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Moving to an Independent Secondary School
Year 7 and Year 8 at Ealing College Upper School
Moving from a Primary School to a Secondary Independent School can be a traumatic and frightening experience. The new pupil will become the centre of attention because numbers in independent schools are quite small compared to those in state schools. We recommend that you help your child to plan and prepare for private schooling. Involve them in the process of choosing a suitable school. Bring them along to our open days/evenings and let them meet their future class mates and tutors. Have a chat with the headmaster or deputy headmaster and see if you can arrange for your child a few taster days. At Ealing College Upper School, this is our way of smoothing the transition from Primary to Secondary schooling and providing the child with an opportunity to forget about the negative things associated with changing from school to another.
Parents can also help by telling their child that things are going to be different at the new school. Private Schools are much more strict regarding their dress code and will insist the child come to school with proper attire. In terms of the curriculum, there may be additional subject to study and perhaps a new language to learn.
At Ealing College Upper School, pupils in each year are assigned a Personal Tutor with experience of Pastoral Care, who will advise your son/daughter towards a happy and successful transition.
Curriculum
Students in Year 7 & Year 8 (ages 11-13) follow the National Curriculum Key Stage 3. Pupils follow 12 subjects:
Art
In art, craft and design, pupils explore visual, tactile and other sensory experiences to communicate ideas and meanings. They work with traditional and new media, developing confidence, competence, imagination and creativity. They learn to appreciate and value images and artefacts across times and cultures, and to understand the contexts in which they were made. In art, craft and design, pupils reflect critically on their own and other people’s work, judging quality, value and meaning. They learn to think and act as artists, craftspeople and designers, working creatively and intelligently.
Citizenship
Education for citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. Citizenship encourages them to take an interest in topical and controversial issues and to engage in discussion and debate. Pupils learn about their rights, responsibilities, duties and freedoms and about laws, justice and democracy. They learn to take part in decision-making and different forms of action. They play an active role in the life of their schools, neighbourhoods, communities and wider society as active and global citizens.
English
English is vital for communicating with others in school and in the wider world, and is fundamental to learning in all curriculum subjects. In studying English, pupils develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing that they will need to participate in society and employment. Pupils learn to express themselves creatively and imaginatively and to communicate with others confidently and effectively.
Modern Foreign Language (French)
Languages are part of the cultural richness of our society and the world in which we live and work. Learning languages contributes to mutual understanding, a sense of global citizenship and personal fulfilment. Pupils learn to appreciate different countries, cultures, communities and people. By making comparisons, they gain insight into their own culture and society. The ability to understand and communicate in another language is a lifelong skill for education, employment and leisure in this country and throughout the world.
Geography
The study of geography stimulates an interest in and a sense of wonder about places. It helps young people make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world. It explains where places are, how places and landscapes are formed, how people and their environment interact, and how a diverse range of economies, societies and environments are interconnected. It builds on pupils’ own experiences to investigate places at all scales, from the personal to the global.
History
History fires pupils' curiosity and imagination, moving and inspiring them with the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past. It helps pupils develop their own identities through an understanding of history at personal, local, national and international levels. It helps them to ask and answer questions of the present by engaging with the past. Pupils find out about the history of their community, Britain, Europe and the world. They develop a chronological overview that enables them to make connections within and across different periods and societies.
ICT
The increasing use of technology in all aspects of society makes confident, creative and productive use of ICT an essential skill for life. ICT capability encompasses not only the mastery of technical skills and techniques, but also the understanding to apply these skills purposefully, safely and responsibly in learning, everyday life and employment. ICT capability is fundamental to participation and engagement in modern society. ICT can be used to find, develop, analyse and present information, as well as to model situations and solve problems.
Mathematics
Mathematical thinking is important for all members of a modern society as a habit of mind for its use in the workplace, business and finance; and for personal decision-making. Mathematics is fundamental to national prosperity in providing tools for understanding science, engineering, technology and economics. It is essential in public decision-making and for participation in the knowledge economy. Mathematics equips pupils with uniquely powerful ways to describe, analyse and change the world.
Music
Music is a unique form of communication that can change the way pupils feel, think and act. Music forms part of an individual’s identity and positive interaction with music can develop pupils’ competence as learners and increase their self-esteem. Music brings together intellect and feeling and enables personal expression, reflection and emotional development. As an integral part of culture, past and present, music helps pupils understand themselves, relate to others and develop their cultural understanding, forging important links between home, school and the wider world.
Physical Education (PE)
PE develops pupils’ competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities that become a central part of their lives, both in and out of school. A high-quality PE curriculum enables all pupils to enjoy and succeed in many kinds of physical activity. They develop a wide range of skills and the ability to use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to perform successfully. When they are performing, they think about what they are doing, analyse the situation and make decisions. They also reflect on their own and others’ performances and find ways to improve them.
Science
In year 7 and 8 Science is taught as a combined subject of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. According to Prof. Malcolm Longair "Science is an integral part of modern culture. It stretches the imagination and creativity of young people. Its challenges are quite enormous."
Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education
Personal, social, health and economic education brings together personal, social and health education, work-related learning, careers, enterprise, and financial capability. There are two new non-statutory programmes of study at key stages 3 and 4: personal wellbeing, and economic wellbeing and financial capability. The programmes of study are based on the Every Child Matters outcomes and build on the existing frameworks and guidelines in these areas.
Religious Knowledge
Religious education provokes challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. It develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity, other principal religions, other religious traditions, and other world views that offer answers to these challenging questions. It offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development. It enhances awareness and understanding of religions and beliefs, teachings, practices and forms of expression, and of the influence of religion on individuals, families, communities and cultures.
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