Welcome to Year 8
After completing their first year at Beckfoot Thornton, students will be accustomed to school expectations, values and behaviours. Year 8 students will be role models to our new Year 7s, and we therefore expect them to uphold our learning habits and act as prime examples to our new students.
Your Team
Our team will be here to support Year 8 in the second year of the educational journey at Beckfoot Thornton.
- Miss L Griffins – Head of Year 8
- 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. Learn more here.
Year 8
| Subject | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Cycle 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art | Plastic oceans – Environmental awareness, drawing, research | Plastic oceans – Environmental awareness, design, clay work Super-me – Portraiture | Super-me – portraiture |
| Science | Magnets Elements and compounds Circulatory and nervous system The periodic table Waves – light | Reactions of metals and non-metals Breathing and digestion Electricity – potential difference | Photosynthesis and respiration Chemical reactions 2: Equations and conservation of mass Energy, work and heating Evolution and inheritance Earth, rocks and space |
| Computing | 8.1 Data modelling with spreadsheets: how to use spreadsheets to store and process numerical data 8.2 Computing systems: what are the individual components that make up computers and their roles | 8.3 Mobile app development: using AppLab to make a mobile app, focusing on designing an effective interface and using coding techniques to develop functionality | 8.4 Introduction to Python programming/Edublocks: Programming using high-level language 8.5 Experience AI: Looking at what AI is used for, what machine learning is, and the potential problems of AI |
| English | Social justice poetry: exploring poems across a range of social themes from the Industrial Revolution to race and the marginalisation of women in society, applying poetry analysis skills alongside creative and persuasive writing | Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare: Developing understanding of Shakespeare and exploring aspects of the tragic genre, mastering transactional writing within the context of the play | Animal Farm, George Orwell: A study of texts and contexts with elements of descriptive writing, exploring aspects of non-fiction alongside the novel |
| French | Family relationships: Revisit describing your family, talking about how you get on with your family and explain why Free time: Give opinions on different genres of TV show and film, explain what you watched in the past tense | A week in Paris: Develop your cultural knowledge of the French capital city, use the past tense to describe a visit to Paris Describing yourself: Revisit vocabulary for describing yourself, talk about the clothes you wear and describe them | Education: revisit how you talk about school, describe what you have studied in the past tense Francophonie: learn all about French speakers from around the world, discuss the history of colonialism and learn about the French speaking countries including Morocco and Guadeloupe |
| German | Holidays: Talk about a holiday in the past tense. Describe where you went, how you got there and what you did Healthy living: Explain your healthy and unhealthy habits and talk about the health of other people too | Family relationships: Revisit describing your family from year 7. Talk about how you get on with your family and explain why School: Give opinions on your school subjects and describe your school. Talk about school in the past tense | Free time: Give opinions on different genres of TV show and film Berlin: Develop and understanding on the history of Berlin and the Berlin wall. Plan an imaginary future trip to Berlin |
| Geography | Urbanisation: We will look at why more people are moving to cities and and the opportunities and challenges people face Natural hazards: Here we study the theory of tectonic plates and the natural hazards that are created including earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions | Natural hazards: Atmospheric hazards and their impact on human environments Population: Where populations live and why people move from place to place, what dangers they may face on the journey | China: Looking at the physical geography and culture of China Globalisation and development: How does our increasingly connected world have both positive and negative impacts on people and the environment |
| History | Economic exploitation: Pupils will look at how humans have exploited each other over history, with an in-depth study of the Transatlantic slave trade Suffrage movement: Students will look at the brave campaign that enabled women to get the vote in Britain | Industrial Revolution: Pupils will analyse the impact the Industrial Revolution had on Britain British Empire: Students will look at colonisation and the empire and Britain created an empire that covered 25% of the Earth | World War 1: Students will study the causes of WW1 and the impact of trench warfare on frontline soldiers Rise of Hitler: Events from the end of WW1 to the election of Hitler as leader in Germany, analysing the factors that allowed this to happen |
| REW | Introduction to Eastern religions with the study of Hinduism | Study of Buddhism as a world religion | Study of Sikhism as a world religion |
| Maths | Ratio and scale, multiplicative change, multiplying and dividing fractions, working in cartesian plane, representing data, tables and probabilities | Brackets, equations and inequalities, sequences, indices, fractions and percentages, standard index form | Number sense, angles in parallel lines and polygons, area of triangles and circles, line symmetry and reflection, data handling, measures of location |
| Music | Classic Rock (Queen): Students will learn how to perform melody and chords as a duet introduction to dotted rhythms Superhero composition music: Students will compose a short motif for a superhero using the elements of music to develop their composition, they will be encouraged to use complex rhythms as well as composing chords and basslines | Reggae music: Students will develop their ensemble skills by performing both melody and chords as a full class ensemble, there will be the inclusion of keyboard, guitar and ukulele | Game music composition using PC software: Students will be introduced to SoundTrap to start their composition suitable for an 80’s style game (like Mario), students will learn about synthesisers and how technology has advanced to the modern day, students will compose a short ostinato, pedal note, chords and other features on the computer. |
| Technology | Study of designer De Stilj, introduction to casting (pewter keyring) | Use of CAD/CAM to produce a detailed mould, using appropriate PPE and equipment to cast a keyring, finish to a high standard | Automata or Bug Hotel project. (wood based). Furthe develop skills and understanding of how materials can be used to produce a product. CAD/CAM and mechanisms. |
| Food | Cooking methods, exploring how to make bread, roux sauce and vegetable curry, potato wedges and banana buns | Food provenance: Students learn how to make Jamaican rice, Moroccan chicken, tuna melt, chilli con carni – they will also select one and remake it to further develop their skills | Relationships: Students develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of relationships |