What is available in Month 1
Year 8 has 92 sessions in 12 subject areas. Each week includes Mathematics and English, Science and History, plus eight wider subjects. Written teaching, examples, practice and parent marking guidance support the sequence. Additional help audio covers these core lessons; video coverage varies.
Practical skills for life
Choose optional subjects for your child’s weekly plan. Each course has teaching, worked examples, practice and parent review. Read together, discuss the example or try the idea on paper.
Social Skills & Relationships
Listening, empathy, boundaries and repairing mistakes.
YEARS 5–9Money & Financial Literacy
Budgeting, saving, value and thoughtful money choices.
YEARS 6–9Entrepreneurship
Solve a problem, test a prototype and explain an honest business idea.
YEARS 8–9Investing & Risk
Explore uncertainty, compounding, diversification and misleading claims.
Audio and helper videos
Read the explanation, follow the worked example and try the activity. A grown-up can read aloud or help record a spoken response.
Week 1: actual topics in the portal
| Subject | Topic | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Expand expressions | 5 |
| English | The map room | 5 |
| Science | Particles and changes of state | 3 |
| History | Power and religion before the break | 2 |
| Geography | Locate places on a model grid | 1 |
| Art and Design | Marks and visual research for a visual identity for a fictional exhibition | 1 |
| Design and Technology | Define the user and criteria | 1 |
| Music | Pulse and rhythm | 1 |
| Physical Education | Balance and control | 1 |
| Computing | Trace a sequence | 1 |
| Personal Development | Consent and digital sharing | 1 |
| Religious Education | Beliefs, questions and respect | 1 |
Week 2: actual topics in the portal
| Subject | Topic | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Solve linear equations | 5 |
| English | The language of a headline | 5 |
| Science | Diffusion and random motion | 3 |
| History | The Act of Supremacy | 2 |
| Geography | Scale and route distance | 1 |
| Art and Design | Tone and contrast for a visual identity for a fictional exhibition | 1 |
| Design and Technology | Model a structure | 1 |
| Music | Pitch and contour | 1 |
| Physical Education | Aim and receive | 1 |
| Computing | Use repetition | 1 |
| Personal Development | Challenge a stereotype | 1 |
| Religious Education | Practices and meanings | 1 |
Week 3: actual topics in the portal
| Subject | Topic | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Sequences and the nth term | 5 |
| English | Platform nine | 5 |
| Science | Atoms, elements and compounds | 3 |
| History | Dissolution and consequences | 2 |
| Geography | Read a place survey | 1 |
| Art and Design | Composition and alternatives for a visual identity for a fictional exhibition | 1 |
| Design and Technology | Test one change | 1 |
| Music | Layers and musical choices | 1 |
| Physical Education | Create a movement sequence | 1 |
| Computing | Choose with a condition | 1 |
| Personal Development | Claims, algorithms and reach | 1 |
| Religious Education | Difference within communities | 1 |
Week 4: actual topics in the portal
| Subject | Topic | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Coordinates on straight lines | 5 |
| English | Whose convenience? | 5 |
| Science | Conservation and reaction models | 3 |
| History | Judging the extent of change | 2 |
| Geography | Choose a site with evidence | 1 |
| Art and Design | Review and refine for a visual identity for a fictional exhibition | 1 |
| Design and Technology | Evaluate and redesign | 1 |
| Music | Compose, perform and refine | 1 |
| Physical Education | Observe, adapt and improve | 1 |
| Computing | Test data and protect information | 1 |
| Personal Development | Participate in a decision | 1 |
| Religious Education | Reasons for helping others | 1 |
Try a real first-session activity
Expand 2(x + 6). Show your steps and draw a labelled representation of one step.
Open a free learner profile to see this activity with its teaching explanation, worked example and related questions.
The parent’s part
Help prepare materials, read instructions when needed and review saved answers. Encourage explanations and record any support. In Year 2, split work into short adult-supported activities with movement.
Curriculum and next steps
England’s National Curriculum provides the Key Stage 3 reference. Learners develop reasoning, explain their choices and use evidence, with parent guidance and opportunities to revisit difficult ideas.
Updated 28 October 2026 · Asta Online School
See learning at Asta for details about learning with Asta.
Extra help when an idea needs another explanation
Additional help audio is available for all 828 core lessons across Years 1–9 in the current lesson library: an explanation, a hint and a separate worked example for each lesson. These 2,484 clips offer extra support rather than simply reading the lesson aloud. This coverage does not include optional courses; videos are available only for selected lessons.