STEAM
The STEAM curriculum integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. This interdisciplinary approach aims to help students develop critical thinking, creativity, curiosity and problem-solving skills, preparing them for future careers in a rapidly evolving world.
The curriculum enables students to experience awe and wonder through reflection on their behaviours and the behaviours of others. Our core values of respect, resilience and responsibility run through this curriculum ensuring that our students develop a deep understanding of what these values mean. The curriculum aims to develop deep curiosity through exploration and reflection.
The themes for each year groups are as follows:
Year 7 – ‘Our Place On Our Planet’.
This curriculum focuses on the core values of respect and responsibility. The curriculum shows students how to build a more sustainable planet and how we can make ourselves, the school community and the local community more sustainable. The curriculum starts with students watching the Netflix documentary 'A Life on our Planet' by David Attenborough to help them understand the issues facing planet Earth. Students then explore the amazing ways in which technology could allow us to build a more sustainable planet and protect it for future generations.
Students will be taught to understand their moral and spiritual responsibilities in protecting our planet for future generations. The curriculum will help students to understand their role in the local community and how they can influence local politics and give their opinions on projects that will affect their future.
Students in Year 7 will be working towards the Blue Peter Green badge during their STEAM project. Students will need to go to the webpage to complete the questionnaire once they have completed the necessary work.
Year 8 – ‘Problem Solving and Resilience’.
The Year 8 curriculum focuses on the core value of resilience. The curriculum opens student’s eyes to how scientists and engineers have had to show great resilience to achieve some of the incredible engineering projects we see today, such as the Maglev trains, Formula One cars and rockets for space exploration. The students will focus how transport and housing and space exploration has developed over time and how engineers have overcome problems to achieve success. Students will experience what it is like to develop a new idea and how problems must be overcome to achieve long term success.
Year 9 – ‘Curiosity and the Future of the Human Race’.
Year 9 focus on the core value of resilience. The curriculum is built on ‘The Martian’ book by Andy Wier. Students link their learning of STEAM practical skills to extracts from the book.
In the book, the astronaut, Mark Watney has been left on Mars. He has to use his scientific and engineering knowledge to stay alive long enough for him to find a way home. Students use their knowledge to understand the issues that Mark Watney faces and are helped to understand how he shows incredible resilience and problem solving to survive. The full book is read during our daily reading time.
Know and remember - Core knowledge
Below is a document displaying the knowledge that we believe all KS3 students should embed within their long term memory in order to be successful in the STEAM curriculum. Our KS3 assessments are based on this knowledge so you can use this document to support your revision.
