Subject guidance from information evening

1. Year 8 Information Evening
Subject How can a parent/carer support a
child in this subject?
Challenge and Enrichment
opportunities
Trips planned and Extra
Curricular
Key Message for Year 8
English Support with all HW tasks on SMHW.
Read with your child at home and
discuss topics or interesting
vocabulary that you come across
together.
Encourage your child to use
Accelerated Reader and complete
quizzes.
Sign and support your child in
completing the Active Reading
Booklet.
KS3 debate club.
Handwriting club.
Carnegie reading group.
Reading spies.
Regular competitions and extended
projects will be set throughout the
year that relate to what we will be
studying in class.
Globe theatre trip to see
Much Ado About Nothing.
English is the key to
succeeding in all your
subjects and later on in life.
Explore your own ideas, be
creative and engage in
everything you are being
asked to study.
Every assessment is based
on a GCSE style question so
every lesson will be preparing
your child with vital skills.
Maths Support with all HW tasks on SMHW.
Encourage attendance of afterschool
clinic on Monday and Friday
afterschool.
Never mention that they also found
Maths difficult.
Lunchtime club Tuesday ad
Thursday.
UKMT Maths Challenge Individual
Tests.
National Cipher Challenge
Competition
Maths Disney Trip
UKMT Team Challenge at
Bancrofts
National Cipher Challenge
Competition
The key to success in
Mathematics is practise and
attempting all questions.
Make sure your child is
completing all homework set
and is revising to prepare for
upcoming tests.
Science Support with all HW tasks on SMHW.
Encourage child to read scientific
literature from revision guides that are
to be utilised in KS4.
Encourage child to complete extra
revision questions from revision guide
and ask class teacher for extension
material.
To attend Science club, participate in
STEM activities in School. Complete
scientific projects based around
STEM.
No trips planned currently,
although there will be in
school/out of school STEM
events that will take place
throughout the year.
The topics covered in Year 7
and 8 provide a robust
foundation for GCSE topics in
year 9 and beyond. Ensure
you are revising these topics
thoroughly so that you can
excel in Science here at
RVHS.
Geography Encourage students to watch the
news and discuss key events with
All Year 8 students will take part in a
Challenge and Enrichment session
No trips currently planned
for Year 8 as enrichment
The topics studied in Year 8
and 9 provide a solid

2. them- particularly those that relate to
current topics e.g. Earthquakes and
Volcanoes.
Discuss with them homework tasks
and encourage them to do extra
research where applicable-
geography is relatable to what is
going on in the world around them!
through the Geo Bus outreach team
from UCL this half term.
sessions planned within
school hours.
foundation for GCSE
Geography so work hard and
push yourself to the best of
your ability.
History Encourage students to watch
historical documentaries about the
topic we are studying. Visit local sites
of historical interest.
Encourage students to produce
revision cards for the topics they have
studied before the exams using the
PLCs we provide. This will help boost
their exam confidence.
Year 8 Jack the Ripper walk with
parents(Summer)
Year 8 Jack the Ripper
walk with
parents(Summer)
Year 8 is a great time to learn
the skills you will need to
progress to GCSE. Most of
what we study is easy to find
out about and there are lots
of local places you can visit
to see the history we learn
about in action.
RS Encourage students to watch the
news and discuss key events with
them- particularly those that relate to
current topics.
To support students with work set on
SMHW and revision work posted in
the Google Classroom.
All Year 8 students will take part in a
variety of workshops including SRE.
No trips currently planned
for Year 8 as enrichment
sessions planned within
school hours.
The topics studied in the first
two terms encourage an
understanding of the world
around us and theological
ideas. In the summer term
students start the Short
Course GCSE form OCR in
Philosophy.
French Encourage students to practise
speaking French in their free time.
Watch television or films in French
with students.
Encourage students to do more than
the set homework. Eg, research into
grammar or learning extra vocabulary
French KS3 language club -
Tuesday lunchtime
French trip to Boulogne The Yr8 course covers many
of the topic areas that are
seen in GCSE and
vocabulary and grammar
learned at this stage gives a
solid foundation for success
at GCSE. Good habits, for
example, regularly learning
vocabulary and taking an
interest in the culture of
France will breed success.
Spanish Encourage students to practise
speaking Spanish in their free time.
Spanish KS3 language club -
Tuesday lunchtime
No trip planned at present The Yr8 course covers many
of the topic areas that are

3. Watch television or films in Spanish
with students.
Encourage students to do more than
the set homework. Eg, research into
grammar or learning extra vocabulary
seen in GCSE and
vocabulary and grammar
learned at this stage gives a
solid foundation for success
at GCSE. Good habits, for
example, regularly learning
vocabulary and taking an
interest in the culture of
Spain will breed success.
Computer
Science
Support all tasks on SMHW
Encourage revision work on topics
using websites such as BBC Bitesize
and Teach-ICT
Encourage practice of written skills as
80% of the KS3 assessment is paper-
based so students need to be able to
adequately explain the work they are
doing within lessons.
Students are always welcome to
come to the ICT office during
lunchtimes to complete homework or
improve classwork to help embed
their skills.
No trips currently planned The topics we study
throughout KS3 provide a
good basis upon which we
build relevant skills to enable
students to complete a GCSE
in Computing, therefore it is
important to focus each
lesson so that you don’t miss
important skills
Music Opportunities for going to concerts or
musicals. Encouraging wider listening
of topics covered in the curriculum.
Encouraging instrumental practice
where possible.
Extra-curricular, Winter Concert
Auditions.
No trips currently planned
for year 8.
Focus on specific areas of
practice within the classroom
and outside. Keep testing
your memory through
homework - little and often.
Drama Support students with homework
tasks. Encourage students to read
widely and to make sure that what
they read is challenging. Take
students to see plenty of live theatre
and encourage them to participate in
extra-curricular opportunities.
A possible rewards trip or workshop.
Drama Club on Wednesdays. School
Production rehearsals on Monday
and Thursday.
No current trip planned but
hoping to organise in-
school event.
Don’t be afraid to experiment
and try new things. Give
ideas and take responsibility
for directing sections of
performance. Always work
positively in your group. Aim
for quality always.
Art Review the art sketchbook when it
comes home. Ask questions about the
meaning of the work that we may be
studying. Review the homework
booklet on a weekly basis and ensure
that adequate time is spent on the
tasks. Gallery visits to Tate Britain,
National Gallery or Tate Modern
Students are always welcome to
complete or improve classwork in
their art rooms after school or at
lunchtime on any day.
We have 4 extra-curricular clubs on
offer.
We run an enrichment project for our
most talented artists.
No trips currently planned
for Year 8 as enrichment
sessions planned within
school hours.
Good art can’t be rushed,
time must be spent on it.
Good presentation is vital.
Art is not something that
‘comes naturally’, it develops
with practise

4. would always be appreciated.
PE Encourage their child to be physically
active. Encourage them to take an
interest in a wide variety of sport.
Watch sports events. Attend fixtures.
Join clubs outside of school.
Many. Please see the extra-
curricular timetable. Visiting rugby
coach into boys and girls lessons.
Fixtures against other schools
locally, country wide and nationally.
Ski trip and Football tour.
Please see the timetable. There is a lot going on so get
involved! Develop a passion
for sport.
Develop your theoretical
knowledge in preparation for
GCSE PE which will start in
Y9.
Food and
Nutrition
Cooking regularly at home under
supervision if necessary.
Ensure the correct ingredients are
brought into lessons. Regular check
homework tasks or activities are
completed-SMHW for due dates.
Check Year 7(previously completed)
recipe booklet and present some of
the dishes at home for family or
friends.
Encouragement to join competitions
on offer and workshops available.
Attempt stretch and challenge
activities during lesson time.
No trips planned currently.
Guest speakers during
lesson time. A wide range
of extracurricular activities
available throughout the
year. Workshops planned
for after school and
information shared on
twitter and parentmail as
they become available.
Practise skills at home and
try new recipes.
Watch cooking programmes
(for example: masterchef,
British Bake off, Individual
chef demonstrations,
Nutritional programs
promoting healthy eating/
superfoods)
Read recipe books and food
magazines for the latest
trends in food and nutrition.
Watch the news and look out
for articles about healthy
eating advice.