Welcome to Team Starling

At the express level, pupils should encounter learning in a range of contexts and be supported to be able to develop and express their own opinions across the curriculum.  This stage is about experimenting with concepts and ideas. It is about being courageous and innovative.  It is about encouraging pupils to find their own voice and develop their identity.  We encourage pupils to respect and accept others’ opinions and individuality.  Drama, communities of inquiry and immersive experiences are the vehicles for learning. We take every opportunity to extend learning in real life situations through visits and visitors. Staff are facilitators of pupil-led learning at this stage through challenge and support, and creating a safe environment for every pupil to express themselves.

This is the foundation for empowering our pupils to take on the world.

In Harrier, Merlin and Starling, our Year 7/8 pupils will learn through a combination of whole class, group work and individual work. Learning will be pupil led and link to topic areas and our whole school themes. Staff talk will be minimal and about facilitating learning; instead, we will support pupils to learn to and through talk.

Autumn 1 - Community - Topic Theme 'Where would you like to live?'

This topic is all about the places where we live and those around us. We will learn about the city of Doncaster. We will learn about the features of a city, what buildings there are and who lives and works there.  We will look at photographs and pictures of other places to live and see how they are the same and different to our local area. We will visit different places and landmarks in Doncaster to help us find out more about their city.

The oracy focus is Inform and Explain. Sentence stems will be used to challenge or build on other people's contributions. They will develop their presentational skills over the half-term, with progressively more demanding expectations (eg formality, tone, gestures), part of the Physical Strand. The topic will lead up to the Celebrate Activity – an Estate Agent. Pupils will present a description of a house / room in a house. Pupils will need to learn to ‘talk like a sales person’, part of the Cognitive Strand. Pupils will watch TV programmes like ‘Homes Under The Hammer’ in order to learn how to do their own. They will develop public speaking skills over the half-term, with progressively more demanding expectations (eg increase audience size), part of the Physical Strand.