In year 7 students have 25 lessons a week.
Below is a general overview of the topics students are taught throughout the year in each subject. You can view these in more depth using the drop-down icon and clicking the subject page link.
If you would like to speak to us about any aspect of our curriculum please get in touch.
Autumn term
Baseline and introduction to ‘horrible histories in art’
Spring term
‘Horrible histories in art’ continued
Summer term
‘ Horrible histories in art’ continued
Autumn term
• All about me – introducing Microsoft Office suite
• E-safety – early guidance on online safety
Spring term
• PPT game design – designing a maze-style game in PowerPoint
• Welcome to Holgate – shooting and editing a welcome video for new year 7s
Summer term
• Virtual pet – students design and program a virtual pet using Scratch
Technology rotation
Product design – keyring fob – students will design and make a keyring fob using cutting techniques.
Visit our product design page for more information
Food and nutrition – health and safety and good food plate – various recipes are explored including savoury scones and pleasing pasta.
Visit our food and nutrition page for more information
Photography
Visit our photography page for more information
Graphic communication – logo design – students will explore design, development and processes considering: what makes a good design? What elements do designer use to sell us stuff?
Autumn term
Drama skills/breadwinner script
Spring term
Native American (exploratory)
Summer term
Greek theatre (historical)
Autumn term
Genre study
Rationale: students uncover how history and genre shape great writing, building strong foundations for GCSE. Immersed in rich examples, they learn to internalise structure and style, crafting confident and authentic pieces of their own.
Key knowledge:
Key vocabulary:
Key skills:
Spring term
Shakespeare – The Tempest
Rationale: students discover how Shakespeare’s language and structure create timeless meaning for different audiences. They explore characterisation in depth and develop their own voice through engaging non-fiction writing across a variety of forms and styles.
Key knowledge:
Key vocabulary:
Key skills:
Summer term
Midwinterblood
Rationale: students journey through an atmospheric tale, exploring recurring themes and the techniques writers use to create powerful effects. Their own writing focuses on crafting vivid, believable characters that bring stories to life.
Key knowledge:
Key vocabulary:
Key skills:
Autumn term
Thematic contexts: my personal world
Spring term
Thematic contexts: studying, my future and leisure
Summer term
Thematic contexts: my personal world, lifestyle and wellbeing
Topic order:
Autumn term
The Romans
• How did the Romans change Britain?
• How significant were the Romans to Britain?
• Why did Boudicca’s revolt fail?
• What do sources reveal about the Roman Empire?
• Why was there a murder in Rome?
Vikings and Anglo-Saxons
• Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
• What was life in Anglo-Saxon Britain like?
• Was Alfred ‘great’?
• Who was Aetheflaed?
• Saxon burials
• Who were the Vikings?
• Viking home life
• Were the Vikings the ‘bad boys’ of history?
Spring term
The Norman Conquest
• Raiders and invaders
• What was buried at Sutton Hoo?
• Why was 1066 a year of crisis?
• The Battle of Stamford Bridge and Gate Fulford
• The Battle of Hastings
• William’s problems
• Why did William harry the North?
• The feudal system
• Motte and Bailey Castles
• Impact of Norman rule
Medieval monarchs
• Mathilda
• Murder of Becket
• Eleanor of Aquitaine
• King John
• Magna Carta
• The Black Death
• The Peasants Revolt
• Richard III
Summer term
The Crusades
• Golden age of Islam
• Byzantine Empire
• Causes of the first crusade
• Crusader control of the holy land
• Muslim response to the first crusade
• Saladin
• Richard the Lion Heart
Silk roads and African kingdoms
• What were the Silk Roads?
• What can objects tell us about the Silk Roads?
• What was traded?
• Religion
• Conquest
• African kingdoms introduction
• The kingdom of Mali
• Who was Mansa Musa?
Autumn term
Algebraic thinking, place value and proportion
Spring term
Application of number, directed number and fractional thinking
Summer term
Lines and angles; reasoning with number
Autumn term
Spring term
Summer term
Autumn term
All about me and careers
Spring term
Financial education/ changing faces
Summer term
Bullying and safety, antiracism and mental health
Students study the same activities in years 7 to 9 as this gives them the opportunity to show a greater level of progression in their tactical awareness, knowledge of the rules and skill level in each of the activities.
| Girls | Boys |
| Trampolining | Football |
| Table tennis | Rugby |
| Tag rugby | Handball |
| Handball | Boxercise |
| Boxercise | Trampolining |
| Netball | Table tennis |
| Rounders | Rounders |
| Athletics | Athletics |
| Fitness | Fitness |
| Football | Cricket |
| Softball | |
| Frisbee |
Introduction to religious education
Judaism
Understanding Christianity
The life of Jesus
Autumn term
Spring term
Summer term
