Young people are amazing thinkers! Young people have a lot to say.

Extended Thinking for Years 7 and 8 is new to the St Peter’s Curriculum from September 2022. Extended thinking will sit at the heart of the curriculum, complementing and supporting pupils’ progress in other subject areas as well as providing regular opportunities to develop their Habits of Character.

We believe it is an essential requirement for young people to learn to think deeply about difficult ideas but within topics that are age-appropriate, fun and engaging. Our goal is that our young people want to be curious and enjoy wondering about human nature and the world around them.  We believe that learning to actively listen can lead to young people being open-minded, thorough in their reasoning, conscientious in their responses and therefore enable them to embrace the nature of true democracy, taking a full part in the world.

In Year 7, among other far-reaching topics, pupils will consider the concepts of belief and truth; they will ask questions about the nature of reality; they will delve into the relationship between freedom and identity. Throughout the year, pupils will develop their ability to function effectively as part of a group, using talk to stimulate debate, consider alternative viewpoints and evaluate different perspectives. 

In Year 8, we will be asking questions about the fundamental nature of control; we will put ambition under the microscope and we will address the motivation and reasoning behind war and peace. We will ask, what do we mean by ‘us’; what does it mean to ‘belong’; are we ever ‘free’? Throughout the year pupils will build on their Year 7 discussion skills becoming more independent in their ability to combine different roles in group work and eventually to manage and lead group discussion.

Ultimately by the end of Year 8, we hope our young people will develop their self-confidence as thinkers in their own right and their ability to express themselves in thoughtful ways using carefully chosen and nuanced vocabulary.  We also intend to have a lot of fun!