Geography Department
Mrs Fielding
Head of Geography
Our Vision
Our vision is to help students explore their personal Geography, to improve geographical literacy by taking students beyond their personal experiences, to inspire a curiosity of the world’s diversity of environments, cultures and economies. We aim to develop an understanding of how physical and human processes shape features and interact to affect people and places. We aim to help students understand how their lives will be affected by geographical processes occurring at a variety of scales, similarly their actions will have an impact and the need for sustainable management strategies. Our vision is to equip students with the knowledge necessary to challenge stereotypes, make informed decisions and be responsible citizens of the 21st Century. Every opportunity will be utilised to take learning beyond the classroom.
Our Team
Mrs Fielding - Head of Geography
Miss Clinton - Teacher of Geography
Mrs Wilson - Teacher of Georaphy
Miss Ypsilanti - Teacher of Geography
Teaching and Learning
Key Stage 3 - Year 7 - 9
A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Key stage 3 aims to enthuse students about the world around them and provide the foundations needed for GCSE Geography. Classes are in sets according to English and Geography is taught 3 times over a two-week timetable.
Key Stage 4 - Year 10 & 11
Geography is an option subject where students receive 5 hours of teaching per fortnight. Students follow the AQA specification with units on living with the physical environment, challenges in the human environment and applying geographical skills. There are two educational visits for fieldwork which includes a visit to Cleveleys coastline.
Assessment
Students' knowledge is assessed by the teacher during each lesson. Formal assessments are completed 3 times per year in years 7-9. There are pre-public examinations in years 10 and 11 with end of unit tests during lessons.
Resources and Rooms
There are 3 Geography classrooms that includes one ICT suite that can be used to explore the world digitally. Other resources include atlases, textbooks, globes and OS maps of the local area.
Home Learning
Home learning is used to maximise curricular time and offer a variety of engaging and meaningful opportunities to develop skills and knowledge. Activities are used to promote deeper thinking, develop literacy skills and provide opportunities for self-management.
Extra-Curricular Activities
- Year 7s will complete the 'Britain in a Box' project when learning about Great Britain. This will display their knowledge about a chosen topic of Britain and be presented during lesson.
- GCSE students visit Cleveleys beach to complete fieldwork.
History Department
Mr Hernon
Head of History
Our Vision
The Radclyffe School history department vision is that students become well-rounded historians, who can use a wide-ranging, word rich vocabulary, as well as become competent in historical second order concepts. Furthermore, students receive a well-rounded curriculum, covering a range of historical time periods. The Radclyffe History Department strive to create independent and thoughtful thinkers who can contextualise significant events in history and relate this to their own experience.
Our Team
Mr Hernon - Head of History
Mr Patel - Teacher of History
Ms Bagnall - Teacher of Hostory
Mr Barrington - Teacher of History
Teaching and Learning
Key Stage 3 - Year 7 - 9
Students in years 7-9 receive three hours of history teaching per fortnight and are grouped in line with their English set. Each year consists of six key topics. These look at world issues in more specific detail.
Key Stage 4 - Year 10 & 11
Students at KS4 receive five hours of history teaching per fortnight. Students follow the Edexcel specification and are taught four wide ranging units in chronological order. Each exam paper has a different focus including; Thematic Study, Historic Environment investigation, British Depth Study, Period Study and a Modern Depth Study.
Students are taught the following:
- Medicine Through Time c1250-present day and Medicine on the Western Front
- Elizabethan England 1558-1588
- The Cold War, 1945-1991
- Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918-39
Assessment
KS3 - Once per unit.
KS4 - Three times per unit.
Resources and Rooms
All classroom resources will be provided for students however parents can purchase additional revision materials the History Department.
Home Learning
Once per half term at KS3 inclusive of knowledge recall and history skills.
Once per week at KS4 inclusive of knowledge recall and examination question.
Extra-Curricular Activities
- GCSE revision classes
- Debating Club, KS3 and KS4 clubs are held separately
Religious Studies Department
Miss Smith
Head of Religious Studies
Our Vision
Our vision for our students is for them to become not just tolerant but appreciative of the variety of values, beliefs and practices that exist in Britain’s pluralistic society. This will involve challenging misconceptions and stereotypes that exist in the community and extending their knowledge and understanding of the sixth major world faiths and atheism. We are passionate about them being aware of modern-day issues and events and aim for them to be able to make meaningful contributions to relevant debates. We will also use our subject as a vessel to promote and improve literacy. Collectively these aims will allow our students to leave The Radclyffe School as well-informed, open-minded and considerate individuals.
Our Team
Miss Smith - Head of Religious Studies
Mrs Hamilton - Teacher of Religious Studies and Lead Literacy Teacher
Mr Halls - Deputy Head Teacher and Teacher of Religious Studies
Teaching and Learning
Key Stage 3 - Year 7 - 9
In KS3 we aim to give students a good holistic understanding of the six major world religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. In addition, we also engage with religion through themes such as inspirational people and our Faith in Oldham unit. We think it is not only important for students to study the religions academically but also to understand their impact on communities. For this reason, our final unit in Year 9 'Faith in Oldham' allows students to engage in Q&A sessions with local religious leaders and is assessed through the presentations students create about faith in their local context.
Students in KS3 receive two hours of Religious Studies teaching per fortnight and are grouped in line with their English set.
Key Stage 4 - Year 10 & 11
In KS4 we follow the 'AQA A' GCSE course which includes the focused study of two religions, one of which must be Christianity. We have chosen to also study Islam as this faith is also prevalent in our community. The course is split into two sections: the study of religions and thematic study. Once students have studied the foundational beliefs and practices we focus on four themes: Relationships and Families; Religion and Life; Peace and Conflict and Crime and Punishment. This GCSE allows students to become scholars of two fascinating world faiths whilst developing practical skills such as critical thinking and debate.
Assessment
Students' knowledge is assessed by the teacher during each lesson. Formal assessments are completed 3 times per year during KS3. GCSE students complete formal assessments both during and at the end of topics. There are also pre-public examinations in years 10 and 11.
Resources and Rooms
Religious Studies is mostly taught in designated specialist rooms that are well resourced with full class sets of religious texts such as Bibles and Qur’ans (English translations). We also have a wide variety of textbooks that students use in their lessons to develop their learning and engagement with the major world religions. Our classrooms have interactive whiteboards to support the delivery of exciting, engaging and interactive learning. In addition to written resources, the RS department has a vast array of religious artifacts that allow students to learn about religious beliefs and practices in a visual and tangible way.
Home Learning
Students are required to complete additional tasks at home to support their classroom learning at regular points throughout the term. Religious Studies home learning aims to develop the quality learning that has taken place in the classroom and encourage independent inquiry outside of the classroom setting. Religious Studies home learning comes in a variety of forms from worksheets and extended writing tasks to revision, research and projects.
Extra-Curricular Activities
The Religious Studies department offer a range of extra-curricular opportunities. We run visits to places of worship relevant to the courses of study e.g. local Churches. In Year 9 we have our 'Faith in Oldham' inquiry project that culminates in a celebration evening with members of the local faith communities visiting school to promote community cohesion and a positive attitude to all. At GCSE we welcome the Police into school to speak to students studying the Crime and Punishment unit in order to provide the students with an understanding of the law and policing in the UK.
