We’ve had a great week of learning, with students working hard, asking thoughtful questions, and building on key skills across our lessons. Here are a few highlights from the week.
We have started our new Travel Writing unit this week. Students were introduced to different types of travel writing and explored how writers adapt their work for different purposes and audiences. They analysed key features of travel texts, developed descriptive writing using the five senses, and focused on improving vocabulary choices for greater impact. Students then moved on to persuasive writing, learning a range of persuasive techniques and applying them through spoken and written tasks. They finished this section of the unit by planning and writing their own persuasive travel articles, using clear structure, engaging openings and appropriate language to appeal to a reader.
In Science, students explored levers and how they help reduce the force needed to move heavy objects. They designed and built their own lever systems, identifying the pivot, load and effort, and tested how changing the position of the pivot affected how easily a load could be lifted.
In History, students learned about the Suffragists and how they campaigned peacefully for the right to vote. They researched key figures and methods such as petitions, public meetings and pamphlets, and added this information to their class poster to compare Suffragist approaches with those of the Suffragettes. They also began researching the key factors that led to some women receiving the vote in 1918, helping them understand how different campaigns and wider events contributed to change.
Maths
Year 7
This week we have studied the units below. If any parents wish to meet with me about a student’s progress in maths, please let me know.
- Order directed numbers using lines and appropriate symbols
- Perform calculations that cross zero
- Add directed numbers
- Subtract directed numbers
- Multiplication of directed numbers
Year 8
This week students began a new topic on standard index form.
- Spr.5.1 – Investigate positive powers of 10: Students learned how numbers can be written using powers of 10 and explored place value patterns.
- Spr.5.2 – Work with numbers greater than 1 in standard form: Students practised converting large numbers into standard form and writing standard form numbers in ordinary form.
- Spr.5.3 – Investigate negative powers of 10: Students explored how negative indices represent very small numbers.
- Spr.5.4 – Work with numbers between 0 and 1 in standard form: Students convert small decimal numbers into standard form and vice versa.
- Spr.5.5 – Compare and order numbers in standard form: Students learned strategies to compare and arrange standard form numbers by looking at powers and coefficients.
- Spr.5.6 – Mentally calculate with numbers in standard form: Students practised simple mental calculations using standard form.
- Spr.5.7 – Add and subtract numbers in standard form: Students applied their knowledge to perform addition and subtraction with numbers written in standard form.
Year 9
Maths – Money- Students learned to solve real-life problems involving unit pricing (Spr.3.7).
- An assessment was completed on this topic and students performed well.
- Spr.4.1 – Angles in parallel lines .
- Spr.4.2 – Solving angle problems using chains of reasoning.
- Spr.4.3 – Solving angle problems involving algebra.
Students showed good understanding of the topic and practised a variety of questions to strengthen their skills.
