Below is a general overview of the topics students are taught throughout the year in each subject.

For a more in depth outline of each subject please click on the link for the subject page.

If you would like to speak to us about any aspect of our curriculum, please get in touch.

Art

Autumn term  Spring term  Summer term 
Landscapes –  

Students begin Year 9 looking at a range of landscape artists. Examining an artist’s work is at the heart of this project, with written analysis’ included alongside the replication of some famous landscape painting. 

 Portraits – 

Students spend time exploring the proportions of the face and developing their ability to draw facial features. This project concludes with a self-portrait to demonstrate the skills that have been enhanced throughout the term. 

 Sweets – 

Students end Year 9 with a ‘sweet treats’ project. This project mimics the GCSE coursework structure, including creating pieces of work inspired by an artist and producing a ‘final piece’ linking the styles of different artists together. 

Computing

Autumn term

  • Cyber crime
  • ICT In business

Spring term

  • iMedia project
  • Python

Summer term

  • Home technology
  • Emerging technologies

Dance

Autumn term

  • Rosie Kay

Spring term

  • Emancipation of expressionism

Summer term

  • Nutcracker ballet

Design and technology

Please note that that due to the different classes within a year group, students do not follow a set termly curriculum for Design and technology. Instead, all students will complete all of the below topics during different terms throughout the academic year.

Rotation   Rotation  Rotation 
Calendar 

Resistant materials 

Students create a wooden block calendar, demonstrating their ability to create successful lap joints, finger joints, planning, designing and using a range of hand tool and machinery. 

 Orientalism 

Textiles 

Students focus on orientalism for this textiles project. Using Batik and dying to create a finished product inspired by traditional oriental textiles.  

 Cooking 

Food 

Students investigate the Eatwell Guide, macro and micronutrients, and safety in the kitchen. Students complete a range of practical lessons, including those including high level skills linked to the GCSE.  

Drama

Autumn term

  • Physical theatre
  • DNA by Dennis Kelly

Spring term

  • Surrealism
  • 9/11 themed performance works

Summer term

  • Devising 9/11
  • Dragon’s Den

English language and literature

Autumn term

  • Orangeboy
  • Campaign and creative writing

Spring term

  • The woman in Black
  • A View from the Bridge
  • Non-fiction and fictional writing

Summer term

  • An Inspector calls
  • Persuasive and discussion writing
  • GCSE spoken language

Geography

Autumn term

  • Climate change
  • Ice landscapes

Spring term

  • Tourism
  • Tectonic hazards

Summer term

  • Weather hazards
  • Resources management

History

Autumn term

  • Black, British, belonging
  • USA Civil Rights

Spring term

  • Liberal warfare reforms
  • Development and status on Women

Summer term

  • The impact of the second world war
  • Elizabethan government and society

Mathematics

Foundation

Autumn term Spring term Summer term
-HCF/LCM

-Index Laws

-Standard Form

-Congruence and Similarity

-Quadratics

-Fractions

 -Substitution, Solving, Rearranging

-Circles

-Analysing Data

-Sequences

-Angles

-Ratio and Proportion

 -Percentages

-Pythagoras

-Real Life graphs

-Trigonometry

-Representing Data

-Scale Drawings

-Bearings

 

Higher

Autumn term Spring term Summer term
-Percentages

-Probability

-Graphs

-2d Shape

-Quadratics

-Simultaneous Equations

 -Inequalities

-Cumulative Frequency

-Surds

-Rearranging Formula

-Circle Theorems

 -Trigonometry

-Transformations

-Regions

-Histograms

-Algebraic Fractions

Modern foreign languages

Spanish

Autumn term

  • Fashion and shopping
  • Film study: The Book of Life

Spring term

  • Holidays
  • Planning a trip across South America

Summer term

  • Media and global issues

French

Autumn term

  • Discussing likes and dislikes
  • Future plans

Spring term

  • Music tastes
  • Eating habits

Summer term

  • Francophone countries
  • Animals
  • The environment

Music

Autumn term

  • Music for stage and screen
  • Somewhere Over The Rainbow
  • Jingle Bells

Spring term

  • Ukelele
  • Great composers

Summer term

  • Musical variations
  • Composition
  • Brit Pop

Music Development Plan

Physical education

Autumn term Spring term Summer term
  • Rugby
  • Trampolining
  • Netball
  • Handball

 
  • Netball
  • Fitness
  • Trampolining
  • Badminton

 
  • Athletics
  • Cricket
  • Badminton

 

Religious studies*

Autumn term

  • Buddhism
  • Science and religion

Spring term

  • Life and death

Summer term

  • Crime and punishment
  • War and peace

* Parents and carers have the right to request their child is withdrawn from all or parts of religious studies. Requests can be made by contacting the academy at office@retfordoaks-ac.org.uk

Science

Autumn term  Spring term  Summer term 
Biology 

  • Cell structure and transport, Cell division 
  • Organisation and the digestive system 

Physics 

  • Conservation and dissipation of energy Energy transfer by heating 
  • Energy resources 
 Chemistry 

  • Atomic structure  
  • The periodic table 
  • The Earth’s atmosphere 

Biology 

  • Non-communicable diseases 
  • Organising animals and plants 
  • Communicable disease  

 

 Biology  

  • Preventing and treating disease 

Physics 

  • Particle Model  
  • Atomic structure and radioactivity 

Chemistry 

  • Structure and bonding