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Curriculum & Vision

Michaela community school, wembley.

“The loftiest edifices need the deepest foundations.” – George Santayana

Our knowledge-led curriculum is distinctive. It is uniquely challenging and coherent, crafted by subject experts to ensure that all pupils achieve broad, deep subject expertise. We prioritise the core academic subjects that are strong preparation for further study, understanding of the world and fulfilling lives.

Pupils study English, Maths and Humanities for at least five hours a week each. We provide five hours of Science and three hours of French. We allocate two hours both to Art and Music, which is double the provision of many schools.

All of our Heads of Department continually hone their expertise in curriculum design. Many are writing textbooks in their subjects, building on years of teaching, iterating and improving. We know that deep knowledge is required for complex thought, and that pupils remember best with extended, deliberate practice that is spaced out rather than crammed. All our teachers teach with the aim to ensure pupils love these subjects for the rest of their lives.

“The only thing that transforms reading skill and critical thinking skill into general all-purpose abilities is a person’s possession of general all-purpose knowledge.” – E.D. Hirsch

Uniquely Challenging

We choose the most challenging content across subjects to teach. In English, in Year 7, all pupils read the classic Greek myths, Homer’s The Odyssey and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. By the end of KS4, pupils will have studied four Shakespeare plays in-depth and a selection of classic texts, poems and plays. In Mathematics, pupils in Year 7 dramatically strengthen their mental arithmetic and fluency with negatives and fractions: many pupils go from 10 times tables or division calculations in a minute to over 60. We go into great depth, spending six weeks rather than half a week on solving equations with algebraic fractions. In French, Year 7 pupils learn the foundations of French grammar, and learn complex sentence structures covering a range of topics. In Music, pupils learn the fundamentals of singing and musical expression, and study the history of music. The rigour in the Michaela curriculum in every subject we teach is exciting, inspiring and even life-changing for pupils.

Uniquely Coherent

The sequencing of our subject curricula is very carefully planned, evaluated and honed. In every subject, we begin by teaching the most fundamental, central concepts to provide pupils with a deep foundational understanding.

In Year 7, pupils study history chronologically alongside study of the geography of the British Isles and a study of the teachings of Christianity and Islam in Religion. In maths, pupils begin with the fundamental foundations of maths and build on this across the course of the first three years at secondary school. In Art, pupils study drawing techniques and gradually learn to use a range of media. In English, pupils study the foundations of storytelling and narrative structure to deepen their understanding of more complex texts and to support their own creative writing. Science lessons prioritise teaching the basics of biology, chemistry and physics to engender curiosity about the complexities of the universe.

The coherence of our curriculum aims to help pupils to remember the subject knowledge they are taught for the long-term: not for ten weeks or ten months, but for ten years and beyond.

When Einstein was asked what the most powerful force in the world was, he replied: ‘compound interest.’ By Year 8 and after, we see the strong compound effects of our pupils’ strong prior knowledge, effects that are well established by scientific research into education. Our pupils develop formidable, accumulative advantages from studying such a rigorous, sequential knowledge curriculum.

“Culture is to know the best that has been said and thought” – Matthew Arnold

At Michaela, we believe all pupils, whatever their background, have a right to access the best that has been said and thought. This includes a variety of writers, from all parts of the world, and thinkers from all the ages. The curriculum ensures that pupils are knowledgeable enough about the world around them to transform it in the future.

The education provided at Michaela is broadly traditional and academically rigorous. We expect our pupils to be polite and obedient. We encourage competition and allow our pupils to win and lose. We believe that knowledge about the world is central to our pupils’ success. Only when they have acquired this knowledge will they be ready to lead and participate as full citizens.

Pupils are taught the background and context of what they are learning so that they can understand and make connections easily. History is taught chronologically so that pupils are able to grasp the key facts and have a strong understanding of the subject.

Pupils should know how well they are doing, both in relation to themselves and to others. Pupils sit biannual exams, in January and in June. They have weekly quizzes in all subjects. Assessment at Michaela is open and meaningful.

Michaela is unique. Pupils work hard and are kind to each other. Guests visit the school and are very impressed by the maturity, kindness and motivation displayed by Michaela pupils. To understand just how different Michaela is, a visit to the school to eat lunch with the pupils is strongly encouraged.

We take pride in being one of the only schools in the country that is open to the public at any time, and encourages guests to dine with the children.

Year 7 Mathematics

The year 7 curriculum provides a solid foundational pre-algebra curriculum which becomes the basis upon which all subsequent work is built. The focus is entirely on number. Pupils are assessed on entry and those who struggle with abstract thinking follow an intensive Direct Instruction programme to close the gap. Rolling numbers and Times Tables Rockstars feature heavily and are well-loved by pupils.

Unit 1: Place value and number

Place value, reading and writing numbers
Comparing and ordering numbers
Base 10 tricks

Unit 2: Addition and subtraction

Subtraction
Angle rules

Unit 3: Multiplication and division

Multiplication
Multiplication and division in context

Unit 4: Indices

Squares, powers and roots
Index rules

Unit 5: Order of operations

Calculating with GEMS
Applications of the order of operations: the mean average, midpoints and compound shapes

Unit 6: Negatives

Understanding negative numbers
Addition and subtraction with negatives
Adding and subtracting efficiently
Multiplication, division, indices and GEMS with negatives

Unit 7: Number theory

Primes and prime factors
HCF and LCM

Unit 8: Fractions

Fractions conceptually
Equivalent fractions
Adding and subtracting fractions
Fractions of amounts
Multiplying and dividing with fractions
GEMS with fractions and worded contexts

Year 8 Mathematics

In year 8, pupils tackle algebra in earnest. This strong base allows all subsequent work in Y9-11 to quickly move to algebraic forms (e.g. forming equations to find angles in a polygon).

Unit 1: Manipulating terms

Collecting like terms
Multiplying and dividing terms

Unit 2: Simplifying expressions

Substitution
Expanding single brackets
Factorisation
Double and triple brackets

Unit 3: Algebraic fractions

Multiplying and dividing
Adding algebraic fractions
GEMS and solving problems with algebraic fractions

Unit 4: Forming expressions and proofs

Forming expressions from worded and geometry contexts

Unit 5: Solving equations

Principles of solving equations
Solving one and two step equations
Solving complex equations
Applied equation solving

Unit 6: Formulae

Forming equations
Rearranging formulae
Using formulae
Formulae to learn by heart

Unit 7: Inequalities

Plotting inequalities
Solving inequalities

Unit 8: Sequences

Understanding sequences
Linear sequences
Patterns and problem solving

Unit 9: Graphs

The Cartesian plane
Plotting linear graphs
Finding the equations of linear graphs
Graphing linear inequations

Year 9 Mathematics

Once pupils have mastered number and linear algebra, pupils are ready to tackle geometry. In year 9, we look at Euclidean geometry and angle rules including circle theorems. Similarity feeds into work on Pythagoras’ theorem and trigonometry. Finally we look at area, surface area and volume of shapes.

Unit 1: Percentages

Expressing values as percentages
Percentage change
Original amounts
Simple and compound interest

Unit 2: Angles

Angles on lines
Angles in polygons
Circle theorems
Circle theorems and tangents

Unit 3: Euclidean geometry

Principles and vocabulary
Properties of shapes
Measuring angles
Construction with a protractor

Unit 4: Similarity and congruence

Reflection and rotation
Enlargement

Unit 5: Triangles

Pythagoras’ theorem
Pythagoras’ theorem in context
Trigonometry and ratios
Trigonometry: solving problems
Non-right angle triangles
Trigonometric graphs

Unit 6: Area

Area conceptually and simple shapes
Areas of circles
Areas of compound shapes

Unit 7: Surface area and volume

Nets, plans and elevations
Surface area of prisms and cylinders
Surface area of complex shapes
Volume of prisms and cylinders
Volumes of other solids

Year 10 Mathematics

In Year 10, pupils build on their foundations in algebra and geometry, learning alternative representations (such as surds) and applying them to more complex contexts (such as simultaneous equations and manipulations with quadratics). The pupils also begin formal study of statistics and probability, focusing on deep understanding and reasoning.

Unit 1: ratio

sharing parts and wholes in a ratio
comparing ratios
relating ratios and fractions

Unit 2: alternative representations of values

Standard index form
Recurring decimals and fractions

Unit 3: probability

Counting rules
Relative frequency
Independent events
Conditional probability
Venn diagrams and set notation

Unit 4: 3D solids

Plans and elevations
Nets and surface area
Volume of prisms and of curved objects
Scale factors in different dimensions

Unit 5: quadratics

Factorising
Sketching quadratics
The quadratic formula
Advanced manipulation to solve equations

Unit 6: simultaneous equations

Solving simultaneous equations
Modelling situations to form equations
Solving graphically

Unit 7: statistics

Types of data
Reading and constructing charts and diagrams
Processing data
Interpreting graphs and results

Year 11 Mathematics

In Year 11, pupils will study the final set of topics essential to aim for Grade 8 and above. A small number of pupils will use Y11 primarily to consolidate their learning from Y7-10, replacing some of the topics listed below. Those marked with an asterisk will be studied by all pupils.

Unit 1: accuracy

*Estimation
Limits of accuracy

Unit 2: vectors

Vectors as movement
Interpreting diagrams of vectors
Forming proofs

Unit 3: graphs

*Compound measures
*Linear graphs: interpretation
Modelling situations using graphs

Unit 4: roots

Completing the square
Sketching turning points
Interpreting the roots of an equation or graph

Unit 5: curves and circles

Equation of a tangent to a curve
Area under a curve
*Equation of a circle

Unit 6: algebra – advanced applications

Graphical inequalities
Quadratic simultaneous equations (including as graphs)
Nth term of a quadratic sequence

Unit 7: functions

Interpreting functions
Transforming

Unit 8: advanced proof

*Geometric proof
*Algebraic manipulations

Pupils study the correct rules of spelling, punctuation and grammar for one hour a week. They study the history of English language and literature, learning about how the language has developed and looking at some of the great writers in English. There are five to seven one-hour English lessons per week. We also run additional, after-school reading support for our weakest readers.

Year 7 English

The Michaela Year 7 English curriculum prepares all pupils to express themselves coherently, accurately and concisely in writing and speech.

UNIT 1: GREEK MYTHS UNIT 2: THE ODYSSEY UNIT 3: INTRODUCTION TO POETRY UNIT 4: JULIUS CAESAR GRAMMAR UNITS: PARTS OF SPEECH, EXPRESSIVE WRITING

Year 8 English

The Michaela Year 8 English curriculum builds on the pupils’ knowledge from Year 7 and focuses on deeper understanding and analysis.

UNIT 1: ROMEO AND JULIET UNIT 2: MACBETH UNIT 3: ROMANTIC POETRY UNIT 4: SHERLOCK HOLMES AND CREATIVE WRITING GRAMMAR UNITS: EXPRESSIVE WRITING, PUNCTUATION, SYNTAX

Year 9 English

In Year 9, we continue the study of great literature and challenge pupils to compare different texts by frequently recapping on those previously studied.

UNIT 1: OTHELLO UNIT 2: OLIVER TWIST UNIT 3: WAR POETRY UNIT 4: NON-FICTION UNIT GRAMMAR UNITS: EXPRESSIVE WRITING, PUNCTUATION, SYNTAX

KS4 English

Pupils will sit Edexcel GCSE English Language and Edexcel English Literature at the end of year 11. The GCSE courses provide pupils with access to a broad range of texts from the literary canon, building on their knowledge from Key Stage 3.

English Language

C19 Fiction: reading
Creative writing
C20 and C21 non-fiction: reading
Transactional writing

English Literature

A Christmas Carol
Poetry of Power and Conflict
An Inspector Calls

Pupils learn one science per half-term at Michaela, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in each discipline.

Pupils learn about what life is, starting with examples of organisms from different kingdoms, the habitats they live in and their typical diets and behaviours. Pupils explore the adaptations organisms have that help them to survive and reproduce in their environment with an emphasis on competition for limited resources.

Pupils then explore different human organ systems that enable survival and reproduction: the digestive system and the respiratory system are explored in depth with and pupils develop an understanding of the organelles, cells & organs involved. The circulatory system is introduced.

To understand plants, pupils study the leaf as the organ for gas exchange and photosynthesis and the xylem and phloem for transport.

Diffusion and respiration are explored as fundamental concepts in Year 7.

Pupils develop their understanding of further organ systems in humans including the skeletomuscular system to develop and understanding of how we move and the reproductive system. This is contrasted to plant immobility and reproduction.

The idea of development from zygote to embryo to complex multicellular organism is explored. Pupils learn about inheritance and genetics as well as the evidence for evolution.

Throughout, ideas are tied to the link between energy, cells, organ systems and adaptations.

Pupils explore cell division and specialisation with the context of the processes which transport substances between them. Microscopy techniques offer practical opportunities for pupils.

These are further contextualised by looking at nutrient acquisition and transport of nutrients in both animals and plants.

An exploration of various disease and health are explored including the human defence system against communicable disease, as well as homeostatic control mechanisms for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.

Y10 Biology

Pupils explore photosynthesis and respiration in detail to explore the role of energy in life processes.

Pupils explore inheritance and genetics in great depth and this is followed with an exploration of how organisms are related and share a common ancestor. Evolution by natural selection is investigated.

Pupils study ecology to explore ideas about distribution, ecosystems and methods of investigating these.

Y11 Biology

Pupils study homeostatic mechanisms and the nervous system. Finally, pupils explore reproduction: including contraception, IVF and we look more widely at the role of hormones in the human body.

Y7 Chemistry

Pupils start at one of the most fundamental concepts in Science: the particle. From here they build an understanding of everything existing as either a solid, liquid or gas and what causes these changes. Pupils explore how we measure the mass and density of different substances and are introduced to scientific practical work for the first time.

Pupils then explore different types of particles called elements and how these are arranged on the periodic table. Pupils learn about different the different properties these elements have and are introduced to their first chemical reactions, including how to construct word and chemical equations.

Y8 Chemistry

Year 8 Michaela pupils begin chemistry using the Law of Conservation of Mass as a fundamental concept. They go on to apply this concept to the task of balancing chemical equations.

Pupils then explore a range of different chemical equations such as combustion, decomposition and neutralisation reactions. Pupils make observations of these reactions and explore them on a particle and equation level. Pupils have the opportunity to expand their practical skills by carrying out practicals including Bunsen Burners and making salts through neutralisation reactions.

Finally, pupils are introduced to the atom at a more complex level. They delve into the history of the atomic model and how successive scientists have contributed to our understanding. Finally, they use this new knowledge to link to their knowledge of the periodic table and relate the structure of the atom to the information the periodic table presents us with.

Y9 Chemistry

Having gained a strong grasp of key concepts at KS3 through years 7 and 8, pupils are gradually introduced to GCSE level concepts in year 9. Pupils begin by exploring the different types of chemical bond: ionic, covalent and metallic bonding. After learning each type of bonding, pupils link these ideas to the structure and properties of these different substances.

Next, Michaela pupils develop their understanding of reactivity. Linking ideas from KS3 about different groups, the structure of the atom and chemical reactions, pupils explain why some elements are more reactive than others. This links to understanding displacement reactions and their uses.

A fundamental concept which is mastered in year 9 is ionic equations, including ionic half equations. Mastery of this topic place pupils in an excellent position for topics in years 10 and 11.

Finally, Year 9 pupils further their KS3 understanding of neutralisation reactions with their newly gained knowledge of ions and ionic equations.

Pupils practical skills are developed throughout with a range of separating techniques studied including crystallisation and chromatography.

Y10 Chemistry

Year 10 pupils begin Chemistry with an introduction to quantitative chemistry. Calculation of relative atomic mass and relative formula mass makes use of pupils’ strong knowledge of the periodic table from KS3. Many pupils learn the concept of ‘the mole’ and apply this to several calculations used throughout Chemistry.

Pupils then apply their knowledge of ions, ionic equations, reactivity and displacement from Year 9 to the topic of electrolysis. Pupils learn how many elements are separated from their compounds using electricity.

Next, year 10 pupils apply their knowledge of chemical reactions to the topic of energy changes. What is an endothermic and an exothermic reaction? Why do reactions fall into these two categories?

Finally, pupils explore the fundamental concept of the rate of a reaction. They learn what causes a reaction to speed up and what is required to cause a reaction to start in the first place: the activation energy. Many of the ideas taught in year 10 are brought together through Le Chatelier’s Principle which tests pupils’ application of many of the concepts taught.

Pupils’ practical skills are developed through practicals including electrolysis and a variety of ways to measure the rate of a reaction.

Y11 Chemistry

In their final year of Chemistry education at GCSE level, pupils are introduced to the world of organic chemistry; compounds based in carbon. They understand how these compounds are used in everyday life and some of the issues that come with this.

Finally, pupils bring together many ideas taught throughout the course to look at how Chemistry affects our environment and the part we as human beings are playing. How can we reduce our carbon footprint? How can we produce clean drinking water? How do we extract metals from the Earth? And how can we do all of these things better to protect our environment?

Year 11 Chemistry is designed to be shorter in length than the other years in order to maximise time for revision and mastery in the lead up to GCSE exams.

In year 7, pupils are introduced to the cornerstones of physics through studying the universe. First they learn what energy really is and how to describe the energy transfers that happen throughout our universe. Next they learn the role that forces play in our universe, from the forces that enable a car to drive to the forces that hold the Earth in orbit around the Sun. Pupils are taught how to use equations in physics and use this knowledge to calculate the weight of different objects on different planets. From there, they move on to learn about the speed, continuing to practice their use of equations. Finally, they are introduced to the electromagnetic spectrum. All of this knowledge is solidified at the end of the year with a trip to the Royal Observatory.

Year 8 is when Michaela pupils start getting to grips with electricity! They start by learning about what charge is and understanding the relevance of sub-atomic particles to charge on a macro-level. From there, they learn how to apply their knowledge to explain electrostatic effects, including the fascinating Van Der Graaff generator. Pupils are then introduced to circuits, learning about current and potential difference and practicing making real circuits safely and correctly. They end the unit by returning to the fundamental ideas from y7, but this time expanding on their knowledge of forces and energy to look at the concept of springs and elastic potential energy.

Year 9 is where pupils start applying their understanding of physics to GCSE content. This year is all about forces. Pupils study Newton’s three laws of motion in detail, with plenty of exam practice throughout. Within this, they learn a variety of ways to represent, describe and understanding movement. They also start to master the equation techniques which they have been learning throughout KS3, applying their skills this time to acceleration and velocity equations. Pupils also use free-body diagrams as an alternative way to understand motion and the forces that cause it. Speed and distance-time graphs are studied in detail, helping pupils not only with their understanding of this unit but also with their understanding of graphs throughout the subject. Finally, pupils prepare for and carry out an acceleration practical to see everything they have learnt up to this point in action.

Y10 Physics

In the first half of year 10, pupils delve into two of the most fascinating areas of physics – waves and magnetism. They learn how to investigate waves, even when we can’t see them, and they learn the importance of the electromagnetic spectrum throughout our universe. From the basics of magnetism, they develop an understanding of the complex interaction of electric and magnetic fields, eventually learning how magnets and electric current can interact to create movement in the motor effect. Finally, they return to the topic of electricity, building on their prior knowledge with more complex circuits, equations and components.

Y11 Physics

By year 11 pupils have covered most of the physics content required for the GCSE course, freeing up time to go over and practice the skills required to tackle the most challenging questions. Time is spent interleaving calculation questions from across the course, memorising and mastering all the necessary equations and when to use them. Pupils’ understanding of energy, which started with the first physics lesson of year 7 is solidified by studying specific heat capacity and different sources of energy. Finally, the required practicals are revisited: this enables pupils to re-apply their more advanced skills and understanding to previously learnt knowledge.

Year 7 Humanities

HISTORY UNIT 1: ANGLO-SAXONS, VIKINGS AND NORMANS UNIT 2: LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND UNIT 3: RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION EUROPE UNIT 4: TUDOR ENGLAND

GEOGRAPHY UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY (GLOBAL) UNIT 2: GEOGRAPHY SKILLS UNIT 3: THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE BRITISH ISLES

RELIGION UNIT 1: CREATION AND COVENANT UNIT 2: THE LIFE OF JESUS UNIT 3: JUDAISM UNIT 4: ISLAM

Year 8 Humanities

HISTORY UNIT 1: STUART ENGLAND UNIT 2: GEORGIAN BRITAIN, THE TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE & THE EARLY BRITISH EMPIRE UNIT 3: ENLIGHTENMENT EUROPE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION UNIT 4: VICTORIAN BRITAIN AND THE BRITISH EMPIRE

GEOGRAPHY UNIT 1: ECONOMIC AND URBAN GEOGRAPHY UNIT 2: GEOGRAPHICAL SKILLS UNIT 3: COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS UNITY 4: RIVER SYSTEMS

RELIGION UNIT 1: PROPHETS AND KINGS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT UNIT 2: THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS UNIT 3: BUDDHISM UNIT 4: HINDUISM

Year 9 Humanities

HISTORY UNIT 1: THE FIRST WORLD WAR UNIT 2: WEIMAR AND NAZI GERMANY AND THE HOLOCAUST UNIT 3: THE SECOND WORLD WAR UNIT 4: BRITAIN AND THE WIDER WORLD SINCE 1945

GEOGRAPHY UNIT 1: NATURAL WORLD UNIT 2: GEOGRAPHICAL SKILLS UNIT 3: GLACIATION

RELIGION UNIT 1: CHRISTIAN HISTORY UNIT 2: AN INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS UNIT 3: AN INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

KS4 History

Pupils will sit GCSE History (Edexcel) at the end of Year 11. The GCSE courses build on their knowledge from Key Stage 3.

UNIT 1: SUPERPOWER RELATIONS DURING THE COLD WAR, 1945-1990 UNIT 2: ANGLO-SAXON AND NORMAN ENGLAND, 1060-1088 UNIT 3: WARFARE AND BRITISH SOCIETY, 1250-2019 UNIT 4: WEIMAR AND NAZI GERMANY, 1918-193 9

KS4 Geography

Pupils will sit GCSE Geography (Edexcel B) at the end of Year 11. The GCSE courses build on their knowledge from Key Stage 3 and pupils complete a fieldwork study on coastal management.

UNIT 1: GLOBAL GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES UNIT 2: UK GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES UNIT 3: PEOPLE AND ENVIRONMENT ISSUES: MAKING GEOGRAPHICAL DECISIONS

KS4 Religion

Pupils will sit GCSE Religion (AQA) at the end of Year 11. The GCSE courses build on their knowledge from Key Stage 3.

EXAM 1: UNIT 1: CHRISTIAN BELIEF UNIT 2: ISLAMIC BELIEF UNIT 3: CHRISTIAN PRACTICE UNIT 4: ISLAMIC PRACTICE

EXAM 2: UNIT 1: RELIGION AND LIFE UNIT 2: EXISTENCE OF GOD AND REVELATION UNIT 3: PEACE AND CONFLICT UNIT 4: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

The French curriculum has been designed to give our pupils the best possible chance of becoming confident language-learners. In Year 7, we focus heavily on phonics so that pupils feel able to read aloud and tackle new words. We also embed all structures necessary for the GCSE from Year 7 across the ability range. This means that these is no cramming when it comes to Year 11 as pupils have been familiar with past, present, future, opinions and subjunctive right from the beginning of their Michaela journey. In KS3, pupils develop an excellent foundation in the subject which puts them in a very strong position to take on the challenges of the GCSE.

The message to pupils is always that success is about practice and not about innate ability. Nobody is born good at languages, and you need to put the time in if you want to be successful. Parents wishing to support their children in Years 7 and 8 should make sure they complete their homework to the best of their ability, including extensions, and read French aloud with their child. As pupils move towards their GCSE, there are a range of revision guides available and pupils should ensure that they memorise all the vocabulary and key structures for the different topics. Please find a simplified version of the list of topics below from the exam specification. Pupils are examined on these topics across the four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Theme 1: Identity and culture

Theme 1: Identity and culture covers the following four topics with related sub-topics shown as bullet points:

Topic 1: Me, my family and friends

Relationships with family and friends
Marriage/partnership

Topic 2: Technology in everyday life

Social media
Mobile technology

Topic 3: Free-time activities

Cinema and TV
Food and eating out

Topic 4: Customs and festivals in French-speaking countries/communities

Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest

Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest covers the following four topics with related sub-topics shown as bullet points:

Topic 1: Home, town, neighbourhood and region

Topic 2: Social issues

Charity/voluntary work
Healthy/unhealthy living

Topic 3: Global issues

The environment
Poverty/homelessness

Topic 4: Travel and tourism

Theme 3: Current and future study and employment

Theme 3: Current and future study and employment covers the following four topics:

Topic 1: My studies

Topic 2: Life at school/college

Topic 3: Education post-16

Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions

Year 7 Art Curriculum at Michaela

Concepts: Form, tone, texture, colour theory
Methods and techniques: Grid, co-ordinates, view finder, mark-making
Media: 2B pencil, chalk and charcoal
Concepts: Perspective, structures of a landscape, composition
Methods and techniques: Application and techniques of painting, tints, tones, shades
Media: 2B pencil, colouring pencils, oil pastel, pen, ready mixed paints
Concepts: Composition, symbolism, scale, form
Methods and techniques: Enlarging, reducing, collage, observational drawing
Media: 2B pencil, pen, paint, paper

Year 8 Art Curriculum at Michaela

Concepts: Scale, form, tone, texture,
Methods and techniques: Grid, co-ordinates, view finder, mark-making, observational drawing
Media: 2B pencil, chalk & charcoal, oil pastel, water colour paint
Concepts: Composition, analytic, synthetic, harmonizing, contrasting
Methods and techniques: Collage, blending, fragmenting, constructing
Media: 2B pencil, colouring pencil, collage, chalk and charcoal

Year 9 Art Curriculum at Michaela

Concepts: Proportions of the body, features, movement
Methods and techniques: Observational drawing
Media: 2B pencil, chalk and charcoal, pen, watercolour paint
Concepts: Composition, perspective, juxtaposing, repetition, distortion
Methods and techniques: Photoshop skills, development of ideas, exploration and experimentation of media to suit ideas.
Media: Photshop Pro, 2B pencil, colouring pencil, acrylic paint

Key Stage 4 Art Curriculum

Concepts: Portraiture, self-portrait, symbolism, symmetry
Methods and techniques: Grid, tone, texture, colour mixing, observational drawing
Media: 2B pencil, chalk & charcoal, water colour paint
Observational drawing
Photoshop compositions
Me, Myself and I / Identity
Critical and contextual
Mock exam (old AQA paper)
Externally set exam (AQA)

Year 7 Music

UNIT 1: Introduction to Music

Major and Minor keys

UNIT 2: Michaela Songbook 1: Listening exercises and Whole Class Singing

The Sound of Silence
Livin’ On A Prayer
Stand By Me
Can’t Help Falling In Love
Don’t’ Look Back In Anger
True Colours
Leaving On A Jet Plane

UNIT 3: The Story of the Orchestra Part 1: Composers and Key Works

Baroque era: Vivaldi, Bach
Classical era: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven
Romantic era: Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens, Brahms, Grieg
Modern era: Prokofiev, Gershwin, Bernstein

Year 8 Music

UNIT 1: Michaela Songbook 2: Whole Class Singing

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Circle Of Life
Dancing In The Moonlight
Don’t Stop Believin’
Fly Me To The Moon
I’m A Believer
Make You Feel My Love
Summer of 69
Take Me Home, Country Road
You’re So Vain

UNIT 2: The Story of the Orchestra Part 2: The Instruments

Strings: Violin, viola, cello, bass, harp
Woodwind: Flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone
Brass: Trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba
Percussion: Timpani, xylophone, cymbals
Keyboard: Organ, harpsichord, piano

UNIT 3: Stage and Screen: The Sound of Music

Sport at Michaela

At Michaela, we offer a range of sporting activities. This year pupils will play basketball, netball and take part in a variety of fitness related activities. Whilst we may be limited in not having acres of space, we make the most of our yard and hall facilities.

Pupils are required to wear their sports kit throughout the entire day when they are participating in sport. This means we get to maximise the time spent playing sport rather than wasting 10 min either side getting changed. PE lessons take place once per week.

The vast majority of our sport happens outside. Teachers check the weather forecast each morning and will cancel sport if the weather looks particularly poor. However, if we have made the decision to go ahead and the weather turns, we will remain outside until the end of the session.

Our football and netball teams, the Stoics, play matches against other local schools. Only those pupils who exemplify the values of Michaela are selected for the school team. We place enormous importance upon true teamwork, self-control and personal integrity. Sport at Michaela is about working hard, being kind and supporting each other. The ‘S.T.O.I.C.S’ values are a fundamental part of our sport curriculum. These values are: Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Organisation, Integrity, (self) Control and Stamina.

Pupils also have the option of playing basketball, table tennis and table football at lunch. There are half termly tournaments for this that happen during lunchtime.

Personal, Social, Health and Emotional Education (PSHE) Curriculum Rationale

Overview At Michaela, we believe in helping pupils to develop into well-rounded, confident and kind young people. Our PSHE curriculum aims to achieve this by exploring a broad range of topics that prepare pupils for the adult world.

Across years 7 to 9, pupils are taught about a range of important topics. Below is an overview of the curriculum topics covered.

In years 10 and 11, pupils spend time preparing for GCSEs and beyond. In PSHE lessons, pupils explore career options, post-16 courses, applications for further study and study skills.

Ensuring a safe environment

To ensure PSHE is delivered in a safe environment, lessons take place in dedicated periods each week with tutor groups. Pupils study topics that can be sensitive in nature in the comfort of their form room, along with their closest peers and form teacher, to provide them with the space to ask questions and debate challenging topics with confidence and sensitivity.

At the beginning of all PSHE units, pupils are reminded of the importance of listening carefully to others’ views and taking care to maintain a safe environment free of judgement and prejudice. All views are welcome, and it is made clear to pupils that any unkindness will not be tolerated.

Furthermore, we provide pupils with the space to discuss particularly sensitive topics privately should they wish. Pupils are invited to speak to their form tutor if they would like more information, or have any concerns, following any of the PSHE sessions they undergo.

When pupils are studying Sex and Relationships Education (SRE), they will be split according to gender in order to ensure a safe environment for pupils to explore topics and raise concerns where necessary.

Parental Rights

In line with the new statutory guidance for schools, all pupils will now receive sessions in Sex and Relationships Education (SRE). As per the guidance ( available online here ), parents have the right to request their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE. Before granting any request, the school will discuss the request with parents and, where appropriate, with the child to ensure that their wishes are understood and to clarify the nature and purpose of the curriculum. In these discussions with parents, the school will outline the detrimental effects that withdrawal might have on the child. Once these conversations have taken place, the school will respect the parents’ request to withdraw the child, up to and until three terms before the child turns 16. After that point, if the child wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school will make arrangements to provide the child with sex education.

Parents will be informed by letter of any sex education classes that will go ahead, and should contact the school if they wish to withdraw.

Some aspects of sex education are taught as part of the science curriculum. Parents may not withdraw their child from these sessions. This content includes:

The male and female reproductive systems
The menstrual cycle
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Contraception

Parents do not have the right to withdraw their child from any other parts of the PSHE curriculum.

Curriculum Content in Depth

Year 7: Transition Phase In the first week of year 7, pupils learn about the values of our school. We believe that our core values of resilience, personal responsibility, hard work and tolerance of others help our pupils to achieve their very best.

During the first week of year 7 (known as ‘Bootcamp’), pupils do not attend normal lessons, but receive exciting, interactive sessions covering a range of topics, including:

Working as part of a team
Building resilience
Staying organised
Life at secondary school
Staying safe on social media

The aim of these sessions is to help pupils understand the ethos and values of the school, and to prepare them for the demands of secondary school. Transition to secondary school can generate anxiety for many young people. During ‘Bootcamp’, the school day is structured more closely to that of a primary school day. Pupils stay in their form groups for the day, and take lessons in one room. They get to know their teachers in a safe and calm environment whilst no older pupils are in school. This eases the pressure on our incoming year 7s, and helps them to feel at home in the school before the term really begins.

Year 7: Main Curriculum Once pupils are embedded in the school and understand its culture, their exploration of PSHE begins in earnest. Over the course of year 7, pupils study the following topics: *denotes topics from which parents have the right to withdraw their child.

Unit 1: Welcome to Secondary School!

How to be resilient (including mental health awareness and support)
How to make friends
How to be organised
How to be confident

Unit 2: Relationships

Healthy friendships
How to listen
How to communicate your feelings
Managing emotions in relationships

Unit 3: Healthy Lifestyle

Personal hygiene

As part of this unit, girls will receive a specialised session on periods. In addition, all pupils will receive a specialist session on Female Genital Mutilation.

Unit 4: Being a good citizen

Keep our streets tidy
Protecting the environment
Charity and volunteering
Handling emergencies

Unit 5: ICT Skills

Introduction to Microsoft Word
Sending and Receiving emails via Microsoft Outlook
Introduction to Microsoft Excel
Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint

In this unit, pupils will carry out practical activities in our IT suites where they learn to apply their new technological skills.

Year 8: PSHE in Focus

In year 8, pupils explore some of the more challenging topics in the PSHE curriculum. *denotes topics from which parents have the right to withdraw their child.

Unit 1: Growing Up

Emotional changes
Physical changes

Unit 2: Risks and Staying safe

What risks do we face?
Crime and gangs
Peer pressure and bullying

Unit 3: Money

Responsible spending

Unit 4: Dangerous Habits

Legal implications

Year 9: PSHE in Depth

In year 9, pupils explore some of the more challenging topics in the PSHE curriculum in greater depth.

*denotes topics from which parents have the right to withdraw their child.

Unit 1: Relationships

Committed, loving relationships
Marriage and civil partnerships
Forced marriage
Child Sexual Exploitation
Abusive relationships

Unit 2: Preparing for the world of work

The world of work
Improving your prospects
Writing a CV
Writing a Covering Letter
Behaviour in the Workplace
Credit cards
Political engagement
Volunteering

Unit 5: Sex and Relationships Education

Sex Education*
Sexual orientation
Pornography
Sharing images online

Key Stage Four

In years 10 and 11, pupils study two topic areas:

Furthermore, if we feel that pupils require additional sex education, we may take the decision to carry out additional sessions during these years. These sessions are devised and implemented on a case-by-case basis.

What are our aims for homework?

At Michaela, we believe that the best homework supports learning. When well planned, it allows pupils an opportunity to build on their lessons, deepen their understanding, and consolidate learning.

To ensure every child has understood the homework, we set short, low-stakes quizzes in every subject. This enables teachers and pupils to see what has been learned, and enables them to address gaps in understanding.

How much homework do we set?

We expect pupils in years 7-9 to complete around 1.5 hours of homework every evening. In years 10 and 11, pupils complete around 2-3 hours of homework per night. In the sixth form, pupils receive 1 hour of homework for every hour of teaching, spread out across the week.

Year Group 7

Reading – 30 minutes per evening
Sparx or TTRS – 1hr 30 minutes per week

Subject homework

English – 30 mins per week
Maths – 2x 30 mins per week
Science – 2x 30 mins per week
Humanities – 30 mins per week
French – 30 mins per week

—————————————-

Year Group 8

Sparx – 1hr 30 minutes per week
Maths– 2x 30 mins per week
Science– 2x 30 mins per week
Humanities– 30 mins per week
French– 30 mins per week

Year Group 9

Maths– 2x 45 mins per week
Science– 2x 45 mins per week
Humanities– 2 x 45 mins per week per week
French– 45 mins per week

Year Group 10

Maths– 2x 1hr per week
Science– 2x 1hr per week
English- 2 x 1hr per week
Humanities– 2 hrs per week
French– 1 hr per week

Year Group 11

Science– 2x 1.5hrs per week
English – 2 x 1.5 hrs per week
French– 1.5hrs per week

—————————————- What subject homework do we set our pupils?

Pupils receive homework from every subject at least once per week. Homework is set on the same day each week (see homework timetable below).

Homework is tailored to every subject. Typically, pupils are given worksheets to complete. These worksheets include a range of problems to solve and questions to answer. Each teacher tailors homework to the class to make sure pupils are adequately challenges.

How do we know pupils have understood the homework?

All pupils sit a quiz in every subject at least once per week. These quizzes aim to test whether your child has understood the homework and can remember the content that has been taught throughout the previous week. Quizzes can last anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour, depending on the topic. Each teacher tailors quizzes to the class to ensure pupils are adequately challenged and supported.

Parents can support their children by testing them on the questions in their homework. This will prepare them better for their quiz the following day.

How do we foster a love of reading?

We believe that every child can ride widely- for both learning and pleasure.

All pupils are expected to have a book from our school library. We give pupils plenty of opportunities to read during the school day, but we know that it is also important that pupils read at home too. This is a vital step in making reading an engrained habit.

We also offer parents the opportunity to sign their children up to the Accelerated Reader programme. This is an online programme that tracks children’s progress in reading by setting quizzes for them to take after they have finished reading a book. These quizzes inform teachers and families about the extent to which the child has understood the book. We believe that Accelerated Reader is a very helpful tool for developing pupils’ comprehension skills.

Parents, if you would like to sign your child up for Accelerated Reader, please go to: Ren Learn Accelerated Reader .

What is Sparx?

Sparx Maths is an excellent online maths programme that has videos and questions on every maths topic for Y7-11. We find that our pupils enjoy Sparx, and it has had huge benefits for pupil progress. Pupils will learn how to use Sparx in Year 7.

Parents are encouraged to check what their child has been doing and how long they have spent on Sparx. Your child should complete their Sparx homework to 100% each week, which you can check on your child’s homepage.

Pupils should write down their workings in their Sparx books and watch the video and retry questions when unsure.

Pupils are encouraged to complete extra practice by completing the ‘XP Boost’ and ‘Target’ homework each week too, found on the homepage. Sparx also offers the option to search for specific maths topics to practise on the ‘Independent Learning’ tab. For more information, go to: https://www.sparxmaths.uk/

How do we make sure pupils don’t forget previously taught content?

Our staff have spent time understanding the way the memory works in order to come up with the best ways to support our pupils. Research in memory shows that frequent recall of previously learned content is one of the best ways to ensure pupils don’t forget what they have learned. We therefore ensure pupils make and use flashcards from year 7 to 11 so that they get into the best possible learning habits right from the start.

All pupils should have at least one set of flashcards in their workpacks at all times. Pupils will create flashcards in lessons and for homework. We believe that flashcards are very helpful for memorising important concepts in most subjects.

We recommend that pupils spend at least 10 minutes every night testing themselves on what they need to know for the quiz: this may be from flashcards or worksheets. Parents can support their children by asking them the questions on the front of the flashcard or worksheet for their child to answer.

At Michaela, we are committed to providing an excellent education to all, regardless of need. We work hard to overcome barriers to learning in order to support every child to succeed academically and to become a well-rounded individual.

For parents of children with Special Educational Needs, please feel free to contact our Director of Inclusion, Mr Burkitt on 0208 795 3183 if you have any queries.

For more information about the support we put in place for pupils with Special Needs, view our SEN information document on our Policies page here .

At Michaela we offer a variety of extra-curricular activities.

Michaela Guides and Future Leaders – Michaela Guides have the honour of taking guests on a tour of the school. They must be professional and talkative to welcome our guests. Michaela Guides are incredibly responsible and represent our hard working, kind pupils.

A small handful of Michaela Guides have the opportunity of becoming a Future Leader. Future Leaders set an example to the rest of the year group by leading lunch tables during family lunch and by having excellent quality appreciations. There are a limited number of places to become a Future Leader- only the most dedicated and responsible pupils will be accepted into the Future Leader team.

Attenborough Club –For budding biologists, fans of animals, the outdoors and anyone who wants to find out more about the wonderful world we live in! Attenborough club offers you the opportunity to watch some of the amazing documentaries that Sir David Attenborough has made with the BBC – with the opportunity to chat about them with some of the sixth form Biology students and teachers at Michaela.

Art Club – Pupils who are keen artists are able to explore an extended range of media, producing both skillful and original artworks.

Classics Club – In Classics Club we learn more about the fascinating history and wonderful myths of ancient Greece and Rome. We also learn Latin from the De Romanis textbooks and some Ancient Greek, helping pupils to make connections between English and a wide range of other languages.

Chess & Draughts Club – The game of chess has fascinated and frustrated for millennia. Chess & Draughts Club is open to anyone from absolute beginner to grand master. Pupils will learn both the basics of the games and tactics and strategies to compete with anyone who may challenge them.

Debate Club – Debate club is the place to learn how to be a persuasive, confident speaker who can win any argument! Each week, you will learn a new tip to help you make better arguments and get to debate controversial topics such as, “should footballers get paid so much money?” and “should all people stop eating meat?”.

Film Club – In film club, pupils are able to enjoy watching and discussing a broad selection of films. It is an excellent opportunity for pupils to improve their film literacy.

Games Club – Games club is open to anyone who wants to play some of the familiar classics (Ludo, Snakes & Ladders) or something entirely new (Bananagrams, Dobble, 24 and Perudo, amongst others). Pupils will be taught how to play games they are new to, and there will also be the chance to compete in fun tournaments against teachers.

Hegarty Maths & Times Tables Rock Stars – Those pupils who are keen on sharpening up their maths skills have up to an hour every day after school in the Maths computer club. Pupils enjoy out competing each other with their times tables and in the number of topics they have completed on Hegarty Maths.

Mathletes – The Mathletes group is for anyone who is looking to really push themselves mathematically. In the group, pupils will have the chance to learn about Maths topics that do not feature on the normal GCSE curriculum, along with preparing themselves for the UKMT Maths Challenge papers appropriate for their year group.

Oxbridge Preparation Group – For pupils from Y9 to Y13 we run a weekly group helping pupils prepare for the UK’s most competitive courses and universities. We read and discuss books together, complete presentations, debate topics and investigate areas of academia that fall just outside the curriculum. This allows our pupils to develop their passions and prepare for the difficult application processes required for these institutions.

Presentation Club – Presentations Club is a course that runs twice a term allowing children to develop their presenting and public speaking skills. The kids research topics of their choice and give presentations up to five minutes in length to their peers and teachers.

Reading Seminar – For pupils who love reading but who struggle in this area, after school every day, there is an extra reading club with 30 minutes of reading aloud with a teacher.

Sign Language Club – Provides an opportunity for pupils to learn a different mode of communication (and develop an awareness of the experiences of the D/deaf community).

They learn fingerspelling, greetings, family, colours, animals, countries etc. – the basics to be able to communicate via sign. As a result, they develop/improve body language, lip patterns, lip reading, facial expressions, confidence, peripheral vision, reaction time.

Sixth Form Literature Club – Every half term, members of our Sixth Form Literature Club take a vote to choose the novel that they want to read together. Then, each week, we read chapters of the book independently before coming together to chat about our ideas and opinions on the novel so far, discussing any interesting questions or debates that emerge.

Instrumental Lessons – Michaela currently offers one-to-one piano, violin, flute and guitar lessons at a subsidised rate. Pupils are taught by external professional musicians. Pupils can work towards ABRSM graded exams and may have opportunities to perform as soloists in our end of term Music Assemblies.

Instrumental ensemble – Once a term, specially selected instrumentalists come together to form an instrumental ensemble. The ensemble practices in individual lessons, sectionals and then full rehearsals to prepare for a termly performance of an important classical work. In the past these have included Bizet’s Carmen, Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Waltz of the Flowers and Swan Lake.

Netball – Taking part in netball is a great way to improve your teamwork skills and fitness whilst having a lot of fun. The netball club is open to all ages and abilities.

Whilst we remain positive that we will be able to continue teaching our pupils in school, should we have return to remote learning in the future we will follow the system below:

What online platforms is Michaela using? Lessons are taking place on Zoom and homework submission and feedback is happening via Google classroom. Zoom lesson links are posted on Google classroom up to ten minutes before the beginning of lessons. If your child has lost their Google classroom or Zoom login, please contact [email protected]

How is Michaela continuing lessons online? Pupils in Year 7-11 are receiving two hours of zoom lessons per subject per week. These are live lessons with their teacher in which they have the opportunity to engage with the teacher and ask questions about the content. Students in Years 12 and 13 are receiving between four and six hours of lessons per subject per week. All pupils have received their lesson timetables on Google classroom.

Is my child being set homework? For every zoom lesson, every pupil at Michaela is set a minimum of one hour of homework to complete that night. There is an extension task at the end of each homework and unlimited extension tasks to be completed at the weekend.

Will my child receive feedback on their work? Yes, teachers comment and give feedback on every piece homework that is submitted online. Pupils who excel in their online work receive stars and postcards!

What can I do as a parent to support my child with their online work? As a parent, you can support your child by making sure they attend all online lessons, submit all homework and by encouraging them to complete extension tasks. This is also an excellent opportunity for your child to spend more time reading. Reading is the most effective way of boosting your child’s prospects at school, particularly in their GCSEs.

What do I do if I am having internet or technical issues? Please contact [email protected] with details of the issue you are having and your child’s form tutor or Head of Year will be in touch if we can help.

How can my child contact teachers about their work? Pupils can send private messages to teachers via Google classroom if they are having difficulties with their homework.

Will my child be taught broadly the same curriculum as if they were in school? Yes. We are teaching the same curriculum in all subjects.

Michaela Community School is committed to raising the aspirations of all of our pupils. Indeed, one of our fundamental aims is to ensure that all our pupils develop as high achieving, confident, articulate young people whose education fully equips them to go on to university or the career of their choice.

Every student at Michaela Community School is encouraged to set their sights high for their futures, regardless of their background or individual circumstances. Our Careers programme supports this process through a wide range of activities including Careers education as part of the PSHE Programme, outside speakers, academic support, mentoring and visits to universities.

The programme equips pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary to make the transition from school to a university, college and career of their choice. This programme begins in Year 7 and provides opportunities, careers information, advice and guidance so that all pupils are aware and supported to make the right choices as well as developing the skills necessary for a successful career. The Michaela Careers Pathway for Years 7-11 can be seen in detail below.

Our Careers Lead is Ms Dlima. If you would like to contact her, please email [email protected] and put FAO Ms DLima

Of course, preparation for a successful transition into further education and careers is not limited to career-focused sessions: we aim to develop the fundamental skills for a successful career (such as teamwork, communication, cooperation and problem solving) as part of our curriculum and pedagogy in all academic subjects.

Encounters with employers and employees Michaela offers pupils across years 7-13 a varied range of employer encounters. These are progressive through the age range and tailored to individual need, but have previously included employers and employees from a wide range of professions from the following disciplines: barristers, doctors, hairdressers, business owners, data scientists, documentary producers and firemen, to name a few.

Michaela offers a minimum of two employer encounters each year to each year group, particularly those with a STEM focus to meet the need of mathematical and quantitative skills which will be increasingly required in the future, not just for traditional STEM routes, but for a wide range of future careers. Pupils are made aware of the employability skills, experience, and qualifications that employers want to build up a rich picture of the world of work and its requirements.

University Taster Days Sixth Form students are encouraged through the Michaela6th Tutor Programme to take a proactive and independent approach to their university options. Students are also encouraged to apply to programmes such as UNIQ, Sutton Trust Summer Schools, Debate Chamber, UCL Target Medicine programme and others, as a way of experiencing university life before making UCAS applications.

UNIFROG We are in the process of integrating the UNIFROG online platform into our careers and further education advice to pupils.

Work Experience and Volunteering All pupils are directed towards opportunities for workplace visits, volunteering, virtual work place visits and part-time work during Key Stage 4.

Management of Provider Access Requests Procedure Michaela Community School can arrange access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. Please contact the school through the main school email at [email protected] if you wish to come and speak to pupils about your institution.

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Homework habits: what we have learned at Michaela

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Zest for learning… into the rainforest of teaching.

The Michaela Way

Last week, I joined the growing number of people who have visited Michaela Community School to see it action. I’ve read Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teachers and numerous blogs and articles about the school from its teachers and visitors – so it was great to see what it is really like to put the commentary into perspective. I had some preconceptions and lots of questions but, as I’ve often said, it’s a big mistake to judge a school you’ve never been to. I was prepared to react in lots of different ways.

My overriding impression was that Michaela is a lovely, lively, happy school, led by highly committed, driven people on a mission; people doing some ground-breaking work in shaping a knowledge-driven curriculum that inner city teenagers can access at a rate and depth that seems remarkable – all supported by an ethos with life-changing potential. It would take pages to give a full blow-by-blow account so here are some of the more note-worthy aspects of my visit:

My tour guides were very polite and gave extended explanations of what they’re learning without prompting. This suggested that they are explicitly taught manners and to string sentences together. My Y7 guide was very sweet and enthusiastic – and was having to think consciously about how to express herself fluently whereas her Y9 partner spoke effortlessly. It’s part of their learning – something that, through practice, they’ll get really good at. The explicit teaching of manners was evident at multiple points in the day.

In lessons the behaviour was impeccable. The ‘1,2,3, SLANT’ instruction and response was impressive – not unnatural or oppressive in any way, just absolutely consistent. My guides couldn’t even remember what the acronym stands for exactly – it’s already a habit. In fact lessons felt quite relaxed because everyone is so used to the expectations. Students really are fully focused the whole time and their work is constructed to be pretty intense . However, because lessons are punctuated with lots of choral repetition, appreciations and so on, it’s not all stuffy silence -far from it. For example the Mexican wave of whooping to mark success on a maths exercise was joyful – lovely.

The centralised curriculum planning and associated work books and knowledge organisers are all very interesting and impressive. It’s totally clear what needs to be learned and the expectations are built-in from the beginning – a sharp contract to schools where teachers are planning lessons from day-to-day, scrabbling to pull resources together by themselves to varying degrees of success. Students were really clear about how their learning was supported by the process of self-quizzing – for homework and other parts for the day.

This whole process of teaching very specific elements of knowledge very directly, with the use of choral repetition and daily quizzing is fascinating. Katharine explained that, in her view, the mistake new teachers make most often is asking students questions they don’t or can’t know the answer to. The ‘ just tell’em ‘ philosophy is very strong; it’s palpable in lessons. However, once told, students are meant to learn and remember. This is done systematically and rigorously – eg a demerit for not checking all self-quizzing correctly. But the students say it just makes them do it and they’re really learning – across the curriculum. Year 9s are getting a more varied diet of homework with more extended tasks beyond the quizzing. I’m interested in where this all leads and what other types of learning might be built on this later as all this knowledge gets put to use in wider contexts.

The curriculum model is interesting. Six one-hour lessons a day and a stripped down curriculum mean that the subjects all have lots of time given to them. At KS4 they will all do History and French plus RE in Y10 and the core subjects. Art vs Triple Science is the only option I think. It’s a bold model, nicely simple. Do we over-do the whole concept of choice and of trying to fit every subject into an impossibly crowded curriculum?

The Year 7/8 art work is amazing. It seems to build explicitly on learning from artists and making reproductions using scaling grids for accuracy before students do their own drawings – but, wow, the portraits students had drawn were wonderful; it’s impressive stuff.

The maths teaching I saw was great. Students worked at a pace through pre-planned sets of practice questions which were then checked at speed by a teacher modelling the answers using a visualiser. I loved the tall visualiser stands – which made this very easy for the teacher to use repeatedly. The tasks included going back to easier problem sets like doubling (x by 2). This was done at speed which students really enjoyed. The emphasis was on building confidence which seemed to be working.

Behaviour around the school was also impeccable but also seemed quite relaxed and normal. It wasn’t overly oppressive; there is a busy dynamic feel as students move quickly from a lesson to lunch or lesson to lesson; there’s a staff presence but everyone is just saying hello and smiling and the children say ‘Good afternoon Sir’ as they go by. People tend to associate strict behaviour with sternness and people being told off a lot – I didn’t see anything remotely like that.

The family lunch is great; a powerful element in creating the school culture. The space allows staff to address students at multiple points in the half-hour starting with some choral recitation of a poem and a bit of Shakespeare (I’m too ignorant to know which bits they were -but my dining partners knew very well when I asked). During the recitation I saw a Y9 girl who clearly knew the soliloquy very well, almost dancing in the rhythm of the lines as she said the words – this was spontaneous enthusiasm; she loved doing it. I spoke to her later – a very happy, engaged student.

The eating part is all very civilised and efficient – you can’t hang about! Our table felt very relaxed; students spoke openly about how they view the school -there was some playful off-message irreverence as well as genuine pride. There was some direction about a discussion topic – something to do with empathy in literature but on my table they weren’t too keen to follow; they viewed it as optional. Fair enough – I may have put them off; they were normal kids. The appreciations after eating were interesting. They were expected to explain the reason for the appreciation in a big loud voice – with appropriate affirmation/feedback from the lunch-leader. Some appreciations felt more authentic and personal than others but I saw that as part of the learning process; students are learning to appreciate others and that their community values it. At the end, all those with detentions were called up to go. It was a largish number – 40 or so? This is part of the routine of their world, a consequence they accept, not something they fear. It keeps the standards high – two demerits= a detention – but it felt light-touch, not heavy-handed. All sanctions are narrated – students have rules and expectations reinforced all the time. It’s a powerful culture.

The reading system is massively impressive. The texts are all pre-planned and printed in numbered lines in the booklets with key words in bold to prompt instruction and annotation. Students hold their guiding ruler with two hands moving down the page stopping to annotate as required. It all happens at quite a pace. The expectations here are sky-high; intense reading of sophisticated texts with lots of modelling from the teacher as well as students reading aloud. So, this is how you do reading! There’s so much to learn from this.

The French lessons I saw were fabulous. We were treated to a bit of a flourish at the end of Mr Smith’s Year 9 lesson. The loud, enthusiastic call and response, (his English and their French), was dazzling. Accents were stunning. However, it’s not a mystery. It came straight from the Year 7 knowledge organiser: À mon avis, apprendre une langue étrangère c’est très utile main évidemment ce n’est pas toujours facile quand même. Also, Il faut que je fasse mes devoirs . This isn’t like any language learning I’ve seen before. The theory appears to be that if you amass a repertoire of complex phrases through direct instruction and recall methods, you gain huge confidence on which to develop fluency later. It’s a world away from the more typical process of learning lots of vocab about everyday life and gingerly introducing verbs – without really expecting/demanding total recall of what has been learned along the way. Here, students learn to say the phrases before they fully understand the underlying structures – too often we over analyse language at an early stage which inhibits the learning.

Something I was looking to check was that Michaela has students who might present as challenging elsewhere. I certainly did find a range of students. It turned out that my playfully off-message lunch partner needs lots of support and has had some difficulties at previous schools. I encountered him later in a withdrawal group for Maths where two students were being taught by a teacher. He’s definitely doing way better than he would be in a lot of schools. Elsewhere I saw students who were just like a lot of the characters I’ve met at the more challenging end of the spectrum at other schools. I don’t know the proportions but certainly Michaela does cater for students who are not simply pre-programmed to passively work within the boundaries of a discipline system. They have to be shown and supported even though the expectations remain firmly the same for everyone. For sure, it would be hard to impose this culture in an existing school; you need very strong majority buy-in to a culture that the odd more challenging students assimilate into without them creating their own.

The main under-represented group are middle class children. This was something I discussed during my visit – whether the Michaela way could extend to a more socially mixed cohort, where students have stronger home learning environments, more involved parents, mature self-discipline and, more importantly, students with a lot more prior knowledge and cultural capital. The school isn’t really set up with those students in mind but it’s interesting to explore what might transfer to different contexts and what one might change in terms of the curriculum and some of the routines. It will be interesting to see if Michaela matures into a school that staff send their own children to – always the acid test. That’s not meant as a criticism; it’s a genuine question about different social cultures and the interface between what parents express what they want for their children and what a school provides.

Finally, I was struck by the expectations of staff supervision. Teachers teach most periods in the week and then, between lessons, there they are at their stations on the stairwells by the toilets and there they are again taking part in the family lunch, swapping places to supervise the half-hour of free time in the yard. It’s a full-on day. That’s the deal. The trade-off is that teaching materials are pre-prepared and marking is minimal and overall, staff do report that they find it easier working there than in their previous schools. However, the expectations of contact time are a world apart – it’s all part of that sense of mission that is so strongly shared by the staff.

Ok – this has ended being much longer than planned but there’s a lot to say. Thank you to Katharine for hosting the visit and to all the Michaela staff and students who made me so welcome. Congratulations on creating such a great school and for giving us all so much to think about. There’s no doubt whatsoever that, when the time comes, Michaela students will knock those accountability measures out of the park.

Language Teacher Toolkit: Steve Smith's blog

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The 'michaela method' revisited.

Focus strongly on reading from the start (in line with the whole school policy).
Teach from the front; make little or no use of pair or group work.
Do lots of fast-paced choral and individual ‘call and response’ activity (e.g.giving a phrase in English and getting the answer back in TL).
Don’t use pictures, since focusing on words improves literacy and leaves no room for doubt.
Use plenty of TL, but don’t be dogmatic about it. Students will often ask complex formulaic TL questions in class which they have practised repeatedly.
Use plenty of translation, especially from English into the TL.
Place a strong focus on phonics teaching, making links between sounds and spelling very explicit. They spend a lot of time working on letter combinations and how they relate to sounds: “yeux”, “deux”, “feu”; “boit”, “noir”, “oiseau”, and so on.
Don’t worry too much about grading the difficulty of language; expose students to complex language from the start, e.g. beginners will quickly learn examples of the subjunctive in set phrases and be urged to use them.
Get students to read aloud a lot; correct them very clearly.
Read aloud a lot to the class and be the sole source of listening input, at least in the first two years.
Insist on accuracy at all times.
Avoid text books and published materials; write amusing texts.
Include plenty of writing but especially later in the lesson.
Do no creative writing in the early stages (since students can go wrong too easily).
Use lots of memory tricks to help students retain language.
Explain French usage by giving literal translations in odd English: “I have a question important”.
Make very little use of technology since it’s likely to waste time and be less productive. Avoid PowerPoint.
Emphasise the simplicity of the language at all times; do this by giving clear rules and using English where needed; leave no room for guesswork or uncertainty.
Make frequent use of parallel texts so students know at every point what the TL means.
Do lots of ‘low-stakes’ tests, e.g. vocab recall.
No games; a key point for Michaela teachers is the notion of ‘return on investment’ or ‘opportunity cost’ – which activity will produce the most learning? Games are rejected as a point of principle.
Use a mix of hands-up and no hands-up ("cold calling").
Make lessons fun through the pleasure of learning together, not by doing ‘fun activities’; develop strong relationships.