Year 7 French

Year 7

Year 7 have been focussing on their French language skills for the first few weeks of the new term. We have introduced the pupils to new vocabulary that enables the pupils to describe themselves and their friends. We are keen for Year 7 to develop a greater sense of personal awareness. Simple facial features and characteristics have now become part of our French vocabulary.

We are also introducing French words to allow the pupils to describe their home settings and what activities they enjoy doing during any free time. We have been hearing about different rooms in our homes, as well as what these spaces are all used for. This has been presented in class both through oral conversations, as well as some written work in our French books.

Year 8 Weather Video

Year 8 have linked the recent snowy weather with our humanities work. As part of our geography work we have introduced to the pupils the idea of making a weather forecast. We started off or work by having a class discussion about what it actually means to make a forecast. We came up with the definition of explaining what we think the weather might be like in the future.

We then watch a recent BBC weather forecast on the class whiteboard. The pupils observed some of the new words and terms that we being used. These helped us with the next part of our work – making our own weather forecasts for the next few days!

Looking outside at the current conditions, we asked the pupils to think how the weather might behave for the rest of the week. Most of the pupils agreed that it was likely to stay cold, although some sun might just be able to break through.

We finished off this work by designing a weather poster to put across our forecasting skills. A couple of our Year 8 pupils explain more about their work in the video above.

Year 9 D & T Podcast

Year 9

Year 9 have started a new project during D & T lessons that will we will be working on for most of the spring term. Each pupil is designing and then making a highly personalised nametag collar that we can then wear with pride.

We started off this work with a rough piece of aluminum. Working in the specialist school D & T lab, our first few weeks of the new term have been spent cutting and shaping the design of our tags. Once this is complete we will then move on to polishing and smoothing the edges. The final part of the project is to stamp our names and dates of births on the tags.

Producing the end product of a nametag is only part of this exercise. We are using this process to help the pupils feel confident and safe in the Lansdowne D & T lab. We spend a great deal of time talking about safety precautions, and how we can all work together effectively in the lab.

Feeling confident in using the many specialist cutting and polishing machines is also a skill that we hope some pupils will then be able to take with them into the world of work. You can catch up with the progress of this project with one of our Year 9 pupils in the recording below.

Year 9 Science

Year 9

Year 9 have been learning about different forms of energy during recent science lessons. In particular we have been interested in finding out about how energy can change from one form to another.

This has been a very practical element to our understanding of science. We started off by looking at a toy clockwork mouse. The pupils observed how the initial energy started off as elastic potential inside the mechanics of the toy. Once this was wound up and released, it then became kinetic.

We then looked at the different stages of energy transformation that takes place when we light a candle. This starts off a chemical energy in a match, and then transfers to both light and heat energy in the candle itself. The pupils have been recording their findings in their science books and drawing a sequence of images to explain the different changes.

Year 10 Food Tech Video

Year 10 have been continuing to explore the topic of different cultural foods from around the world during recent Food Tech lessons. We are keen for the pupils to understand that although food is a common resource that we all need, different cultures have varying approaches to taste and preparation.

Out current geographical food location has seen the pupils learning and preparing a green Thai curry. We started off the lesson by asking the pupils about how this food might differ to some of the other dishes such as pasta or Greek salads that we have made. Having a spicy taste seemed to be the important feature for a green Thai curry.

Each pupil then went about preparing their own dish. We are keen for the pupils to work as independently as possible. Instructions are given regarding measurements and method. We encourage all pupils however to try and complete the task with as little adult help as possible.

You can watch a wonderful explanation of our recent Year 10 Food Tech session in the video above.

Year 11 P.E. Video

Gymnastics has been the main focus for our Year 11 pupils as part of their P.E. programme for the spring term. We are keen for the pupils to explore what types of movement and balance they are capable of achieving, as well as allowing them to feel confident through self-expression.

We have started off this work with a series of floor exercises. We will also build into this theme some vaulting exercises and more technical work on the Lansdowne School apparatus. An obstacle course will also be set up in the school gym. We want the pupils to understand how balance works, and why it is so important throughout many sporting and physical activities.

Year 11

Year 11