Year 7

Expectations at Year 7

Before starting at Bishopshalt, Year 7 have a number of opportunities to learn about the school; at the Intake Day in July, by reading the ‘Guide for New Pupils and Parents’, and at the Induction Day in September.

Following this, it is expected that new pupils focus on settling in to their new school as quickly as possible, and learn about, and live up to, our high expectations of work and behaviour. This includes:

Being smartly dressed in full school uniform
Bringing the correct books/equipment/kit that you need for school
Having the school Contact Book with you at all times
Following the instructions of all adults in the school
Behaving to a high standard in, and out of, school
Getting used to the new two-week school timetable
Concentrating and working to a high standard in lessons
Completing homework tasks to a high standard, and by the due date
Taking part in clubs and activities out of lesson time
Making new friends

Academic tutoring

Pupils are placed in forms for academic tutoring by the Head of Year 7 and the Director of Studies for Year 7. The forms comprise of approximately 30 pupils, and remain the same throughout key stages 3 and 4. The pupils spend time as a group twice a week in form time. During this time pupils will be monitored, contact books will be signed and basic administration will be completed.

Pupils will attend two main school assemblies directed at Key Stage 3 and a year assembly once a week on a Wednesday.

Pupils are taught citizenship as a form primarily by the form tutor, however visiting speakers, outside and in-house performances also contribute to the deliverance of the subject matter. The topics covered during Year 7 include healthy living, children’s rights, study skills and ‘you as a citizen’.

The academic tutoring of pupils is initiated by the Year 7 form tutors, reserve tutors, Head of Year and the Director of Studies for Year 7.

In October, parents and pupils are invited back to the school for a ‘Year 7 Progress evening’ during which key members of staff make presentations regarding how the new year group have settled in and progressed since the start of term.

Curriculum

Bishopshalt School is ‘above all else a place for learning’, and our in the classroom is for all pupils to reach their full potential. This can only be achieved in a school where there are high expectations both in behaviour and standards of work, both in class and for homework.

Pupils study a wide range of subjects in Year 7 consisting of Maths, English, Science, Geography, History, RE, Art, Technology, ICT, PE, Drama, French, Dance, Music and Citizenship.

Assessment and Reporting

Year 7 pupils sit an initial MidYis assessment on entering the school. MidYis will predict the target National Curriculum grade for the end of Key Stage 3, for each academic subject. Pupils also undertake literacy assessments at the start of term to assess their reading and writing skills.

The pupils will receive effort grades, National Curriculum levels and focus points three times a year in the autumn, spring and summer terms. The grades in the autumn and the summer terms will be used as the basis to discuss pupils’ progress, and set targets on the review days in November and July.

The pupils in Year 7 will receive their reports in the summer term and will have a Parents’ Consultation Evening in the spring term. At this evening parents and pupils are able to discuss the pupil’s progress and how to further improve effort and attainment grades.

Features of the year

On first joining the school, pupils are often surprised at the wide variety of new subjects that they are introduced to.

Having been designated Performing Arts College status since 1998, our curriculum offers a wide range of performing arts options. In Year 7, students have:

Drama once a week
Music once a week
Dance once a fortnight

In addition to this, pupils will be taught a range of new subjects in well-equipped specialist teaching areas, for example, Design and Technology, and Science.

Secondary School is not just about what happens during lesson times. There are a range of clubs and activities in the Arts, specific subject areas, and Sports that are available for pupils to join throughout the year, and we will encourage you to do so.

Remember this Arts mnemonic:-

   Acquire a new skill
   Realise your potential
   Try something new
   Start today!