issued to families, this should be read carefully and more than once
- Assemblies and tutor support to look at the best combinations of subjects for them
- Student interviews with senior leaders for support and advice
- Year 9 Options evening with staff and family
- Complete options form before the deadline
Your Team
Our team will be here to support our new Year 7s through their transition to secondary school and their first year at Beckfoot Thornton.
- Mr S Bhatti – Head of Year 9
- Mrs S Trusselle- Headteacher
- Mr P Dolan- Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Mrs T Holden – SENDCO
Wider Opportunities
Past trips and visits have included museums, sporting activities, outdoor adventure activities, visits to the theatre and musical events.
Our wide extracurricular offer also provides students with the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge outside the classroom.
Year 9
| Subject | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Cycle 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art | Junk – Still life, drawing, skills, artist research, photography | Junk – Planning, 2D or 3D final pieces Take it to the street – Social issues, artist research, personal theme, typography | Take it to the street – Social issues, artist research, personal theme, typography |
| Science | Atmosphere and climate change Electromagnets Microbes and disease Forces and pressure Rate of reaction | Wave properties Chemical energy GCSE B1 Cells and Transport GCSE B2 Cell division – mitosis | GCSE C3 States of matter GCSE C1 Separation techniques GCSE B15 Ecological techniques GCSE B17 Biodiversity GCSE C2 The periodic table |
| Computing | 9.1 Digital graphics: using graphics software such as Adobe Creative Suite and Affinity to create graphics for specific audience and purpose 9.2 Introduction to Python Programming | 9.3 Exploring data science: exploring how to analyse and evaluate data to discover trends and correlations 9.3 More data modelling with spreadsheets: how to use spreadsheets to store and process numerical data | 9.4 Data representation: going audio visual: How do computers store data for images, sound and movies 9.5 Cyber security: How do computers keep our data safe? What are the risks with personal data and how can we ensure it is protected |
| English | Gothic genre: understanding the conventions of the genre with application across a diverse range of texts Identity poetry: studying a range of poems addressing the theme of identity, alongside poetic techniques and analysis | Purple Hibiscus, by Chiminanda Ngozi Adichie: a foray into Nigerian fiction, tackling challenging and thought-provoking topics Imaginative writing | GCSE Power and Conflict Poetry anthology: Preparation for the GCSE English Literature exam with the study of 15 poems exploring themes of war, power and identity |
| French | Where I live: Describe where you live and talk about where you would like to live in the future Food and drink: discuss what you eat and drink for 3 meals and use the past tense to talk about what you ate yesterday | Healthy living: talk about healthy and unhealthy habits and explain how you are going to be healthier in the future Holidays: describe a holiday in the future tense, including where you are going to go, how you are going to get there, where you are going to stay, and what you are going to do | Revision of KS3: Revisit all vocabulary and grammar taught Les Choristes film project: Watch and understand the French film Les Choristes, discuss the characters and give opinions on what you have watched. |
| German | Where I live: Describe where you live and talk about where you would like to live in the future Food and drink: Discuss what you eat and drink for 3 meals, and use the past tense to talk about what you ate yesterday | Holidays: Describe a holiday in the future tense, including where you are going to go, how you are going to get there, where you are going to stay and what you are going to do Sports: Revisit vocabulary from year 7. Develop your responses to talk about how often and with whom you play different sports | Revision of KS3: Revisit all vocabulary and grammar taught during KS3 to prepare you for study at GCSE Sophie Scholl film project: Watch and understand the German film Sophie Scholl, discuss the characters and give opinions on what you have watched |
| Geography | The Middle East: Mapping countries in the Middle East as well as the physical geography, study the rise of cities like Dubai and how it is trying to become more sustainable Ocean plastics: Study the impact of plastic in our oceans and understand how ocean currents have a significant impact on climates | Ecosystems: Developing understanding of ecosystems and biomes and how plants and animals are adapted to their environments, the negative impacts humans are having on ecosystems Russia: the physical geography of Russia and its influence on the world today | Urban change: Rio De Janeiro, opportunities and challenges of living in a megacity Urbanisation: decision making exercise |
| History | World War 2: What caused the war and the effects of the war that led to Nazi controlled Europe The Holocaust: Exploration of the state sponsored genocide of 6 million people in Europe | The Cold War: Students will look at the ideological war between USSR and USA that lasted nearly half a century to prove which was superior between Communism and Capitalism Civil rights campaign: The study of systematic racism in the USA, including the actions of Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and Malcom X | The Vietnam War: Students will look at the conflict between USA and North Vietnam as one of the most significant events of the Cold War |
| REW | Introduction to Humanism | Introduction to crime and punishment | Introduction to religion and life |
| Maths | Straight line graphs, forming and solving equations, testing conjectures, three dimensional shapes, constructions and congruency | Numbers, circle geometry, using percentages, maths and money, deduction, rotations and translation, Pythagoras’ Theorem | Enlargement and similarity, solving ratio and proportion problems, rates, probability, algebraic representation, polygon geometry |
| Music | The Beatles class band performance: Students will develop their ensemble skills by performing both melody and chords as a full class ensemble including instrumental parts on keyboard, guitar and ukulele | Film music composition using PC software: Students will complete a SoundTrap project composing music to fit with a horror film trailer (The Woman in Black). Students will learn about different features that are used in Horror films and be able to put these in time with a trailer | Pop song ensemble performance: Students will be in small bands using a variety of instruments learning how to perform a pop song of their choice. Students will take the lead in rehearsals and will learn how to manage their time effectively as what it would be like in a ‘real’ band. Students will perform chords, melody and counter-melodies in time with each other |
| Technology | Night Light/table lamp project. Further development of skills and knowledge of a variety of materials including polymers. Design ideas including biomimicry | Introduction to electronics producing circuit for light/lamp. Soldering, symbols, connectivity and how components are linked together to create a circuit | Chair project. The importance of research and how the work of others can be the basis of a product. Prototypes and modelling |
| Food | Culture: Students explore making a variety of cultural dishes such as burgers, chicken fajita’s. pasta sauce and Risotto | Relationships and Sex Education; Students develop their knowledge , understanding and skills of a wide range of elements surrounding RSE | Beckfoot bake off and dietary needs –Students make a variety of desert such as Scones, cookies, swiss roll and brownies and learn to identify and adapt to the dietary needs of children and babies |