Hello all and welcome back to the Spring term! We’re already in the second week back of school and it seems like the standard of work produced by our students is higher than ever. Already, Year 7 have learnt about the difference between democracy and dictatorship and they have had the opportunity to decide how they would run their own country. There have been some fantastic and well thought out answers by the whole class, who were very respectful of each other’s opinions.
Year 8 have continued their work learning about the Women’s Suffrage movement in the run up to the centenary of the 1918 Act that gave women the right to vote for the very first time. This is a very dear part of history to myself and it has been an absolute pleasure to plan and teach this scheme to students who have been so engaged. It has been very enjoyable seeing how passionate many of our students, both male and female, have been about the plight of women and the extent that they had to go to in order to gain the right to vote. One thing in particular that I loved was the cross over when learning about crime in Citizenship. While I was discussing smashing a shop window during a riot, one student, with a cheeky smile on their face said, “but Miss, would you say it’s a crime if they were a Suffragette?”
Year 9 have had a tough return from the start as they have been learning about the rise and fall of the American economy during the 1920s; not an easy topic at all! However, I have been very impressed with the rate in which the students have grasped the different concepts while coming to terms with the idea that the Model T car really was the best of its time.
Year 10 have had it equally as tough learning about the economy and reasons for poverty during the reign of Elizabeth I. They amazed by the idea that the drop in the price of wool really caused that much trouble.
Finally, Year 11 have been hard at work during their mock exams and I have enjoyed listening to my coaching group’s reflections on them each morning. Good luck Year 11!