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Key Stage 3

The aim of our Key Stage 3 curriculum is to develop successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.

The KS3 course is divided into six units of work which last approximately a term each.  During each of these units students will have the opportunity to perform on their own instruments and are encouraged to bring them to every lesson.

Steel drums

Students will study the rhythmic characteristics of calypso.  They will perform in a steel band and also have an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience as part of a summer concert.

70’s Disco

Students will compose and perform various pieces of 70’s disco.  They will compose a 70’s disco piece using either garage band or logic and use the state of the art recording studio to record the final vocal track.

Irish Music

Students will perform various pieces of Irish music.  They will compose a piece of Irish music based on music from the pentatonic scale.  This will be based around a given structure.

Keyboard Music

Students will work individually on a series of differentiated keyboard pieces.  They will be formally assessed at the end of the project and a certificate will be awarded and presented in assembly depending on the level achieved.

Riffs and loops

Students will listen to and perform various pieces of pop music based on riffs and loops.  They will compose their own music featuring a number of riffs sing garage band.

Samba Drumming

Students will study the rhythmic characteristics of samba.  They will perform in a samba band and also have an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience as part of a summer concert.

Solo Performance Project

Students will work towards a performance that will take place in front of the class.  They will perform a solo piece of their choice that will be formally assessed.

At Corby Business Academy, one music room is equipped with 25 bespoke mac computers containing software such as garage band, logic and Sibelius.  The other music room is equipped with 25 keyboards.  We also have access to a set of steel drums, samba drums and ukuleles.  In addition we have a state of the art recording studio.

At Key Stage 3 students learn follow the national curriculum and taught to:

More specifically, the learn about components of a computer system, how to think like computer scientist, how the web works and web page creation, creating animation, using spreadsheets and databases computer programming.

In Year 7 students learn about:

In Year 8 students learn about:

  • Understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
  • Analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
  • Evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
  • Be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
  • Introduction to computer systems
  • Scratch programming
  • Spreadsheets concepts
  • E-safety
  • Drawing and manipulating shapes
  • Programming using Python
  • Prototype mobile app development
  • Advanced spreadsheet concepts
  • Web development using HTML

In AMID Year 7 and Year 8 follow a 10 week rotational programme that covers the following subjects: Art, Resistant Materials, Textiles and Food.

In Design & Technology

Year 7:

Textiles: This project introduces the year 7 students to textiles looking at various practical techniques and the theory behind it. This leads in to the main project where students make felt ‘Mexican Monsters’ inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead.

Resistant Materials: During this rotation students explore a variety of techniques working with wood using the Australian aboriginal culture as a theme. They use these skills to produce a wooden money box.

Food: The year 7 food rotation allows students to learn various practical skills to build up their independence within the kitchen. They will use a variety of equipment in the industrial style kitchen, from the hob to chopping skills to the oven, working their way through a range of recipes.

Year 8:

Textiles: This textile rotation looks at different ways of applying colour and is called ‘To dye for…”. Students design a repeat pattern on 2D Design and then sublimation print the design on to fabric. This is used to make a ‘Phone Pillow’. Their next project is a tie dye t-shirt that features other textile techniques to decorate it.

Resistant Materials: During this rotation students work with CAD software to lead up to the making of a pewter key fob using the Native American culture.

Food: The year 8 food rotation builds on their skills from year 7 to continue building their practical skills to develop their confidence. They work through a range of recipes and follow this up with theory lessons to understand the science and nutrition behind the practical.

Art:

Year 7: During the first part of the rotation students will learn how to draw from direct observation by using a variety of objects. Students will understand how to record form, texture and tone through experimental mark-making and media. In the second part of the rotation students will be introduced to ceramics. They will learn how to handle and manipulate clay in order to create a 3-dimensional object. All students will be able to bring home their handcrafted bobble bowls!

Year 8: During the first part of the rotation students will explore colour though the use of wet media. Furthermore, they will be able to link their work directly with current and past artists in order to understand techniques and composition. In the second part of the rotation students will explore Graphic Communication techniques. They will interpret and create 2 dimensional/relief outcomes in the style of Pop Artists.

During Key Stage 3 students will study a range of biology, chemistry and physics topics.

In Year 7 topics looked at will include:  Ecology and Classification, Particle Model, Electrical Circuits, Cells and Reproduction, Ph Scale and Solutions, Forces, Rock Cycle, Health and Disease, Periodic Table and Compounds.

In Year 8 topics studied will include: Heat and Energy Generation, Digestion and Respiration, Space, Ecology and Environment, Metals and Reactivity, Pressure and Moments, Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Environmental Chemistry and Materials.

Ethics has this year been introduced to our KS3 curriculum. The purpose of our Ethics lessons is to promote ethical thinking, cultural cohesion and respect for the values of others. As this is a new subject, yr7 & 8 are currently following the same content.

  • Understanding ethics
  • Ethical and moral dilemmas
  • Ethics and the environment
  • The value of life
  • Prejudice and discrimination

Mathematics is a key subject because of the vital role mathematical thinking has for all members of modern society. It is used in the workplace, business and finance; and for personal decision-making.  It is fundamental to national prosperity in providing tools for understanding science, engineering, technology and economics, and essential in public decision-making.

It gives our students uniquely powerful ways to describe, analyse and change the world. It stimulates moments of pleasure and wonder for them when they solve a problem for the first time, discover a more elegant solution, or notice hidden connections. People who are functional in mathematics and financially capable are able to think independently in applied and abstract ways, and can reason, solve problems and assess risk. 

At Key Stage 3 students follow a programme of work in line with the National Curriculum in Year 7 and Year 8. They cover Number, Algebra, Geometry and Statistics topics and complete a range different activities in their lessons.

Changes made to the National Curriculum at Key Stage 4 have been filtered into the topics being taught during these years to allow the students further challenge and they are given the change to explore the topic and discover the knowledge independently.

Students are set one piece of homework per week to complete. They can stay on for Session 6 should they require any support with either classwork or homework. We also run session 6 activities on problem-solving to help support students.

In KS3 History, students are taken on journey covering some of the most famous riots and battles, as well guts and gore.

In Year 7 students study: what is history, Normans, Battle of Hastings, Medieval kings, Rats & Rebels, The War of Roses, Henry the VIII, Religious reform, Britannia and The Civil War.

In Year 8 students will study; The French Revolution, Making Money, Riots (Peterloo), The Industrial Revolution, Dirty Cities, Native Americans, Civil rights movement and World War 1 local studies.

KS3 geography lessons are divided into physical and human geography. The termly units contain content on a variety of topics to help inspire students about the world around, near and far and at the same time learn some key geographical skills.

In Year 7 physical geography, students will study: maps and mapping, glaciers, rivers and coasts. The human geography includes: The UK, Corby, Asia, China and Japan.

In Year 8 physical geography, students will study: Earthquakes and volcanoes, living off the Earth’s resources, weather, global warming, glaciers and a project based on materials from the Royal Geographical Society which forms the basis of their annual competition. Last year this was Changing Britain. The human geography includes: population, urbanisation, earning a living, international development, Russia and the Middle East.

At Key Stage 3 students are introduced to French or Spanish language and culture and develop skills in the four skills of language acquisition - listening, speaking, reading and writing. Lessons are interactive and employ a variety of approaches to develop students' communicative competence and personal, learning and thinking skills. In the new curriculum, there is an emphasis on grammar, translation from and into the target language, and use of authentic resources, including literary texts. Students are encouraged to study independently and learn vocabulary for weekly tests to prepare them for linear examinations in the future.

Each term there are ‘seasonal’ activities and inter-cultural understanding lessons involving reading and listening for gist and manipulating language. Students compare their own culture with that of France or Spain and other countries where the language is spoken. They also learn about the lives of young people in these countries through sessions with the language assistants.

In year 7, students cover the following topics at a basic level: greetings, numbers, days and months, classroom instructions, opinions, hobbies, home, family and pets, food and the weather. In the last term, they learn to give information about themselves and others in more detail, including describing their favourite celebrity.

In year 8, progress is accelerated as students ‘recycle’ core language within a variety of topics: school life, technology and hobbies, the town, holidays and plans for the future. In the last term, students learn about different subjects through the medium of French or Spanish – animals, art and food.

At Key Stage 3, students explore a range of prose, poetry, plays and non-fiction texts.  We cover a broad range of texts from Charles Dickens to Louis Sachar to ensure that the students engage with the subject, as well as being prepared for the GCSE curriculum. Texts are delivered through a variety of approaches, which encourage students to be creative, imaginative and critical learners.  Students are given opportunities to work both independently and collaboratively, and to develop skills in speaking and listening, reading, writing and drama.   Students' work is assessed regularly, and they are guided to reflect on their own performance and how they might reach their potential.

As part of Key Stage 3 Active students will experience a wide variety of sports. Throughout Year 7 to 9 these will take place on a rotational basis and will include basketball, netball, football, hockey, dance, badminton, trampolining, rugby, rounders, athletics and tennis.