English

Welcome back!   This term’s main text will be ‘Twelfth Night’ by William Shakespeare, arguably his best comedy, to lift our spirits as the days grow longer.  There’s a production coming to the Arts Theatre in February;  alas, it is during half term so I can’t run a trip – but please try to go if you can!   I shall be taking my own children, as the Marlowe Society’s productions (they are Cambridge University’s main drama group) are always worth watching.   We are all off to Hampton Court in March, so expect some work to get us into a Tudor mood…

We shall be working on essay-writing skills, and focusing particularly on persuasive writing – how writers move us to change our minds, coax us to vote or buy things!  With Checkpoint tests coming early next term, there will be some timed practice of summary writing and comprehensions.  As ever, please encourage your child to read each day, learn spellings and use a dictionary and thesaurus.   I am keen to get you to proof-read your writing more carefully – new for some!   So please take pride in your work as you prepare for next year and the challenges of GCSE.

Maths

We are studying the following subjects in Maths this term: Indices, Standard Form, Fractions, Percentages, Linear Graphs (revision) and Equations (revision)

Biology: Breathing and Circulation including practical work on lung function and the heart

Chemistry: Rocks including the rock cycle , identification, use and a fieldtrip to Sedgwick

Physics: Magnets and Electromagnets including their functions and uses and practical applications. Revision

History- Britain and International Relations 1850-1918.

This term we will looking at the changing role of women and how they sought to have their voice heard in the political arena. We will study the contrasting beliefs held by the suffragists and suffragettes in their desire to obtain the vote for women. We will look at how women’s traditional roles changed throughout Europe as political tension grew in the lead up to the First World War. The term will finish with us studying the causes of the arms race and the tensions in Europe that led to the First World War.

Geography

Climate and Weather

This term we will be looking at weather and climate. Pupils will study how weather is recorded and will learn how to interpret climate graphs and weather maps. They will go on to study world climates and the factors that give rise to specific climatic zones. We will focus on several regions, Tropical, Mediterranean, Arid and Polar and look at how flora and fauna have had to adapt to the climate in order to survive. We will look at how all ecosystems are unique and how they are under threat from the impact of mans activities. Students will also study micro-climates undertaking some fieldwork and data collection in Cherry Hinton Park.

ICT

Sessions this term will cover a) Handling data, sequencing and modelling and b) Finding , using and communicating information.

This term, topics in our ICT sessions will include:

• James Bond database project

• Impact and use of ICT in society

Philosophy and Ethics.

This term pupils will look at Ethics. They will be addressing what is meant by Ethics along with some of the ethical theories and thinkers involved. Pupils will be asked to consider different issues raised and give their opinion on them.

French
Talking about a visit in France: schedule, naming places in a town and asking where they are, naming shops and things they sell, giving directions, talking about an exchange visit, going shopping. We will also be talking about health: keeping fit, exercise programme, healthy eating and healthy living. We will be able to give an opinion on a variety of subjects.

Grammar covered:
‘Aller’ + infinitive; ‘il faut’ + infinitive; using ‘vous’; prepositions: ’sur, dans, devant, derrière’; negatives: ‘ne … pas, ne …. jamais, ne rien’; using the imperative; present time.

Spanish

Shopping! Like our parents we will be studying clothing and prices and expressing why we like them. This will give us the fantastic opportunity to study demonstrative adjectives (this and that). Direct object pronouns will grip us as we shop for clothes, say what we are going to wear and dabble with the immediate future tense. I am going to love this. School uniform will occupy us and shops themselves.

Our second topic is tourism, looking at Jerez de Frontera and Malaga. We will finish with holidays, the preterite tense (I went to Benidorm) and we will write longer texts.

There is one end of unit test and numerous vocab tests. ¡Viva España!

Art

Ionian will be starting the term with a short project on composition, then following a visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum, will be using their research into Islamic Art to produce work in a variety of media.

Film-making

We are still working on group films which the class will now begin to edit. Our aim is for the whole class to have each made their own short film. Thereafter, the class will focus on two class drama film projects that will involve them as actors or crew.

PSHE

The focus this term is on world and local politics and world finances.

Personal Development

How do you know if you are eating well enough? What do you want do when you finish your education? How do you find out more about jobs or a career you are interested in? What does religion mean to you ? Why do you want to learn about politics in Cambridge? These will be some of the questions we will be addressing in this new topic based subject.

Current Affairs

This lesson comprises weekly debates around current enews from children friendly media websites.

Young Enterprise

The class will be encouraged to act with a social conscience by working in teams as we prepare to raise funds for our school charities. Practical skills of managing a project with financial responsibilities will be taught and an end of term competition will reward the winning team with a unusual surprise …