MIDDLE SCHOOL: YEARS 7 & 8
Moving up from Junior School to Middle School is a big step – a big step towards growing up with more freedom and more responsibility – but we’re not in any hurry. Childhood should be cherished not rushed through after all. Our focus during these years is still on encouraging their natural curiosity and keeping their learning inspired and interesting. This is a time when children are starting to figure out who they are. Ours is an environment that says come and be you - if you love dancing, then do that - if you love science, then great do that. If you love wearing woolly hats all year, that’s fine too. Be yourself, be open-minded and you’ve already created the perfect environment for learning.
students sit on a large sculpture while smiling down at a teacher standing below
students trace patterns created by the shadows from trees
a student hits a tennis ball on a school tennis court
students sit on a large sculpture while smiling down at a teacher standing below
MIDDLE SCHOOL: YEARS 7 & 8
We really pride ourselves on being that bit different. We offer a place where children can grow and find their own
strengths through a balanced, diverse and individual education. We believe strongly in the power of creative thinking, empathy and courage - readying our students to be not just exam takers, but forward thinkers and problem solvers.
This all sounds very well, but how do we actually do this? What is so different about our classes, our teachers, our school? We have teachers and students, just like most schools, but it is the relationships and interaction between them that creates a different learning environment and a different style of learning and teaching. Our first-name basis naturally leads to a more informal atmosphere and a firm foundation of respect and expectation develops strong, genuine relationships. The result is a safe, inspiring place to learn and teach. Students are encouraged to explore, share ideas, challenge conventions. Teachers are encouraged to be innovative and creative with their lessons. All with the common goal of keeping that inspiration and love for learning alive and well.
TEACHING & LEARNING
Years 7 to 8 are important and exciting years for teaching and learning at Frensham. With exams not quite on the horizon, we continue to offer a purposefully broad curriculum allowing students to find the subjects which really interest them. Teaching practices are innovative and progressive allowing for student-led initiative and flexibility. With small class sizes, teachers can really offer bespoke teaching always considering the unique group of students in front of them. Less tied to lesson plans, if something isn’t working, they can discuss and work with the students to find a better way to keep everyone engaged and participating.
TUTOR GROUPS
Students are split into tutor groups with their tutor taking a pastoral role, gently supporting and getting to know each of the students in their care. Tutor groups will normally stay the same through Years 7 and 8 with three tutor groups per year.
CURRICULUM
At Frensham, we treat academic and creative subjects equally and within the younger years particularly, our aim is to offer a very broad curriculum allowing each child to find their own strengths and passions. The Key Stage 3 curriculum is designed to give a firm grounding in all the areas of understanding: language and communication, mathematical understanding, scientific understanding, the humanities, the creative and performing arts and in physical education.
CURRICULUM BREAKDOWN
Year 7: Most students study fourteen compulsory subjects and then have a choice of two Modern Foreign Languages. Students remain in their tutor groups for everything except PE, Languages and Maths.
Year 8: Most students study sixteen subjects (all of which are compulsory) and they remain in their tutor groups for everything except PE, Languages, English and Maths. Students in Year 8 attend one PSHE lesson per week.
Students have 30 lessons a week with five 55 minute lessons and one 45 minute lesson daily.
English: 3 lessons per week
Maths: 3 lessons per week
Science: 4 lessons per week
Geography: 2 lessons per week
History: 2 lessons per week
Personal, Social, Health Education: 1 lesson per week (Year 8)
Philosophy, Religion, Ethics: 1 lesson per week
IT: 1 lesson per week
Modern Languages: 2 lessons per week
PE/Games: 3 lessons per week
Creative Arts: 3 lessons per week
Music: 1 lesson per week
Dance: 1 lesson per week
Drama: 1 lesson per week
Tutor Time/Morning Talk: 1 lesson per week
Worthy Earth School Farm: 1 lesson per week
6 CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS LESSONS
EVERY WEEK
MORNING TALK
Morning Talk has been happening at Frensham since the school opened. It is a time for Years 7 to 13 to come together in the Aldridge Theatre to explore and discuss a new topic. This can stem from a visiting speaker or from a member of our community who has something to share. Topics can range from climate change to elections to homelessness. Previous speakers have included Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard and a Holocaust survivor.