The “Another Brick in the Wall” expedition, designed for Year 9 students in Autumn 2025, integrates HUMAN (Humanities, English, Citizenship) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths) subjects to answer the guiding question: 

How are structures important in helping us to explain our world? 

Case Study 1: What do we mean by structures?

In the first phase of the expedition, students explored the fundamental definition of structures. In Humanities, this involved a comparative study of democratic and autocratic systems, tracing the fall of Tsarist Russia, the rise of the Bolsheviks under Stalin, and the political climate of pre-Cold War Britain. This theme of structural integrity – or the lack thereof – was mirrored in English through the study of Lord of the Flies, where students analysed how the collapse of societal rules leads to violence. Simultaneously, Science lessons focused on the building blocks of matter, revisiting the history of the atomic model and the development of the Periodic Table, while Art classes emphasised accuracy and scale through the creation of one-point and two-point perspective drawings.

Case Study 2: Why are structures important?

The second case study shifted focus to the consequences of conflicting structures and their impact on the modern world. Students examined the Cold War, analysing how the opposing ideologies of the USA and the USSR influenced global events like the erection of the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis. They also investigated the legacy of these events on modern China, specifically looking at industrial growth and population policies. In Science, the theoretical understanding of the atom was applied to practical concepts such as radioactivity, decay, and energy transfer, requiring students to use the scientific method to calculate density and specific heat capacity. This phase also included narrative writing in English to explore character and artist research on Ian Murphy to inspire ink and watercolor artwork.

Case Study 3 – Final Product

The expedition concluded by asking students to apply their global and scientific understanding to their local community in Doncaster. Students assessed the social structures that allow their community to thrive, writing guides that highlighted essential local services in their area.