Acorn House KS3 learning course provides a framework of academic and life skills for students aged 11-14. It offers an educational model that embraces both UK and Italian traditional school subjects with a constructivist approach. The dual curriculum offer we have established in primary is deepen and broaden during KS3. Our students are motivated and committed learners, interested to get involved in an intense working frame, where six of the learning areas are fully developed in each curriculum and in both languages. Our Middle School curriculum is thought provoking and challenging. It enables your child to become a confident learner, able to follow entirely the English and Italian requirements, and seeks to actively promote the individual development of all students, enabling each pupil to reach his/her full potential in a well structured, inspiring and controlled learning environment.

AHI MIDDLE SCHOOL FORMATIVE OFFER

Subjects British curriculum

Hours per Week

Subjects Italian curriculum

Hours per week

Total weekly teaching hrs.

English literacy and language

8

Italiano

6

13

Matematica

6

6

History

English/European

2

Storia

Italiana/Europea

1

3

Geography

1

Geografia

1

2

Science

2

Scienze

1

3

Music

1

1

Art

1

Storia dell'Arte

30'

1:30

Technical Drawing

1

Tecnologia

30'

1:30

Gym

1

1

TOTAL

17

TOTAL

16

33

Additional European language (Spanish)

2

 2
Weekly learning time

35

Middle School Timings: Monday-Friday from 8:15-16:15

Please consider that families when enrolling their children at Acorn, can choose between two pathway options in Middle School, which are outlined in the following document "AIS Middle School".

In this document, you will find a list of subjects offered in each option.

Option A is designed to meet the needs of international students or Italian students, who are more interested in the Middle School UK curriculum. It offers Italian as an additional European language, alongside Spanish as Language 2. The majority of lessons are therefore conducted in English, following the UK curriculum. This option prepares students for the international pathway in high school (IGCSE and IB) and also includes the preparation for the Cambridge Certification of interest of students who aren’t English mother tongue (PET, FIRST, or Advanced, according to students' English entry level).

Option B is designed for Italian native speakers who wish to prepare for the Italian State exam at the end of middle school. This option also includes preparation for the Cambridge Certification (PET, FIRST, Advanced, according to their entry level) and prepares students for the international pathway in high school, alongside with preparing students for the Italian curriculum requirements.

Please note that in the document where both options are presented, students from the same year group will attend lessons together as a whole group, during the periods/subjects highlighted in light blue. Instead, during the periods/subjects highlighted in light green, students will be divided for attending either the UK or Italian curriculum lessons, for a total of 13 periods per week.

At Acorn House we are aware that during their time in KS3, students are entering year 7 during puberty and will complete the middle school cycle in year 9 at the beginning of their adolescence.
They will not only face the academic challenges moving from primary towards college time, learning how to learn, but will also get through a particularly critical phase of personal and intellectual development. This is a time of changes, physical and emotional questioning, characterised by instability and sensitivity, where students have to learn to cope with different pressures. At Acorn House, we aim to guide our students not only towards academic success, but also to support their ability to reflect on their actions and to be open to others. A mentoring teaching team supports students and allows space for personal growth.

AIS MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM OPTIONS
(green subjects are split classes where Italian students attend Italian subjects during this time - light blue subjects is attended by the whole class)

We pride ourselves on offering your children a challenging and nurturing educational programme that provides them with discipline, skills, and challenging learning goals, but also with flexibility, empathy and creativity. We also aim to support students in developing a value system by which to guide their own lives, as thoughtful, respectful, active members of their class and the world around them.

Learning Objectives

Select each item to expand content