Below you will find information on our curriculum for every subject we offer. If you’d like to learn more about the curriculum we follow for a particular subject then please contact the school office.
Aspire North East MAT Curriculum Intent
What We Are Learning Spring Term 2025
Below you will find tables for every year group briefly explaining what they are learning in each subject this half term. You can find much more detail on our curriculum for every subject (Including Knowledge Organisers) by visiting that specific subject’s dedicated page.
You can download the full table of what we are learning for this term below.
• What We Are Learning Spring Term 1 2025
• What We Are Learning Spring Term 2 2025
Year 7 Spring 1
Curriculum Area
Year 7: Spring 1
Maths
All students will study probability including working with frequency spaces. In addition all students will study aspects of data including bar charts, scatter graphs and pie charts.
English
‘War Through Language’ – pupils will study and analyse a range of non-fiction and fiction extracts linked by theme of the war. Pupils will also write their own non-fiction texts using the theme of war as a stimulus.
Science
Speed – this topic focuses on calculating and investigating speed of objects and how this can be represented graphically. How do plants reproduce?
Geography
World of Weather Local to global- weather and climate, hostile environments, deserts
History
Development of Church, State and Society 1066-1509 Did Medieval Kings have all the power?
Outdoor Learning
Forest Trails (Biodiversity)-Tree and plant identification, Habitat mapping
MFL
¿Qué estudias? A seven-week module that teaches the students how to talk about school life
Aspire
SMSC: How Can I Express My Identity?
Art
Portraiture: Who is Paper Monster?
Music
Music for Media (Film) with Instruments of the Orchestra
Technology
Food: The Eatwell Guide-How can we eat a balanced diet RM: Tools & Equipment: What different tools are used in a workshop
Sport
Swimming top up. Badminton
Computing
Introduction to Spreadsheets: IT
Year 8 Spring 1
Curriculum Area
Year 8: Spring 1
Maths
Most students will study ration recipes and best buys, four transformations, graphs, speed, time, distance. Some will study coordinates and equations
English
Speeches: Pupils study a range of speeches on a variety of different topics to consolidate/build on their ability to interpret and analyse nonfiction texts.
Science
Respiration. Photosynthesis. Types of Reaction. Chemical Energy.
Geography
World of Work -making connections between rural/urban landscapes and the opportunities offered in these places, linking directly into levels of wealth and economic development.
History
Challenges for Britain, Europe & wider world 1901-present: How did Charlie Buchan go from SAFC to the Somme?
Outdoor Learning
UK Land Use (Location): Exploration of historic land use in Sunderland.
MFL
¿Adónde fuiste de vacaciones? A seven-week module that explores talking about holidays and introduces the past tense.
Aspire
SMSC: What are British Values?
Art
Pop Portraits: Using photoshop and grid drawing to create own Pop painting
Music
Music Through Time & Performance Skills
Technology
Food: Staple foods and food commodities- Where does it come from and how is it made? RM: Practical skills- Apply knowledge of hand tools and machinery to create a mitre and comb joint.
Sport
Badminton, table tennis, swimming stroke development top up
Computing
Turing Lab – Python Programming: CS
Year 9 Spring 1
Curriculum Area
Year 9: Spring 1
Maths
All students will study transformations, ratio and statistics. All will study equations and students in sets 1&2 will study probability.
English
Blood Brothers: Pupils will study the whole play to consolidate/extend their understanding of dramatic conventions.
Science
Fundamental Materials: Atoms. Periodic Table. Reactions.
Geography
World Development: making connections between physical and human features and the impact these can have on the development of a country
History
Through time study: Protest through time Early Modern to Present Day: How have we protested?
Outdoor Learning
Working Woods (Sustainability) Explore the forestry industry within the UK, investigating sustainable wood production and supply in the UK
MFL
¿Qué haces con tu móvil? A seven-week module that builds on prior learning in KS3 to enable students to speak with more fluency about what they lik
Aspire
SMSC: What Does it Mean to be a Global Citizen?
Art
Protest Art: Personal Response
Music
The Blues: American Music & World Music
Technology
Food: Food: Food commodities and labelling What labelling is required on food? Where does our food come from? RM: Perspective Drawing Textiles: Technique samples Carry out a variety of decorative techniques including Batik, block printing and tie-dye.
Sport
Develop individual skills in badminton and table tennis, serving, game play, umpiring Table Tennis, Rugby, Badminton, Fitness
Computing
Python Programming – Chat Bot: CS
Year 10 Spring 1
Curriculum Area
Year 10: Spring 1
Maths
Set 1 & 2 will study transformations, constructions and loci; averages and ranges and symmetry, similarity & congruence. All others will study expanding and simplifying real life graphs
English
Literature: P&C Poetry, Unseen Poetry, A Christmas Carol Language: Writing-Haunting of Hill House- introduction to fiction writing Paper 2 Reading – Nursing – Development of Non-Fiction Reading skills:
Science
Biology 4: Bioenergetics- Respiration and Photosynthesis. Chemistry 4/5: Acids. Alkalis. Reaction profiles, Bond Energies
Geography
Urban Issues and Challenges UK Case study – Sunderland
History
Conflict and Tension: the inter-war years, 1918-1939 Part Two-The League of Nations and international peace
MFL
French: Ma vie scolaire A seven week module that covers studying and future plans Spanish: Mi gente, mi mundo A seven week module that covers People and lifestyle, popular culture, communication and the world around us.
Engineering
R039: Drawing & Development Task 1 Analysis of brief and specification. Freehand sketches. Task 2 design development. Task 3 – orthographic drawing
Hospitality and Catering
Unit 2: 2.3.1 Food safety Unit 1 1.4.1 Food related causes of ill health Unit 1 1.4.2 Symptoms and signs of food induced ill health 2.3.1 How to prepare and make dishes.
Art
Personal Response: independently exploring artists work to create own art
Computing (Digital IT)
Component 2: Collecting, Presenting and Interpreting Data
Child Development
RO58 – Create a safe environment and understand the nutritional needs of children from birth to five years
Sport
Core: Table tennis, Badminton, Fitness . Option: Topic Content area 6: Impact of lifestyle on health and fitness, Topic – Content area 7: Applying health and fitness analysis and setting goals
Media
Film is a powerful medium that shapes culture and influences our pupils’ understanding of the world
Land Based Studies
Unit 202 – Health and Wellbeing of Animals
Aspire
SMSC: How Do I Reduce Risk?
Year 11 Spring 1
Curriculum Area
Year 11: Spring 1
Maths
Sets 1 & 2 will Students will study bearings, vectors, proof, equations of circles, y = mx + c, iterations and loci as well as probability. Other sets will study Pythagoras & trigonometry, graphs, Venn diagrams and percentages. With some students studying functional skill numeracy
English
Pupils will study a bespoke, interleaved determined by mock performance
Science
Chemistry 8: Chemical Analysis. Physics 6: Waves. Biology 7: Ecology
Geography
The Changing Economic World
History
Britain: Health and the People: A revolution in medicine
MFL
French: Speaking exam prep.
Engineering
R038: Final Exam (January)
Hospitality and Catering
Unit 2: 2.2.2 How to plan production. Unit 2: 2.3.2 Présentation techniques. 2.3.1 How to prepare and make dishes.
Art
Externally set assignment (examination preparation)
Photography
Externally set assignment (examination preparation)
Performing Arts
Component 3 – Responding to a brief. Essential Content – C – Apply skills and techniques in a workshop performance
Computing (Digital IT)
Component 3: Effective Digital Working Practices – GCSE Examination January
Child Development
RO57: External exam 10th January 2025Revision for potential resit of exam topics will be dependant on exam analysis and identified misconceptions from the previous exam using ‘Active results’:
Sport
External Exam – 8th January 2025
Media
Television students can develop a critical understanding of media language, narrative, and audience theory.
Aspire
SMSC: How Do I Prepare for Exams?
Year 7 Spring 2
Curriculum Area
Year 7: Spring 2
Maths
All students will study BIDMAS, estimation, conversions, bisectors and congruence. Some students will study similarity and a cross curricular project with ART. Set 1 & 2 will also study index laws and probability rules
English
Continuation od War Through Language, War poetry, selecting quotations, paragraphing, the world of war
Science
Earth’s structure: How are rocks formed? Universe: What is the composition of space? Energy costs and transfers: What does it cost to generate electricity?
Geography
World of Weather: Weather skills builder
History
Development of Church, State and Society 1066-1509 How far was the Black Death a disaster?
Outdoor Learning
Poetree– reflective reading in the forest
MFL
¿Cuántas personas hay en tu familia? : A six-week module that enables students to talk confidently about their family and friends.
Aspire
RE: What does it mean to be a Christian?
Art
Childhood project: How does Sarah Graham create work inspired by memory?
Music
Music for Media (Film) with focus on Leitmotif and Instrumentation impact on music in film.
Technology
Food: Seasonality and the environment RM: Design and Making- drawing skills to make a functioning product Textiles: Decorative techniques- applique, tie-dye and embellishment
Sport
Swimming stroke development, fitness and exercise to music (dance), Rugby
Computing
Past, Present and Future: IT/Digital Literacy Year 8 Spring 2
Curriculum Area
Year 8: Spring 2
Maths
All students will study inequalities, area, perimeter, volume and surface area. Some students will also study equations of circles and percentage change. Set 1 & 2 will also consider surface area of more complex shapes
English
Love and Relationships: Poetry. Structural analysis, embedding structure/extended devices, the World Human Conditions, dramatic performance.
Science
Contact forces: How do different forces affect objects? Pressure: What factors affect pressure in different changes of state?
Geography
Skills Builder: Urban habitats fieldwork
History
Challenges for Britain, Europe & wider world 1901-present: How was WWII a total war?
Outdoor Learning
Spring Awakening: biodiversity and identifying species
MFL
¿Qué haces con tu móvil? : A six-week module that builds on prior learning in Year 7 to enable students to speak with more fluency about what they like to do
Aspire
RE: Is death the end?
Art
What is expressive art? Exploring water colours
Music
Music Through Time & Performance Skills
Technology
Food: Diet related health RM: Practical skills- Follow health and safety protocol to use disc sander and pillar drill Textiles: Making skills- decorative techniques to create textile product
Sport
Swimming stroke development, top-up basketball, fitness testing and dance, rugby
Computing
Turning Lab FarmBot– Python Text Based Programming Year 9 Spring 2
Curriculum Area
Year 9: Spring 2
Maths
All students will study proportion and fractions, decimals and percentages. Some students will study equations and circles. Set 1 & 2 will also study functions
English
Blood Brothers: Pupils will study the whole play to consolidate/extend their understanding of dramatic conventions. Authorial intent, establishing tone and voice, impact of culture and identity.
Science
Fundamental Plants: What are the factors that affect plant tissues and organs?
Geography
Skills Builder: Geographical investigation/fieldwork
History
Significant society or issue in world history: Was the twentieth century ‘America’s century’?
Outdoor Learning
Small Mammal biodiversity investigation
MFL
¿Qué te gusta comer y beber? : A six-week module that builds on learning in KS3 to be able to describe food and drink preferences.
Aspire
RE: What difference does it make to be non-religious?
Art
My Identity: Developing drawing techniques and research tattoo artists
Music
The Blues: American Music & World Music (e.g. Jazz, Rock n Roll)
Technology
Food: Presentation, techniques and type of service RM: Health and Safety in the workshop Textiles: Designing initial ideas- fashion line up
Sport
Individual skills in badminton, table tennis, rules and regulations of badminton, fitness to exercise (dance), Rugby
Computing
Ethics of Computing: Digital literacy/ IT Year 10 Spring 2
Curriculum Area
Year 10: Spring 2
Maths
Set 1 & 2 will study surds; further trigonometry; accuracy and bounds. All other sets will study ratio and proportion, transformations and averages. Some students will study accuracy and bounds, pie charts.
English
Literature: A Christmas Carol, P& C poetry Language: Paper 2 Writing- Nursing-Development of non-fiction. Paper 1: Reading- Rebecca
Science
Homeostasis: How are body conditions controlled by hormones? Revision based upon common misconceptions
Geography
The Living World: Urban issues, making connections between economic status, understanding eco systems
History
Conflict and Tension: the inter-war years, 1918-1939 Part Three- The origins and outbreak of the Second World War
MFL
French: En plein forme -includes giving opinions about dishes, talking about meals and mealtimes, mental health, unhealthy lifestyle choices, improving your life and lifestyle changes. Spanish :Mi estilo de vida -cultural differences, healthy routines, mealtimes and food trends, comparing old and new habits, illness and injuries, making future wellbeing plans
Engineering
R039: Task 4 engineering exploded drawing and rendering. Task 5 CAD assembly drawing including mated components.
Hospitality and Catering
Unit 1: Customer requirements in hospitality and catering Unit 2 2.1.1 Understanding the importance of nutrition, Unit 2 2.1.2 How cooking methods can impact on nutritional value Unit 2 2.3.1 How to prepare and make dishes.
Art
Lora Zombie: Understanding theme and personal choice
Computing (Digital IT)
Data Presentation- how data I presented to make conclusions
Child Development
RO59- Understand the development of a child from one to five years
Sport
Core: Table tennis, Badminton, Fitness . Option: Topic Content area 8- Structure of a health and fitness programme and how to prepare safely
Media
Music Video- conventions, culture, production, audience and advertising
Land Based Studies
Synoptic Assignment: four tasks based on an scenario
Aspire
RE: Peace and Conflict Part 2 Year 11 Spring 2
Curriculum Area
Year 11: Spring 2
Maths
Set 1 & 2 will study circle theorems, fractions, decimals and percentages. All other students will study revision based upon misconceptions from mock exams and in class assessment
English
Pupils will study a bespoke, interleaved curriculum determined by mock performance
Science
Chemistry of the atmosphere: How has the Earth’s atmosphere changed over time and how have humans affected these changes? Using resources: What is the impact of products over their life cycle? Electromagnetism: What are permanent and temporary magnets and the factors that affect the strength of their fields?
Geography
The Changing Economic World: Case study Newcastle Science Park
History
Norman England: Norman Life
MFL
French: Examination preparation based upon gap analysis from mocks and key misconceptions
Engineering
R038: Final Exam (January)
Hospitality and Catering
How cooking methods can impact on nutritional value. Unit 2: 2.4.1 Reviewing of dishes.
Art
Externally set assignment (examination preparation)
Photography
Externally set assignment (examination preparation)
Performing Arts
Component 3 – Responding to a brief D – Evaluate the development process and outcome in response to a brief
Computing (Digital IT)
Component 3: Effective Digital Working Practices – Resist preparation based upon common misconceptions
Child Development
Revision for potential resit of exam topics will be dependant on exam analysis and identified misconceptions from the previous exam using ‘Active results’:
Sport
Revision based upon misconceptions as well as principles of training and how exercise intensity can be determined
Media
Newspapers- critical understanding of media language, news values and role of journalism
Aspire
SMSC: Relationships
Computing For All Curriculum Policy
The curriculum includes formal teaching through our timetabled Computing and Digital Information Technology lessons which is documented in our Computing curriculum policy. In compliance with the national curriculum, those pupils who do not opt to study at KS4, are given the opportunity to study computing at sufficient depth to allow them to access higher levels of study. This is achieved through a range of subjects and activities, to make purposeful, and relevant use of technologies.
View the Full Computing For All Curriculum Policy by Clicking Here
Here at Sandhill View Academy, we aim to securely equip all of our students for life beyond school as successful, confident, responsible and respectful citizens. We believe that education provides the key to social mobility and our curriculum is designed to build strong foundations in the knowledge, understanding and skills which lead to academic and personal success. We want our students to enjoy the challenges that learning offers. Ultimately, we want students to ‘Know More, Do More and Go Further’
Our aims are underpinned by a culture of high aspirations. Through developing positive relationships, we work towards every individual having a strong belief in their own abilities so that they work hard, build resilience and achieve their best.
