Year 8 Critical Thinking: ‘Can Money Buy Happiness?’: In their Socratic Seminar, our Year 8s used the Oxplore website to kickstart an excellent discussion on the topic of money and happiness. Linking in perfectly with this half term’s PSHEE unit on financial capability, the pupils grappled with the idea of ‘wants’ and ‘needs’, and whether material goods can ever be the source of true contentment.
In Geography, Year 7 have become meteorologists this week, identifying trends in climates and looking at why our climate varies so much within the UK. Please do ask your child to explain the Mid Atlantic drift, the polar maritime climates and how to use a climate graph. We are building up to carrying out fieldwork in the school grounds.
Year 8 are researching and writing a speech on the highly controversial HS2 transport network. The speeches will be performed to the class, myself and in some cases a member of SLT and they are the children’s first taste of the type of challenges that await as part of the Baccalaureate award. Please do ask your child to tell you about HS2, the advantages and disadvantages and whether they think it should continue to go ahead.
In Textiles Year 7&8 Elective, we finished weaving with paper and the children are now exploring weaving with wool and other materials. And in our Year 7&8 Theatre Rotation, children have been studying aspects of Elizabethan theatre/stage and also looking at how ancient Greek theatre influenced theatre to the present day.