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

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

Core subjects

English language and literature

  • English Language Paper 1
  • English Language Paper 2
  • Spoken Language
  • English Literature Paper 1
  • English Literature Paper 2
  • Mock preparation
  • Bespoke revision and teaching

Geography

Autumn term

  • Unit 2 – Challenges in the Human environment
    Section A – Urban issues.
  • The Urban world, Urban change in the UK and Sustainable urban development

Spring term

  • Section B – Changing economic world.
  • The development gap, Nigeria, the changing UK economy.
  • Pre-lease material for Paper 3.

Summer term

  • Section C Resource management, Food management
  • Revision of Physical world and human challenges

History

Autumn term

  • Elizabethan Age – The Elizabethan Poor, The Religious Settlement, Catholic Threat,

Spring term

  • Elizabethan England continued: The Spanish Armada, The Puritan Threat
  • 1920s USA, A nation of Contrasts – Immigration, Religion and race, Economic boom

Summer term

  • 1920s USA continued – End of prosperity and Popular entertainment.
  • Revision of UK and Medicine and Elizabethan content.

Mathematics

Autumn term

Bespoke scheme of work adapted from end of year 10 mocks

Spring term

Bespoke revision program created from October mocks

Modern foreign languages

Spanish

Autumn term

  • Environment
  • Holidays

Spring term

  • School
  • Post-16/University
  • Jobs and Careers

Summer term

  • Exam Skills and Revision

French

Autumn term

  • Environment
  • Holidays

Spring term

  • School
  • Post-16/University
  • Jobs and Careers

Summer term

  • Exam Skills and Revision

Religious studies*

Autumn term

  • Issues of Relationships – continued
  • Issues of life and death

Spring term

  • Issues of good and evil
  • Issues of Human rights

Summer term

  • Revision of Christianity Beliefs and Practices
  • Revision of Judaism Beliefs and Practices

* Parents and carers have the right to request their child is withdrawn from all or parts of religious studies.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

  • Inheritance and Variation
  • Rate and Extent of Chemical Change
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemical Changes Part 1
  • Mocks Round 1

Spring term

  • Chemical Changes Part 2
  • Electricity
  • Mocks Round 2/Revision for GCSE Exams

Summer term

  • Revision for GCSE Exams

Optional subjects

Art

  • Portfolio work
  • Set task

Business studies

Theme 1: Business Activity: (written exam, 50%)

  • Business activity
  • Marketing
  • People
  • Operations
  • Finance
  • Influences on Business

 

Theme 2: Building a business (written exam, 50%)
• Growing the business
• Making marketing decisions
• Making operational decisions
• Making financial decisions
• Making human resource decisions

Child development and care

Autumn term

  • Studying appropriate equipment for a nursery, specifically changing equipment and outside play equipment.
  • Designing a floor plan for a feeding area of the nursery and analysising it for safety hazards

Spring term

  • Students will be analysising two types of formula (lacto free and goats)
  • Looking at dietary requirements for toddlers
  • Making a bottle of formula then evaluating it

Summer term

  • Exam revision

Computer Science

Unit 1 – Computer Systems (written exam, 50%)

Computer systems focuses on some of the key theory studied over Year 10 and Year 11. The units of study are categorised into 6 key units with sub topics included in each of these. These units will be worked on through Year 10 and Year 11.

1.1 Systems Architecture

1.2 Memory & Storage

1.3 Computer Networks, Connections and Protocols

1.4 Network Security

1.5 Systems Software

1.6 Ethical, Legal, Cultural and Environmental Issues

 

Unit 2 – Computational thinking, Algorithms and Programming (written exam, 50%)

Unit 2 will focus on some of the practical elements of Computer Science and the theory behind programming. They will apply some of the knowledge and understanding that they gained in Unit 1. The units of study are categorised into 5 key units with sub topics included in each of these. These units will be worked on through Year 10 and Year 11 with practical lessons alongside.

2.1 Algorithms

2.2 Programming Fundamentals

2.3 Producing Robust Programs

2.4 Boolean Logic

2.5 Programming Languages and IDE

Construction

Unit 1: safety and security in construction
(external assessment online)
Unit 2: practical construction skills (internal assessment)
Unit 3: planning construction projects

Dance

Autumn term

  • Choreography
  • Duet Performance
  • Solo Performance
  • Anthology
  • Choreographic Skills
  • Performance Skills

Spring term

  • Choreography
  • Anthology
  • Choreographic Skills
  • Performance Skills

Summer term

  • Written Exam Revision

Design and technology

Drama

Autumn term

  • Live Theatre
  • Performing Texts

Spring term

  • Blood Brothers
  • Performing Texts
  • Concept Pro Forma

Summer term

  • Written Exam Revision

Engineering design

This course is assessed through four units:

25% R105: design briefs, design specifications and user
requirements (exam)

25% R106: product analysis and research task
(how products are made)*

25% R107: developing and presenting engineering designs*

25% R108: 3D design realisation (making task)*

* internally assessed

Hair and beauty

• develop a broad understanding of the hair and beauty sector
• develop significant knowledge, which spans the entire vocational sector and related industries
• develop academic and study skills, that will support progression within the hair and beauty sector and, more broadly, across a range of sectors

Health and social care

• Essential values of care, for use with individuals in care settings
• Communicating and working with individuals in health, social care and early years settings
• Understanding body systems and disorders
• Understanding life stages

Hospitality and catering

• Meanings of food related terms
• Equipment
• Safety and first aid
• Recipe adaption
• Healthy eating
• Presentation techniques
• Environmental issues
• The hospitality industry
• Types of service
• Planning for functions
• Team work and communication

Media

You will study lots of different media forms, such as:

  • Television
  • Online media
  • Advertising and marketing
  • Film marketing
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Social and participatory media
  • Music videos
  • Radio
  • Video games

Music

Autumn term

  • Producing Music to a brief
  • Performance and composition
  • Rehearsal Log

Spring term

  • Producing Music to a brief
  • Performance and composition
  • Rehearsal Log

Summer term

  • Producing Music to a brief
  • Performance and composition
  • Rehearsal Log

Music Development Plan

Physical education

  • Improving social skills and enhancing social behaviour
  • Focus on wellbeing, positivity and appreciation of healthy body and mind
  • Choice of PE pathway
  • Developing components of fitness
  • Outdoor pursuits and awareness of outdoor activities – OCR
  • Performance and sports leadership – OCR

Photography

  • Portfolio
  • Set task

Psychology

Autumn term

  • Social influence
  • Brain and Neuropsychology
  • Revision

Spring term

  • Brain and Neuropsychology
  • Psychological problems

Summer term

    • Revision

Sociology

Autumn term

  • Crime and Deviance

Spring term

  • Social Differentiation and stratification

Summer term

    • Applied methods of sociological enquiry

Triple science

Biology

Autumn term

  • Further Inheritance and Variation
  • Further Infection and Response
  • Further Organisation

Spring term

  • Further Organisation
  • Further Homeostasis
  • Further Ecology

Summer term

  • Revision for GCSE Exams

Chemistry

Autumn term

  • Rate of Reaction
  • Chemical Changes
  • Further Chemical Analysis

Spring term

  • Further Quantitative Chemistry
  • Further Organic Chemistry

Summer term

  • Revision for GCSE Exams

Physics

Autumn term

  • Further Electricity
  • Further Waves/Space

Spring term

  • Further Waves
  • Further Forces

Summer term

  • Revision for GCSE Exams