Year 7 Handbook 2021 2022 - George Mitchell School
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Year 7 Handbook 2021 - 2022
Page 1
Welcome to George Mitchell School!
We are delighted to welcome you, parents, carers and students, to Year
Seven at George Mitchell School and hope that it will be a happy and
successful one.
We enjoy a local and national reputation for offering students first class
opportunities for academic, personal and social development. The
‘ethos’ at George Mitchell has always focused on ‘More is in Me’ and our
aim is to encourage your child to achieve his or her full potential in every
aspect of school life and develop:
A thirst for learning and a desire to achieve their best at all times
Respect for themselves and others
The ability to make safe and informed choices
Every member of the school community is encouraged to contribute to
its life and success, to provide a happy and stimulating environment
where everybody’s potential is fully realised. Respect, determination
and teamwork are the school’s core values.
At George Mitchell, we provide a caring and happy environment to facilitate the smooth transfer from Primary
School to High School. We strongly believe in our community spirit, but also in equipping children with academic
examination results and personal skills that will enable them to fulfil their aspirations.
We aim to give students the confidence to progress successfully through the school, and to become capable and
considerate young people who take responsibility for their own futures.
Through their time at George Mitchell School, we want our children to develop the confidence to take on new
challenges and resilience to overcome difficulties. We want them to understand how to take up an effective role
in Modern Britain and develop an awareness of wider world issues.
We want our students to leave George Mitchell School as secure and healthy individuals who are self-reliant,
assured and motivated to succeed in life. We will ensure they are equipped with the skills necessary to explore
the many opportunities available to them in the world today.
We look forward to welcoming you in person to George Mitchell School in the very near future!
Best wishes,
Saeed Hussain
Headteacher
Page 2
A message from your Learning Leader:
I’d like to introduce myself – my name is Mr Hussain and I am going to be your
Learning Leader at George Mitchell School. If you are not sure what a Learning
Leader is, it means that I am going to be in charge of you and looking out for
you both on a personal level as well as ensuring that your standards don’t slip
and that you achieve the great things that I have heard about you. I have been
in touch with your teachers at primary school and they have given me lots of
information, so I know some things about you. I know who the keen
sportspeople are in the year group and who the musicians and actors are. I’m
hoping to see some of you performing in our Winter concert and representing
the school in our fixtures. I can’t wait to come and cheer you on from the side-
lines!
You are probably a little anxious about what George Mitchell is going to be
like. Read this booklet carefully as it will give you lots of information and a
real flavour of what to expect when you arrive in September.
I would really like to find out some things about you from you too. Perhaps
you might like to send me an email (see below for my email address) telling
me something about you. What do you like doing in your spare time? Where was the best place that you went
on holiday? What is your earliest memory? What is your favourite thing about school? What are you most
looking forward to when you join George Mitchell? I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon and meeting
you in person in September. Until then, enjoy your Summer, stay safe and see you soon!
Mr Hussain
umar.hussain@georgemitchellschool.co.uk
GEORGE MITCHELL SCHOOL
Address: George Mitchell School,
Farmer Road, Leyton
London, E10 5DN
Telephone: 020 8539 6198
Attendance Hotline: 020 8988 9682
Website: www.georgemitchellschool.co.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/gmatschool@gmatschool
Headteacher: Mr Saeed Hussain
Learning Leader Year 7: Mr Umar Hussain
Page 3
First Day of Term
All year groups return to school on Wednesday 2nd September. There will be a staggered start with year 7
students arriving at 8.35am and all other year groups arriving later that day.
The first day
All students should report to the Quiet Playground at 8.35am where they will be met by their tutor and be
shown to their classroom. They will spend a proportion of the first day with their form tutor, settling in and
getting all the information they need. Teaching Assistants will be allocated to tutor groups to help students
settle in and get ready for the day.
Students will be given a student planner, in which they can record information and keep a copy of their
timetable, the names of their teachers and classrooms where lessons will be taught. There will be some lessons
on this day. Students will also be given a ‘Student’s Book’ with advice and information written by students, to
help them to understand the ways of the school and to feel welcome. PE kit will not be needed.
Items your son or daughter will need for school:
a fountain pen or roller ball pen
a pencil
a ruler
a rubber
a highlighter
some coloured pencils
a protractor
a pair of compasses
a pencil case to keep these items in
a reading book
a dictionary for English and Languages
a calculator
These items should all be contained is a suitable pencil case and taken to every lesson
Parents/Carers Welcome Morning
This meeting is for parents/carers only and will be held on the first day of term on Wednesday 2nd September.
You are encouraged to escort your child/children to school on their first day and then stay to attend a meeting
where you will receive a brief address from the Headteacher and meet the Year 7 Learning Leader and your
child’s form tutor.
Page 4
The Academic Year & Timetable
The timetable runs over two weeks and ‘Week A’ is different from ‘Week B’.
The School Day – Monday to Thursday
Arrival in school 8.35am
Registration 8.40am
Period 1 9.00am
Y7 Break 10.00am
Period 2 10.30am
Period 3 11.30am
Y7 Lunch 12.30
Period 4 1.00pm
Period 5 2.00pm
The School Day – Impact Friday
Arrival in school 8.35am
Registration 8.40am
Period 1 9.00am
Period 2 9.50am
Y7 Break 10.40am
Period 3 11.00am
Period 4 11.50
Period 5 12.40pm
On Fridays, school closes at 1.30 pm.
Children may stay for lunch if they wish to do so. For those parents for whom this presents childcare issues,
provision will be made for pupils to stay in school so that they can attend homework clubs, after school clubs or
other extracurricular activities.
Page 5
Academic Year 2020 - 2021
Autumn Term 2021
Tuesday 2nd September to Friday 17th December
Half-Term Holiday
Monday 25th October to Monday 1st November
Christmas Holiday
Monday 20th December to Tuesday 4th January
Spring Term 2022
Wednesday 5th January to Friday 1st April
Half-Term Holiday
Monday 14th February to Friday 18th February
Easter Holiday
Monday 4th April to Friday 15th April
NB – Easter Monday – Monday 18th April
Summer Term 2020
Tuesday 19th April to Wednesday 20th July
May Day Bank Holiday
Monday 2nd May
Half-Term Holiday
Monday 30th May to Friday 3rd June
SUMMER HOLIDAY- starts Wednesday 21st July
Please remember that holidays must be booked outside of term time.
Absence from school for holidays will not be authorised.
Page 6
Year 7
Organisation
Students will be organised into four mixed-ability form groups and will be allocated a form tutor who is
responsible for the day to day pastoral care of the students in the class. The Learning Leader has the overall
responsibility for the academic progress and welfare of students in Year 7.
Curriculum
Students in Year 7 will follow the National Curriculum Programme of Study in English, Maths, Science,
Technology, French or Spanish, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Art and Physical Education. Computer
Science is taught as a separate timetabled lesson in Year 7 to give students a good foundation in the basic skills.
It is also taught as an integral part of the curriculum in other subjects. In Drama and Music students have the
chance to use the specialised studios within the school.
Although forms, and thus teaching groups, are mixed ability, in some subjects setting is progressively introduced
through the years. Whilst at George Mitchell, students will be offered many opportunities to extend their
learning through trips, clubs, competitions and numerous other additional activities.
All students will follow a tutorial programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education, which includes
Sex and Relationships Education, as outlined in the Governors’ Policy.
School Links
A great deal of time is invested in maintaining close liaison with primary schools so that each student’s individual
needs can be taken into account and previous attainment may be built upon. Liaison occurs across all subject
areas and academic data from primary schools is available for all teaching staff in Year 7. Separate visits and
meetings are organised for discussion of pastoral and special education needs. Northgate receives students from
over 30 different primary schools in the area.
Page 7
Home-school agreement
A Partnership
We understand that every parent and student has expectations of school and in the same way the school has
expectations of parents and students. We believe that the most effective educational experience for students
can be achieved when parents, students and professionals form a partnership.
At George Mitchell we aim to:
provide a caring environment where the student can feel happy and secure
ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of each individual student
provide a challenging programme of teaching and extra-curricular experience
communicate regularly on progress
respect and value cultural and religious differences
foster a culture of mutual support and respect.
In turn we expect students to:
be regular and punctual in attendance
support the code of conduct and discipline of the school
support the school ethos and the role of the teachers
extend work done in class by completing homework
wear the school uniform
take part in the community of the school.
As parents/carers you can support the school and your child by:
taking responsibility for getting your child to school regularly and on time and with correct equipment
informing the school on the day if possible of the reason for non-attendance
communicating any problems early
giving recognition to the professional view about educational issues
support working both at school and at home
attending Parents’ Evenings and other relevant events.
Page 8
Student Planners
At the beginning of each year, pupils are given a Student Planner. This is essential to good organisation and you
should see your child using it every day. The school planner contains important dates and shows whether we are
working in Week A or B. Pupils will record homework in their planners.
We would like you to check the planner weekly and sign it to show that you are monitoring homework and
looking out for communications from members of staff. You can use the planner to write notes to your child’s
tutor. Form tutors check planners weekly. There are purple absence notes at the back of the planner, which must
be completed and returned following a period of absence. Lost planners will incur a £5 replacement fee.
Homework and Satchel One
All pupils are expected to do homework. Year 7 students will receive a homework task fortnightly for every
subject that they study except maths where a weekly task is set using the My Maths web-site. We also ask that
you encourage your child to read daily. We cannot over-emphasise the benefits that come from reading as much
as possible. Parents should do their best to provide favourable conditions for homework to be undertaken and
encourage a routine for its completion.
Homework is set electronically via Satchel One. Every student has a Satchel One account which they can access
using their school login details. This is be the location where homework is recorded electronically by staff. All
parents are encouraged to log on to Satchel One and monitor their child’s homework.
Attendance
If a pupil is absent, parents/carers must telephone the attendance hotline- 020 8988 9682 on the first day of
absence. On his/her return, a note must be given to the Form Tutor explaining the reason for the absence.
Medical appointments should where possible be made out of school hours. In cases where this is not possible,
medical appointments must be explained in advance to Form Tutors and supported with a letter or appointment
card. Pupil attendance is expected to be above 97% per year. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to work
with the school to ensure that a child’s attendance does not fall below this expectation.
Punctuality
Pupils should be ready for learning in school at 8.40am (when the first bell will sound for registration). We advise
that students arrive in school no later than 8.30am to ensure that they are not late. It is important to establish
good patterns of punctuality. Pupils will be given “pay back time” (20 minutes initially) if they are late. They will
also receive a red late stamp in their planner; this provides a clear record for tutors parents and carers of lateness
to school.
There is a Breakfast Club every morning in school from 8am aimed at encouraging students to arrive early and
eat breakfast in company. Sandwiches, bagels, toast, fruit and hot chocolate are served daily at no cost to
students.
Break and Lunchtime
All pupils remain on the school site at break and lunchtime. School dinners are served in the dining hall and food
is also available at break time for an additional cost. School dinners cost £2.44 per day. Students are permitted
to bring a packed lunch but it is expected that they eat this in the dining hall and not in the building or playground.
The school is using cashless catering to pay for break time snacks and lunch. Further information and details on
this will be sent to you in September.
Page 9
Healthy Eating
Pupils are not permitted to bring or eat “junk food” this includes high-sugar or fizzy drinks, chocolate, sweets,
“cookies” and crisps. Packed lunches and snacks should include healthy alternatives. We recommend lightly
flavoured or plain/sparkling water, fruit and dried fruit snacks, cereal bars, rice cakes, yoghurt tubes and
smoothies. Items of junk food, if found, will be confiscated and returned at the end of the school day. Chewing
gum is also banned from the school premises and will not be returned if confiscated.
Pastoral Support
Each year group has a Learning Leader and a team of Form Tutors.
The tutor should always be the first point of contact for parents and carers.
The pastoral team supports the wellbeing and progress of pupils and works with pupils and parents to achieve
the highest levels of attainment. You can contact the Form Tutor by ringing the main school number at the front
of this booklet.
Pay Back Time (Detentions)
Pay Back Time (PBT) is given in school so that pupils are mindful of work, behaviour, appearance or punctuality,
which is not of an acceptable standard. PBT is 20 minutes. PBT can be issued during break, lunch or at the end
of the school day on the same day. Pupils who miss their 20-minute PBT or detention will be issued with a further
and longer PBT/detention at the discretion of a member of staff. Sometimes students are asked to stay behind
for up to 20 minutes to finish off work. This is also pay back time.
Pupils may also be issued with a Middle Leaders Detention of 1 hour (after school on Wednesdays) or a Senior
Leaders Detention (after school on Fridays) for more serious misconduct of behaviours. Parents/carers will
receive notification of PBT/detentions of more than 20 minutes directly via the member of staff (either in writing
in the student planner, by a detention slip, by telephone or via the school’s text messaging system). If a Middle
Leader or Senior Leader Detention is missed or large numbers of PBT/detentions are amassed, pupils may be
placed in the Student Support Unit. Sanctions are recorded on pupils’ records and Behaviour Points will be
deducted from their Behaviour for Learning Score.
Personal Property
All personal property should be clearly and indelibly named. Pupils are advised against bringing large sums of
money and expensive personal property to school.
Mobile Phones and other electrical devices
Mobile phones are banned items. They are not permitted on school premises. If found, they will be confiscated
and retained by the child’s Learning Leader. These items will be available for collection by a parent/ carer (over
the age of 18 years) at a suitable time.
We ask that parents/ support us and discourage pupils from bringing mobile phones to school. If a parent/carer
needs to contact their child urgently, they should telephone the Reception staff who will relay messages to pupils.
Similarly, in an emergency, pupils are able to contact parents/carers via Reception or their Learning Leader.
If you wish your child to have a mobile phone to or from school, it must be handed into their Learning Leader in
the morning during tutorial. It can then be picked up at the end of the school day. Phones must be switched off
when they are handed in. Any phone found in a bag or pocket will be confiscated.
Please be advised that the school cannot take responsibility for any phones that are lost or go missing. Please
encourage children to leave them at home.
Page 10Extra-Curricular Activities & Opportunities
The range of activities available is rapidly expanding at George Mitchell and we encourage all students to get
involved. Clubs include:
Photography
Chess
Arts & Crafts
A range of sporting and PE activities
Keyboard, Choir and Band practice
IT and Computing Clubs
Pupils also have opportunities to apply for and train as:
Peer Mentors
FAB Reps (Fighting against Bullying)
Librarians
Reading Buddies
Break time arrangements
Morning Break
Students are expected to be outside unless it is very wet.
Snacks are available in the school canteen
Lunch Break
When the weather is fine students will be expected to be outside.
We expect sensible behaviour both inside and outside at all times.
Unless eating or involved in a club, all students should be outside the building.
Activities at Lunchtime
Students may:
use the computers in L14 – supervised by a member of staff
play ball games in the main playground
articipate in the various clubs and societies operating at this time
sit in the quiet playground where seating is provided
read, do homework etc, talk quietly with friends in their form room at the discretion of staff during wet
weather.
Lunch
Packed lunches
If you wish to give your son or daughter a packed lunch, this is eaten in the School Canteen, or in specified
areas outside in fine weather.
School lunches
A cashless catering system operates in the dining hall. You will be able to load funds on to your child’s lunch
account from 1st September 2021. Those children entitled to a free school meal will have their lunch account
Page 11credited automatically with a daily allowance (currently £2.44). Full details will be sent to you by email towards
the end of the summer holiday.
The library
All students are most welcome to use the library, both in their free time and during lessons if sent by a teacher.
The library opens at 8.30am each morning.
Early in their George Mitchell career, all new students receive instruction in basic library study skills, and this is
expanded in following years. Students are encouraged to become familiar with the library and to feel that they
can ask for help at any time.
Information
There is a large collection of reference materials: dictionaries, encyclopaedias, atlases and statistics, as well as
information books available for loan.
Students are encouraged to use information from a wide variety of sources, and particular care is taken to
ensure that the stock is appropriate for all ages and abilities.
A selection of newspapers and
magazines is available for use in
the Library and where necessary
the Internet's vast variety of
resources can also be searched,
under the supervision of the
Librarian.
Fiction reading is encouraged and
recommended reading lists are
available. Fiction for leisure
reading may be taken out on loan.
Using the library
Students may borrow books by
bringing their choice to the library
desk where the loan will be
recorded electronically. The loan period is two weeks. No fines are charged on books returned late, but lists of
overdue books are sent to form tutors each week and a letter is sent to the student’s home after three weeks.
If the book is not returned or renewed in response to this letter, an invoice for the full replacement cost is
issued.
We hope that all students will find something to stimulate and interest them in the Library and that they will find
it an enjoyable and useful part of their school life. If any parent or guardian would like ideas to encourage their
child to read, do not hesitate to contact the Librarian.
Personal, Social, Health And Economic Education
A planned programme of PSHE including RSE is delivered to Year 7 students once a week in a timetabled lesson
by their tutor.
PSHE enhances the work done in other areas of the curriculum and invites students to explore their individual
responses, as well as general social and ethical responses, to issues of right and wrong and life and death. It is a
responsibility which we share with parents and other adults and extends naturally to all teachers at George
Mitchell School.
Page 12Aims
To encourage positive attitudes towards self and others
To promote a sense of responsibility for self and others within a caring community
To develop competence in social and communication skills and group participation
To be aware of the individual’s role within a larger group
To help students to evaluate and assess their own progress and relationships in the group
To develop personal skills which can be used across the curriculum
To develop study skills which can be used across the curriculum
Year 7 PSHE
This is divided into three areas:
1. Knowledge and understanding: understanding of themselves, friendships and their own feelings
2. Qualities and attitudes: citizenship, the law, rights and responsibilities, sex education and topical issues
3. Skills: for homework, study, using the Library, ICT, leisure time, presentations of written, oral and group work,
careers.
Inclusion
The Inclusion Team works closely with other subject departments to ensure that the needs of students are met.
Teaching Assistants work in a support role in the classroom giving additional help to students with specific
needs and others. A small number of students follow individual programmes, which are designed to improve
their basic literacy and numeracy skills. Additionally, the department runs bespoke intervention to address
particular learning, social and emotional needs.
Examples of programmes available:
Emotional Literacy Support Sessions
Mentoring/Counselling
Lunchtime Friendship Club
Homework Club
Breakfast Club
Students with specific learning needs are given a “Student Passport” to help their teachers understand and
support their curriculum.
We maintain good links with other agencies from whom we seek additional advice and assistance as required.
Parents are made aware of a referral to an outside agency and their views sought.
We are keen to work closely with parents to ensure that the student’s needs are identified and suitable
provision made to meet them.
Page 13Secondary Uniform
SECONDARY UNIFORM Unacceptable
George Mitchell blazer Blazers without school logo
Plain, formal white school shirt, long Branded shirts
or short sleeved – worn with tie Patterns or logos
(to be worn tucked in) Coloured t-shirts worn beneath
shirt
George Mitchell tie
Black V-neck jumper (MUST have Jumpers without school logo
school logo)
Smart, black trousers Jeans or Chinos
(plain black belt optional) Rivets
Shorts or rolled up trousers
Tracksuit bottoms
Trousers worn as ‘drop downs’
Leggings/ jeggings
Super-skinny styles
Stretch fabrics (lycra/ jersey/
stretch denim)
Smart, black, school skirt Culottes
(not shorter than knee-length) Shorts
Tube skirts
Jersey/ Stretch/ Lycra skirts
Skirts with belts or any kind of
detail (rivets/ lace/ pattern)
Page 14SECONDARY UNIFORM Unacceptable
Plain, black tights Footless tights
Leggings
Trousers worn under skirts
Knee-high tights
Patterned tights
Plain, black or white socks with a
skirt Socks with a visible sports logo
Plain, dark socks (if worn with
trousers)
Entirely black, LEATHER, school Black trainers
shoes: Shoes with any kind of sports or
Business-like designer logo e.g. Nike/ Adidas/
Lace-up, Velcro or slip-on Reebok/ Prada/ Lonsdale
Kickers are accepted but not the High boots or UGG boots
training shoe style Heels
Smart ankle boots Ugg style boots
Jewelled shoes
Simple, black, white or hair- Hairbands with bows and jewels
coloured hair accessories: Excessive accessories
Hair bands ‘Over-dressed’ hair
Clips
Small, simple headbands
Plain, dark (sensible) school coat Hoodies
Sports/ leisure tracksuit tops
(branded or unbranded)
Cardigans
Leather/ denim jackets
Camouflage
High fashion coats/ jackets
Plain black or white Headscarf Patterned fabric
Black and white patterned scarves
(one colour or the other- not
both)
Jewelled fasteners or pins.
Page 15Girls are not permitted to wear a Kameez- alternative modesty options include long-sleeve shirts, long sleeve
jumpers and either trousers or an ankle-length skirt.
We encourage pupils to present themselves well by taking pride in their appearance. Our aim is that students
look business-like. This is part of the home-school agreement made when accepting a place at the school. Pupils
should not accessorise uniform with jewellery, boots, scarves and cardigans, but should stick to the items
specified on the uniform list.
All uniform items with the school logo can be purchased from ‘Victoria 2’ School Uniform Shop, 246 Hoe Street,
Walthamstow, E17 3AX.
Hairstyle
Inappropriate and extreme hairstyles are not acceptable at school. Hair colours should be natural tones (not
blue/ pink/ green etc) and this includes coloured and artificial weaves in braids. Excessively beaded braids are
also discouraged. Pupils are not allowed to wear noticeable make-up, nail varnish or false nails at school. Children
can and will be removed from lessons if they ignore these school rules.
Jewellery
Students can wear a plain watch and one pair of small stud earrings in the ear-lobe only. No other piercings are
permitted in school; this includes nose, tongue, lip, facial and upper ear-piercings. Students should not wear
rubber/ leather/ cotton wrist bands or any other such accessories.
PE Uniform
PE UNIFORM Unacceptable
Maroon/black PE polo shirt Maroon polo shirt without the
school logo
Maroon/black PE shorts Maroon shorts with any visible
logo or branding other than the
GM logo
Plain black jogging bottoms Black jogging bottoms with any
visible logo or branding other
than the GM logo
Maroon GM track top (optional) School sweatshirts
Different coloured sweatshirts
Branded sweatshirts/ fleeces or
hoodies
Page 16PE UNIFORM Unacceptable
A sports training shoe Converse shoes or boots
Canvas plimsols
Fashion trainers
No jewellery to be worn during PE lessons. Newly pierced ears will have to be covered with surgical tape or
plasters. All PE kit must be clearly and indelibly marked with a name. It is the only way to ensure that kit is
not lost or taken by mistake.
Banned Items
Mobile phones Cap guns, pellet guns & laser pens
Chains (e.g. long key chains)
Scissors (sharp/ pointed. Child-friendly round Any sharp object which could cause injury including knives,
ended scissors are fine) screwdrivers, pointed scissors
Correction Fluid (e.g. Tippex) Lighters/ matches
Hoodies Stink Bombs
Caps, bandanas or face masks Drugs (alcohol/ cigarettes/ e-cigarettes/ Vape pens)
Junk food (fizzy drinks/ sweets/ crisps/ Permanent marker pens
chocolate) Perfume/Deodorant Sprays (roll on deodorants are
acceptable)
Electronic games *Any student found in possession of an offensive weapon
Chewing or Bubble gum will automatically be permanently excluded
“Slime” or similar items
ALL George Mitchell staff can confiscate any prohibited item found as a result of a search. They may also
confiscate any item they consider harmful or detrimental to school discipline. These items will be returned to
students after discussion with senior leaders and parents, if appropriate.
Page 17Curriculum
English
Planned backwards from A-level, our English curriculum is designed to take students on a thematic journey from
Year 7 to Year 11 - giving them a fascinating insight into human nature through a breadth of different literature.
Overview:
The texts we study look at questions such as how the
individual interacts with society, and how writers from
different cultures, time periods, genders and economic
backgrounds have shown great courage and
determination by critiquing the ideas, injustices and
actions of society, exposing the truth, and effecting
change.
We begin our journey in Year 7 through an exploration of
Greek myths and legends and continue through KS3
exploring Shakespeare, the Gothic and Dystopian
literature amongst many others. We explicitly embed the
skills and knowledge of language through literature giving students regular opportunities to develop: inferences;
gain grammatical and linguistic knowledge of word classes and sentence constructions in the English Language;
practise a detailed analysis of the effects of writer’s methods; develop the skills of comparison and gain
confidence, accuracy and fluency in constructing transactional and creative pieces of writing; all of which they
will need for success at the final destination of English Language.
Reading:
Encouraging students to read-aloud and explore challenging texts using innovative reading strategies, is core to
GM’s approach. We focus on exposing students to a vast array of texts which spark curiosity, joy and thought.
Alongside our curriculum, we also incorporate YA Carnegie prize-winning books into our reading lessons; which
take place in our excellent library.
Opportunities outside the classroom:
Students can join the Carnegie Reading Group to review and recommend new books for Young Adults, Get
involved as reading Gladiators to promote good literature throughout the school, Join in on World Book Day,
compete at reading poetry, write blog recommendations for good reads.
Page 18Maths
Year 7 Mathematics is taught in broadly -banded groups based on ability with differentiation within the group.
In Year 8 the classes are set by ability. There are three lessons a week in Year 7. The subject content will meet
the requirements of the National Curriculum and is based on the Key Stage 3 National Strategy Framework for
teaching Mathematics.
Aims
To secure and build on the student’s
achievements at Primary School.
To encourage students to develop their
thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
To enable students to use their mathematical
knowledge across the whole curriculum with
confidence.
To ensure that every student is given the
opportunity to work to the limit of his or her
potential.
Meeting individual needs
Before students arrive at George Mitchell School,
liaison work with the primary schools and transfer
information gives us a clear indication of the
potential of each student. We enjoy good support
from the EAL and SEN department so that those who
are less able at Mathematics receive extra help with
basic concepts. Equally we strive to promote the very
best and each year some of our students are selected
for able children workshops and national
competitions.
Methods of working
There are opportunities for a variety of learning styles. These include problem-solving; investigations; practical
Mathematics; teacher exposition; routine practice; use of spreadsheet, database and dynamic geometry and
graphing computer programs; strategy games and discussion. Homework will be regularly set in line with the
school policy.
The course
There are three main areas of Mathematics addressed:
Number and Algebra – this focuses on general calculations and introduces abstract reasoning and
problem-solving
Shape, Space and Measures – this helps develop spatial awareness and also introduces various
concepts of proof
Data Handling – in a world ruled more and more by data, this helps develop the representation and
analysis of data whilst testing hypotheses.
Page 19Equipment
Part of the curriculum involves mathematical skills without the use of a calculator but for much of the time
access to calculators will be actively encouraged. Students must have his or her own scientific calculator –Casio
FX-83GTX, Casio fx-85GTX. In addition, each student should bring a ruler, protractor to every Mathematics
lesson.
Science
Students have Science lessons three times per week and Science club once a week
Aims:
Science at George Mitchell School is committed to delivering a knowledge rich curriculum and focuses
around teaching the ‘Big Ideas in Science’. This will ensure that pupils have a very strong grounding of the core
knowledge that they will need in order to engage in scientific thought and succeed at GCSE.
Application of these key scientific
ideas will allow students to
become analytical thinkers,
question everything and be curious
about the world around them. The
course will also feature practical
activities to engage students and
build necessary practical skills.
The course will embed literacy,
numeracy and exam skills into
lessons to ensure that students can
effectively communicate their
scientific ideas. Assessments will
be used primarily to allow students
to evaluate their progress and as a
means to reteach topics to
mastery.
Areas of study
Biology
Working Scientifically
Cells
Adaptations and Inheritance
Health and Life Style
Ecosystem Processes
Structure and function of the human body
Reproduction
Page 20Chemistry
Elements Atoms and Compounds
Acids and Alkalis
The Earth
Chemical Reactions
Metals and Acids
Separation Techniques
Periodic table
Physics
Electricity and Magnetism
Waves – Sound
Waves – Light
Energy
Space
Forces
Particles and their Behaviour
Opportunities outside the classroom
Visit the Science Museum
Visit the Natural History Museum
Visit the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Visit the Centre of the Cell
Participation in the ‘Big Bang’ competition
Page 21Humanities
Religious Studies:
Aims:
Religious Studies at George Mitchell aims to inspire students to become theologians and philosophers with an
ability to understand, question and critically evaluate the world around them. Students are able to make critical
and balanced judgments about questions of meaning and purpose. Through a knowledge rich curriculum,
students develop religious literacy and conceptual understanding of key theological and philosophical beliefs.
Areas of study:
In KS3 students will acquire deep
understanding of the Abrahamic religions and
explore how these beliefs influence religious
believers’ daily lives. Students also begin to
study the contribution of faith groups to moral
and ethical issues, where we explore through
discussion and debate some of the big
philosophical questions facing the world today.
This provides our students with the knowledge to apply their learning to contemporary issues within modern
society in their GCSE study.
Opportunities outside the classroom:
Educational visits to places of worship and museums
Guest speakers
Workshops delivered by a range of organisations including: CND, Holocaust Education Trust and British
Red Cross.
History
Aims:
History is a subject designed to help us all understand our place in the world. History helps us to develop a
good understanding of how our world is at it is and why. We aim for students to develop excellent historical
knowledge and understanding and learn to ask and answer the very important questions about the past which
help us engage in the present and prepare for the future.
At George Mitchell, we have an engaging curriculum across Key Stage three which starts in the Medieval era
and finishes with a look at our more recent History in the twentieth century. We aim to develop excellent
Historical skills of investigation and analysis as well as strong written skills to explain and develop high level
thinking in a written format. History is exciting and interesting in its own right and develops skills that can be
used more widely.
Page 22Areas of study:
Y7:
Mystery of the Skeletons – How do we study History?
1066 – Norman Invasion of England
William the Conquerors England
Life in Medieval England and Life in Medieval Islamic Empires
Black Death and Peasants Revolt
Y8:
English Civil War 1642-1649
Medieval African Civilisations
Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition
Industrial Revolution
The British Empire
The Indian Mutiny of 1857
Y9
Causes of World War 1
Trench Warfare and the Battle of the Somme
The Suffragettes – winning the Vote for Women
Russian Revolution 1917
Impact of the end of World War 1 in Europe
The Rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany.
The Holocaust
The Rise of Stalin in USSR
20th Century Britain
Second World War -
Migration and the Windrush Generation
Opportunities outside the classroom:
There are lots of opportunities for study outside the classroom, including visits to Museums and places of
Historic interest. Project work and workshops with museums, other groups and providers. Online Seminars and
lectures.
Geography
Aims:
At George Mitchell, Geography is a subject designed to create and answer questions about both the natural
and human worlds. This encourages pupils to develop a greater understanding of the world- both near and far.
It helps to develop a range of investigative and practical problem-solving skills that are useful and not only
transferable to other subjects, but also into the real world. Geography, at its core, is a subject which questions
students and promotes finding solutions to real world problems. Furthermore, the investigative principles of
Page 23geography develops an understanding of key skills as well as a deep knowledge of both physical and human
interactions. George Mitchell inspires students and geography fuels a desire to learn about the Earth around
them
Areas of study:
Y7: Fantastic places, Exploring the UK, Raging Rivers,
Amazing Africa, Brilliant Biomes
Y8: Development Dilemmas, Risky World,
Globalisation, Do Borders Matter?, Wild Weather
Y9: Environmental emergency, Urbanising world,
Crumbling Coastlines, The Geography of Conflict,
London: Our City
Opportunities outside the classroom:
Local area and coastal fieldwork
Museum trips
Workshops delivered by a range of organisations
Art:
Areas of study
Students will explore the formal elements of art (colour, shape, line, tone,
texture, pattern and form) and develop their skills and ideas.
They will use a broad range of media and techniques, exploring their ideas in
a range of topics. Homework will be regularly set and sketchbooks regularly
used for gathering information, experimenting, documenting work and
research.
Students have the opportunity to explore a range of media, and are
encouraged to be expressive and imaginative in their approach to the
subject. In key stage 3 we will cover a range of projects which include: colour
theory, still-life drawing, perspective, portraiture, symbolism, Pop Art,
graphic design, sculpture, character design, comic book art, tessellation and
gridding.
Art materials
Students will need a sketchbook (which they will be given by the school) and
a range of art materials including sketching pencils, coloured pencils and
watercolour paints. These will be necessary for completing homework and should be purchased from any
stationery shop in preparation for September.
Music
Page 24As pupils deepen and extend their own musical interests and skills in Key Stage 3 music, they perform and
compose music in different styles with increasing understanding of musical devices, processes and contextual
influences.
Your child will work individually and in groups of
different sizes and become increasingly aware of the
different roles and contributions of each member of the
group.
They will actively explore specific genres, styles and
traditions of music from different times and cultures
with increasing ability to discriminate, think critically
and make connections between different areas of
knowledge.
By the end of KS3, your child should be able to show that they understand musical devices, how music reflects
time and place and different musical processes.
Aims
By the end of KS3 they should be able to:
Play and perform confidently alone and in an ensemble, using their voice and instruments musically,
fluently and with accuracy and expression.
Improvise and compose, and extend and develop their musical ideas.
Use musical notations accurately in a range of genres, styles and traditions.
Identify and use dimensions such as tones and scales.
Listen with discrimination to music from a wide range of composers and musicians.
Develop an understanding of the music they perform and listen to, and its history.
Enrichment
The music department provides instrumental lessons on a variety of instruments such as guitar, piano, bass
guitar, drum kit and steel pans. There are a variety of after school activities, workshops and trips on offer
throughout the year.
Drama
Aims
Each Year KS3 class receives one lesson of drama a week. During the first six weeks of the Autumn Term there
is a focus on social integration and students are encouraged to cooperate, communicate and contribute to
group and class situations. Students are given the opportunity to develop an understanding of the key skills
necessary for practical drama and these are demonstrated at the end of each lesson where work created is
performed to the class. The students then build on these key skills to develop a variety of performance skills
and techniques plus an appreciation of drama as an art form.
Areas of Study
Acting techniques
Page 25Vocal skills
Characterisation
Mime
Physical Theatre
Tension
Atmosphere
Script work
Staging
Opportunities Outside of the Classroom
Extra-curricular opportunities exist for all Year 7 students in the form of a drama club. Students also have the
opportunity to perform in the Christmas Concert each year. There are many trips each year with students
regularly visiting theatres such as the Old Vic Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Yard Theatre and Stratford Circus.
There are also opportunities to work with a range of practitioners from the industry through joint projects and
workshops.
PE
Physical education is a valued component of academic life at George Mitchell School and offers students an
exceptional range of opportunities in which to participate in, and learn about, all aspects of sport and physical
education.
The George Mitchell School PE Department strives to create a fully inclusive environment in which all pupils
have the opportunity to become physically, socially and morally literate individuals. We aim to enrich the lives
of our students through sport and physical activity.
We also aim to educate all of those we teach in the lifelong benefits of leading healthy, active lifestyles. We
intend to develop pupils physically, mentally, morally and socially to be physically educated people as well as
have an understanding of the different opportunities available within sport and physical activity.
A wide range of sports and activities are taught throughout each academic year, these include athletics,
badminton, basketball, dance, fitness, football, cricket, table tennis and trampolining to name a few.
During their time at George Mitchell School, we aim for all pupils to take an active part in a wide range of
activities and to be able to:
Develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
Are physically active for sustained periods of time
Engage in competitive sports and activities
Lead healthy, active lives
In Year 7 students take part in two lessons per week. Boys and girls are usually taught in single gender groups
as it is felt this provides a more comfortable environment for learning.
The curriculum offers a variety of activities which help to develop competence, performance, creativity and
healthy active lifestyles. All students will be taught the fundamentals of invasive, net and wall, athletic and
aesthetic activities within a broad and varied curriculum through a range of activities.
Page 26Sports Clubs and teams
The extra-curricular programme is extremely important to the department and school and helps to make sport
at George Mitchell the vibrant and successful subject it is. All staff within the department contribute to the
programme as well as other staff within the school who have expertise in sports. Clubs and activities are
organised during lunchtimes and after school. Fixtures for sports such as athletics, football, basketball, netball
and cricket are held after school.
MFL
Aims:
The curriculum we offer our pupils reflects the aims and aspirations we have for them. Our goal is to give them
the knowledge, understanding and skills to progress onto the next stage of their education, irrespective of their
prior attainment, background or ethnicity. We look to equip pupils with high aspirations, resilience and
independence so that they can maximise the opportunities they are given to progress by providing a broad
curriculum with flexible pathways through the key stages. The MFL curriculum allows pupils to maximise their
attainment by developing the skills and talents they already hold and by offering a range of enrichment
opportunities to help them become responsible citizens who can make a positive contribution to society.
Areas of Study:
Family
House and home town
Sports and activities
School
Healthy Lifestyle
Technology
Travelling abroad
Food and drink
Clothes
Page 27Items that will help with learning a language
An up-to-date French or Spanish dictionary is essential.
International opportunities
A yearly trip to Boulogne gives students the opportunity to develop and enhance their cultural knowledge as
well as being able to put their language skills to the test!
ICT
Our aim in computing is to introduce the students to a wide variety of fields in the industry. Over the course of
three years we cover: E-Safety; Programming (Games and Cryptography); Image Editing; Animation;
Spreadsheets and Functions; Social Media; Networking and Website Design; and Computer Systems.
Our intention is to give the students opportunities early on in their studies to become familiar with the
different career paths that exist. And if they decide that the computing field is not right for them in terms of a
career, then each topic will still teach them transferable skills which will still be useful to them.
The main skills for computing are as follows; good digital literacy, which will enable them to use a computer in
their life; computational thinking, which will teach them the process of analysing and problem solving; safety,
which will teach them about the threats, consequences, and methods of reporting and safekeeping; creativity,
which will teach them new ways of expressing their thoughts and emotions.
We use a virtual learning environment which allows the students to access the presentations and activities
24/7, from any device; such as a smart phone, tablet, or desktop computer.
Page 28Throughout the year our students partake in a number of extra-curricular activity such as the Alan Turing
Cryptography competition, Bebras challenges, Cyber Discoveries, etc.
Page 29Technology
In Design Technology we offer students 2 lessons a week to cover the 3
subject areas we teach of Product Design, Food and Nutrition and
Textiles. Students rotate according to the different subject specialist
workshops each term. We follow the national curriculum so that students
are taught to research, design and make their products using the skills
that they have developed in the subject.
Aims
To develop an understanding of how design affects our world.
To develop skills in the three specialist areas offered and create
products based on design problems.
To develop an understanding of past and present designers and use
this to inspire design ideas
Product Design
Health and safety, Plastics, woods, metals, electronics, Computer aided design and manufacture, Design
development
Examples of products we make:
Acrylic pen, amplifier, mechanism toy, torch
Food and Nutrition
Safety and Hygiene, Healthy Eating, Function of Ingredients,Food
provenance
Environmental considerations, Cultural Foods
Examples of products we make:
Stir fry, fajitas, curry, spring rolls, pizza wheels, croque monsieur
Textiles
Fibres and fabric construction, Decorative techniques such as Applique
and hand embroidery, Cultural / Traditional / Modern Influences,
Product Development & Design, Practical skills with hand tools and
machines
Examples of products we make:
Cultural cushion, Monster Toy, Decorative drawstring bag
Opportunities outside the classroom.
We offer clubs, competitions, events and trips for students to get involved in such as Bake offs, Trips to
museums in London, design competitions,
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