It was another busy and productive week for the Year 7,8,9 class. Here are some highlight from the week’s learning.
In the final stages of the Macbeth unit, students explored Macbeth’s increasing isolation and reliance on the witches, analysing the new prophecies and how they influence his violent decisions, including the murder of Macduff’s family. They then studied Malcolm and Macduff, focusing on ideas of kingship, loyalty, and how Malcolm tests Macduff’s honesty to prove his suitability as a future king. Lessons moved on to Lady Macbeth’s decline in Act 5, where students examined her sleepwalking scene and analysed how guilt and conscience overwhelm her. The class then explored the final scenes of the play, analysing Macbeth’s mindset and evaluating how audiences are encouraged to view him at the end of the tragedy. The unit concluded with a lesson on Macbeth as a Shakespearean tragedy, where students revisited key moments, themes, and characters to evaluate whether Macbeth can be considered a tragic hero and how Shakespeare uses the conventions of tragedy to impact the audience.
In History, students learned about the Suffragette movement, focusing on key figures and the tactics they used to campaign for the vote. They worked together to create a large poster showing important leaders, methods of protest and the slogan “Deeds, not words,” and evaluated how effective these actions were in helping women gain attention and challenge opposition.
In Geography, students completed their final task by learning about human rights and how these apply to refugees and displaced people. They read and discussed key ideas from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, identifying which rights are especially important for children, such as safety, education, and housing. Students considered how these rights can be difficult to access for people who have been forced to move, and explored how organisations, communities, and governments can help protect these rights. They also helped put together a display of their previous research.
In Science, students consolidated and reflected on their learning about forces and motion. They explained how forces such as gravity and friction affect movement, using examples from their ramp investigations and rollercoaster designs. Through diagrams, explanations and discussion, students demonstrated how understanding forces helps solve real-world challenges, linking their scientific learning back to the unit’s Big Idea.
Year 8
Fractions and Percentages
- Spr.4.8 – Express one number as a fraction or a percentage of another using calculator methods
- Spr.4.9 – Work with percentage change
- Spr.4.10 – Choose appropriate methods to solve percentage problems
- Spr.4.11 (H) – Find the original amount given a percentage less than 100%
- Spr.4.12 (H) – Find the original amount given a percentage greater than 100%
- Spr.4.13 (H) – Choose appropriate methods to solve complex percentage problems
Students will have a test on Monday. They are encouraged to revise thoroughly and practise a variety of percentage problems to prepare well.
Year 9
Maths – Money
- Spr.3.2: Calculated simple interest
- Spr.3.3: Calculated compound interest
- Spr.3.4: Solved problems involving Value Added Tax (VAT)
- Spr.3.5: Calculated wages and taxes
- Spr.3.6: Solved problems with exchange rates
- Students will have a test in the upcoming week. They are advised to revise and practise well.
