Year 9 is seen as one of the most important years in school. This is
probably true- after all, it is the year you make your GCSE course choices
and do your KS3 SATs.
At the beginning of Year 9, a lot of time is spent doing practice work
for your SATs. If you chose to start learning German at the end of Year
8,then you will begin learning your second language at this time.
Towards Christmas, there is a Christmas party held for everyone in the
year. This is either in school time or is held in the evening after school.
Our Year 9 group held a talent competition at the end of the Autumn Term,
just before the Christmas holidays. It was a good chance to see just what
everyone could do that they do not get a chance to show off in school.
After the Christmas holidays, when the Spring Term begins, work carries
on as usual. At this point, students are offered the chance to go on the
ski and trenches trips. The ski trip does not take place until Year 10,
but the trenches trip ties in with the work on World Wars One and Two,
studied in History in Year 9.
Also in the Spring Term, course choices are decided. This is a good time
to find out what subjects will be like in KS4. It gives students the chance
to take up new subjects they have an interest in and finish studying those
they do not like as much (within reason!).
In the first weeks of May, after lots of hard work and preparation, the
SATs finally take place. These tests decide your groups for Year 10, so
are very important. Teachers spend lots of time doing practice tests and
revision classes to help pupils achieve higher levels. Booster classes
in Maths, English and Science were held for students on a Saturday morning
for our group, and many pupils felt that these helped them to get their
higher grades.
When the week of SATs is over, lessons continue as before. Pupils have
to wait several weeks to get their results back, and a lot of people find
it difficult to concentrate on anything else until they receive their
levels.
After the results are back, students going on the trenches trip leave
for France and Belgium for three days. Our trip this year was definitely
some of the best days in Year Nine. On the first day, most people were
exhausted from having hardly any sleep on the journey from Leeds to Calais,
but most people made the best of it and thoroughly enjoyed their day.
The next few days were even better, with trips into Belgium, underground
tunnels and real trenches from the First World War. I would definitely
recommend this trip to anyone.
At the end of the year is Alternative Education Week. For Year 9s it is
similar to Year 7, but you have more choice over what you do. The activities
often tie in with GCSE courses, as Drama, I.T. and Business Studies workshops
are run, and there are days of History and Geography field trips.
The last day of Year 9 was definitely one of the best: most of our year
went ice-skating and swimming at Doncaster Dome - it was brilliant!
So that's Year 9 for you - I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Laura Holdsworth, on behalf of Year 9
(Year 10, 2002 ~ 2003)
