Year 7 Curriculum Summary for Parents Term 2 • 2025/26
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This information represents a summary of plans for the term. Please understand that all plans are flexible; there is always the possibility that fewer (or more) topics will be covered than those stated. In Year 7/8, the Common Entrance (CE) syllabi of the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) constitute the main influence on teaching and learning at Peponi House. The CE syllabi are closely aligned to the programmes of study for Key Stage 3 of the English National Curriculum (NC).
Subject
Topics
Reading & Comprehension • •
Read widely across genres (historical fiction, fantasy, poetry, informational texts, Shakespeare, modern and classic authors). Develop comprehension, inference, and deduction skills; analyse language, structure, and authorial purpose; compare texts and justify responses with evidence.
Key Texts • •
English
Core reading includes Harry Potter, Eragon, Northern Lights, Percy Jackson, The War of the Worlds, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Goodnight Mr Tom, Pig Heart Boy, Montmorency, and The Diamond of Drury Lane. Wider reading includes Rudyard Kipling, nineteenth-century mystery stories, Roald Dahl and O’Henry short stories, The Monkey’s Paw, To Build a Fire (Jack London), plus Shakespeare plays (Macbeth, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night).
Writing • • • •
Write for a variety of purposes: narratives, descriptions, persuasive speeches, letters, articles, blogs, and discursive texts. Develop descriptive, persuasive, and narrative writing, using appropriate tone, style, figurative language, and wide vocabulary. Use varied sentence structures and logical paragraphs. Plan, draft, revise, and edit independently, building self-assessment skills.
SPAG: Grammar & Punctuation • • • •
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Maths
Science
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Apply knowledge of parts of speech, consistent tense, active/passive voice, and appropriate narrative person. Use accurate punctuation (full stops, commas, apostrophes, speech marks, ellipsis, colons, semicolons) and apply direct/reported speech correctly. Spell high-frequency and ambitious thematic words accurately. Learn and apply spelling rules and exceptions regularly.
Number: add, subtract, multiply and divide negative numbers; powers and roots; order of operations including with implied brackets; order of operations using a calculator; estimate the answer to single and multi-step calculations. Algebra: introduction to algebra including forming and solving one and two-step equations; evaluating expressions and formulae by substituting positive and negative numbers; simplifying algebraic expression by collecting like terms, and multiply, dividing and cancelling terms. Geometry: plot coordinates in all four quadrants; transform shapes by reflection and translation. Measure: convert between units of time; convert between metric units of distance, mass and capacity. Additional Curriculum (only for those sitting this extra assessment at CE): Solve simply quadratic equations; substitute into formulae then solve; expand and factorise single brackets; solve equations involving brackets and division; write large numbers in standard index form; calculate with numbers in standard index form.
Working scientifically: measurements, graphs, evaluating evidence Energy and electricity: renewable vs non-renewable, generation, efficiency and energy transfers Forces and motion: balanced forces, speed, relative motion Mixtures and separation: solutions, distillation, chromatography Photosynthesis and ecosystems: photosynthesis, interdependence, pollination and seed dispersal
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French
House & Home • Talk about where you live • Mention House chores • Share their daily routines • Describe Rooms and Furniture • Use Spanish prepositions • Compare Kenyan traditional houses to Peruvian traditional houses
Spanish
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Kiswahili
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Geography
Talking about other people=Describing a musician Review adjective agreement Manipulation of ER verbs to suit different pronouns (Je/Tu/Il/Elle) Talking about school subjects Giving opinions and reasons Describing your timetable Describing your school day Talking about food Talking about schools in other Francophone countries Using questions in the present tense Telling the time using the 12 hour clock
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Free time and Holidays Books and reading Playing and listening to music Watching television Films and visiting the theatre Cooking
The Geography of Walls Students examine why humans build walls, exploring historical, political, economic, and social reasons. Case studies include ancient defensive walls, local boundary walls, famous global examples, and modern walls linked to migration, security, and conflict. Factfulness (Year 7 version) Building on Year 6, pupils engage with more complex global data sets. They develop critical thinking skills by analysing trends in population, health, education, and wealth, learning to separate facts from assumptions The Best Time to Be Alive? (Deeper study of Quality of Life & Standard of Living) Students compare countries at different stages of development, using indicators such as life expectancy, income, literacy, and access to services. They evaluate whether global living standards are improving and for whom.
The First Crusade (1095-1099)
History
Mr. S. Tetley
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T.P.R
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The significance of religion in medieval society. Was the medieval church corrupt? Origins and causes. Pope Urban II’s rallying cry to crusade and Holy War. Crusader beliefs and motivations. Composition and scale of the crusader armies. Beginnings - Events to Constantinople. Hardships experienced. Constantinople to the Holy Land – Events, Sieges of Nicaea, and Antioch (1098) – Story of the Holy Lance (Fact of Fiction?). The Siege of Jerusalem (1099) -Source work unit assessment. Consequences of the Crusade. Effects and significance. A worthwhile hardship?
Religious and ethical/philosophical responses to topics such as: Crime and Punishment, animal rights – dominion and stewardship, feminism, fair trade and poverty, social justice. Religious Festivals celebrated in different religions
Art
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To understand the historical context of pottery in the Kenyan highlands. To Research the works of Magdalene Odundo and Grayson Perry. Experiment with different pottery techniques and materials. To visit Goeffrey Pottery studios and create a traditional kenyan pot using the wheel and slab techniques Develop initial design ideas inspired by research and experimentation linked to personal and shared identity To experiment with glazing and transferring techniques from drawings Evaluate materials, techniques and processes, strengths and areas to improve
Logo Designs • • •
Design Technology
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Computing
Music
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Introduction to Python Designing, writing and debugging programs that accomplish specific goals. Independent Python program
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Dance Roots: Musical Forms & Living Practice; Medieval Monophony to Classical Clashes: Development of Musical Textures and Harmonies; Digital Music Portfolios and Notation Software Literacy
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This term, Year 7 Drama students will explore historical drama forms, with a particular emphasis on Greek and Roman theatre. The curriculum highlights storytelling, ensemble performance, and the use of dramatic conventions, while encouraging students to modernise classical material through duologues, monologues, and short scenes.
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Health Related Fitness: Developing knowledge of the importance of healthy living, endurance, strength, flexibility, speed & agility and their benefits in sports. Gymnastics & Skipping: develop gymnastics movements by gaining an understanding of factors which influence quality in performance including extension, body tension and clarity of body shape. Vaulting; handsprings and headsprings · Team Ball Skills – Movements on and off the ball, active spatial awareness, group attack and defense strategies.
Drama
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P.E.
Research Phase: o Study famous logos and analyze their design elements. o Understand target audience and brand identity. Design Brief: o Create a logo that reflects a specific theme (e.g., sustainability, innovation, and school identity). Concept Development: o Sketch initial ideas, experiment with shapes, colors, and fonts. Digital Design: o Use CAD or graphic design software to create vector-based logos. Engineering Application: o Consider how the logo will be reproduced (laser cutting, 3D printing, embroidery, digital media). Testing & Evaluation: o Check scalability, clarity, and adaptability across different mediums.
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Cross Country • •
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Games
Develop and improve endurance and aerobic fitness through progressively longer-distance running activities with paced efforts. Introduce strategic racing concepts, including pacing strategies, overtaking techniques, and finishing strategies
This term our focus moves to Hockey. We will be working on developing the core skills of our pupils, whilst encouraging them to engage in tactical sessions to help grow their ability to plan and react to game situations. The children will be able to focus on dribbling, tackling, passing, shooting and working in different positions on the pitch.
Swimming
P.S.H.E.
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Year 7 children will focus on swimming more fluently, as well as improving all four competitive strokes, coordination, breathing techniques and starting to introduce speed.
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Relationships This unit focuses on helping pupils build healthy, respectful and supportive relationships as they move through adolescence. The content is age-appropriate and grounded in safeguarding and wellbeing. Changing Me This unit focuses on puberty, body changes, self-image, and emotional wellbeing during adolescence. It is delivered sensitively, factually, and in line with statutory Relationships & Sex Education guidance.
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