Curriculum

GEOGRAPHY

Why study Geography?

Students can only have an awareness of where they are in the world if they have a comprehensive knowledge of the world. We use concepts of space and place as examples of the ‘lenses’ through which geographers view the world in order to understand how the world works. Where do they sit compared to other people? How does their experience, their status, and their identity compare with the rest of the world? Geography helps students understand how the world works and gives a solid grounding before they go to visit places. Geography teaches the students to investigate how other cultures work and how the world can be dangerous as well as beautiful. Geography teaches students to be aware that the world is constantly changing and that being factual and precise can be as important as being imaginative. In short, Geography surrounds us in everyday life and helps students understand their place in the world and how local actions can have global effects.

How will I study Geography?

Students study geography by looking at the world through the big questions. Why id the tropical rainforest under threat and how can it be managed sustainably? How should we respond to the migrant crisis? How can we manage world resources to ensure our global needs are met? To answer any of the big enquiry questions, students must first develop a sound understanding of the key geographical concepts that underpin them. The geomorphological processes underpinning the physical geography enquiries, an understanding of the unequal resources and implications around the world and most importantly human stakeholder decision making. 

What will I study at key stage 3?

Students begin key stage 3 with an in depth study of map and atlas skills. This enables them to locate global biomes and study tropical rainforests using the Malaysian rainforest as a case study. Students study the development of Kenya and Africa considering how the development gap is changing in Ghana. A study of coastal processes and management is followed by a study of Britain’s weather systems, climate patterns and the future. This leads students to consider climate change mitigation versus adaptation. This leads to the study of sustainable management of cold environments using Alaska and Antarctica as case studies. Global issues such as China’s influence on the world, migration and population change, tectonic hazards, and tropical storms are studied considering their environmental, social and economic impact on a wider scale. Globalisation is investigated considering the benefits and problems of TNCs. Ethical issues such as distribution of the world resources and poverty reduction give students the opportunity to debate and consider viewpoints with a local, regional, national and international perspective.

Students undertake fieldwork enquiries on local micro climates, coastal and river erosion and regeneration of coastal towns.

 

What will I study at key stage 4?

Students explore themes in the human environment; processes, systems and outcomes and how this changes both spatially and temporally. Students develop an understanding of the factors that produce a diverse variety of human environments; the dynamic nature of these environments that change over time and place; the need for sustainable management; and the areas of current and future challenge and opportunity for these environments. Students move onto explore the dynamic nature of physical processes and systems, and human interaction with them in a variety of places and at a range of scales. Students develop an understanding of geomorphological & biological processes and features in different environments and the need for sustainable management. Students undertake a geographical physical enquiry, investigating changes along a river.

Students continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of the physical environments by learning about tectonic and meteorological processes and features in different environments, and the need for management strategies governed by sustainability and consideration of the direct and indirect effects of human interaction with the Earth and the atmosphere.

Assessment

Examination Board: AQA

Paper 1: Living with the Physical Environment
Overview Focus
  • Written exam (1 hour 30 minutes)
  • 88 marks (including 3 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology (SPaG))
  • 35% of GCSE
  • Section A: The Challenge of Natural Hazards
  • Section B: The Living World
  • Section C: Physical Landscapes in the UK
Paper 2: Challenges in the Human Environment
Overview Focus
  • Written exam (1 hour 30 minutes)
  • 88 marks (including 3 marks for SPaG)
  • 35% of GCSE
  • Section A: Urban Issues and Challenges
  • Section B: The Changing Economic World
  • Section C: The Challenge of Resource Management
Paper 3: Geographical Applications
Overview Focus
  • Written exam (1 hour 15 minutes)
  • 76 marks (including 6 marks for SPaG)
  • 30% of GCSE
  • Pre-release resources booklet made available 12 weeks before Paper 3 exam
  • Section A: Issue Evaluation
  • Section B: Fieldwork
Geographical Skills
Pupils are required to develop and demonstrate a range of geographical skills, including cartographic, graphical, numerical and statistical skills, throughout their study of the specification. Skills will be assessed in all three written exams.
Enrichment Offer

We run trips and competitions and encourage our students to enter the Royal Geographical Society Young Geographer of the Year competition. Intervention sessions to consolidate prior learning and ensure maximum progress are at the heart of our delivery model.

Careers

The study of Geography can lead to future careers ranging from landscaping, Countryside Officer, Urban Developer to Ecologist, Conservationist and Community Cohesion Officer. Famous Geography graduates include Theresa May (former Prime Minister), Ben Fogle (TV presenter, Ambassador for WWF).