Term Topics

mark making, drawing techniques, monotone and composition.
This terms theme is - From Intention to Reality.

Also ongoing photography project reflecting our every day environment

This term pupils will:

• engage with a range of stimuli to develop critical and creative thinking skills
• adopt a role
• take part in improvisation
• devise scripts and use drama forms and strategies effectively to explore and present ideas
• employ sign, symbol, metaphor and image

KS3 and individual programmes will include analysis of various texts, poetry and formal writing, retrieving information and use of inference.

This term pupils will:

• continue to develop their knowledge of and skills in writing, refining their drafting skills and developing resilience to write at length in a variety of genres, both fiction and non-fiction
• study a contemporary English novel
• study one Shakespeare play
• read critically through: knowing how language, including figurative language, vocabulary choice, grammar, text structure and organisational features, presents meaning

This term pupils will:

• Develop the skills of analysing language, form and structure to create meanings and effects
• Use the Point/Evidence/Explain chain to express points in a clear and structured way
• Study a literary heritage text: Pride and Prejudice. They will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the text by maintaining a critical style, presenting an informed personal engagement and showing understanding of how the writer creates literary effects. They will understand the influence of contextual factors on the interpretation of texts.

This term pupils will:

• Study a selection of set texts from the anthology, both fiction and non-fiction.
• Recognise rhetorical devices used by authors to create certain effects and use the correct literary terminology.
• Use the Point/Evidence/Explain chain to express points in a clear and structured way.
• Develop transactional (non-fiction) writing skills: writing to inform, explain, review, argue, persuade or advise.

This term pupils will:

• Study a selection of set texts from the anthology, both fiction and non-fiction.
• Recognise rhetorical devices used by authors to create certain effects and use the correct literary terminology.
• Use the Point/Evidence/Explain chain to express points in a clear and structured way.
• Explore links and connections between writers’ ideas and perspectives in non-fiction texts in preparation for Paper 1, Section A.
• Develop transactional (non-fiction) writing skills: writing to inform, explain, review, argue, persuade or advise.

There are now six classes of adults attending French lessons at the Old School, from beginners through to advanced. Each class is working through material of the appropriate level, designed to combine grammatical knowledge with everyday communication and seeking to practise the four key skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

How to greet each other, name, age, where we live and descriptions of ourselves and each other, physically and character-wise: "Qui suis-je?"

Study book is STUDIO (Pearson Edexcel).

Urbanisation and Population
Developing aspects of human geography

Students embarking on the two year Geography IGCSE course begin their studies by looking at the Human Geography topics from the course. With the school being situated in the heart of the Lot-et-Garonne countryside, we are ideally placed to study the topic of Life in Rural Communities. Our studies focus on the challenges faced by those who live and work in rural areas and leads on nicely to the topic of Urban Environments which we shall be concentrating on next term.

Having completed the Human Geography topics during the previous academic year, students in their second year of the IGCSE Geography class are currently completing the two year course by covering the Physical Geography topics on the syllabus. In addition to River Landforms which we are studying this term, we shall be looking at Hazardous Environments when we return to school after the Christmas break. This will allow the students time from Easter onwards to look at the kind of questions which they will face in the two papers which they will sit in May and June.

Students embarking on the two year Geography A Level course have started their studies by looking at the compulsory topic of Globalisation. The focus of the work has been on the causes of globalisation and the reasons why it has accelerated over recent years. We have also looked at the impacts of globalisation for countries, different groups of people and cultures and shall be examining the consequences of this process for global development as well as how people respond to its challenges when we return to school after Half Term.
During the course of the academic year, students will also be studying the Physical Geography topic of Tectonic Processes and Hazards as well covering two out of four optional topics.

KS3 History
The Tudor monarchs and the Separation from Rome/Dissolution of the Monastries

This terms history is focused on Russia, pre revolution, World War 1, the year of revolution 1917, civil war and Stalin's Russia, 1905 to 1953.

Foundation level IGCSE, this allows a range of grades 5 - 1 ( up to a high C in old grades)

September - December
Geometry;

• angles in triangles, parallel lines, congruent triangles, theorem of Thales
• Areas and perimeters of regular shapes

• Expanding brackets, factorising single brackets, evaluating basic expressions,
• Quadratic equations, simultaneous equations including quadratics,

• ratio and proportion of number and volumes etc, percentages,

Higher level IGCSE, this allows the full range of grades 1 – 9 (up to A* in old grades)

September - December
All the above,
concentrating on the more complex issues including:

• 3 dimensional Figures for area of faces, volumes and 3D Pythagoras
• Quadratic equation to solve complex problems
• Rearranging equations, proportionality
• Gradients of curves, differentiation

We are discussing and debating Moral choices, in, everyday life and also crime on a bigger scale, and reasons for it. Talk from Vin Raymond, retired director of a Secure Childrens Home in England.

General overview of both papers using Christianity as the main religion. Work on "Conflict and Peace" (Part 3, paper 1) -Bullying, Capital punishment and Causes of war.

Study of Space and Gravity
Stars, Satellites and Comets

All students aged sixteen and below are required to participate in two hours of Physical Education per week. We are fortunate enough to be able to use the excellent outdoor facilities at the football club in St-Colomb-de-Lauzun, where we have the space to undertake a wide variety of sporting activities. In case of inclement weather, we have the option of using the salle des fêtes in the village to play indoor games or staying in the classroom at Monbahus in order to cover the ‘healthy living’ section of the PSHE syllabus.

The Old School is an independent international Collège and Lycée hors contrat, recognised by the Academie de Bordeaux RNE 0471040A.

The Old School specialises in positive education outcomes for children, young people and families.

The qualified specialist team at The Old School place equal share on maintaining academic achievement and the development of emotional intelligence, personal and social education. This approach underpins the professional strategies to assist children, young people and families when making the transition to France.

The Old School is not just about academic success, although it is a high achieving school. The focus is on the holistic needs of the learner. An underlying philosophy is happiness in education. An open and transparent approach, where staff work for, and on behalf of, children, young people and families. This cooperative and empowering professional relationship enables success and high achievement.

Whilst the teaching is in English, The Old School is committed to social cohesion and is fully embedded within its local French community. This unique opportunity allows meaningful and real cultural experiences, assistance from reliable sources to enable successful relocation, language development and genuine cultural experiences.

True education empowers the individual to effect positive change. Education challenges prejudice, hatred, and enables empathy and positive emotional intelligence to achieve success.

The Old School is an approved Edexcel examination centre, with facilities for external students to take iGCSE, GCSE and A level examinations whilst in France. We are proud of our consistently excellent examination results.

The Old School is an independent international Collège and Lycée hors contrat, recognised by the Academie de Bordeaux RNE 0471040A.