Geography

For an overview of the pathways through the curriculum, please see our information page here.

 

Welcome to the Geography Department

Our Vision

In Geography we strive to develop independent, confident learners who develop the skills, strategies and understanding for life-long learning and develop a passion for the world around them.

“Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future.” – Michael Palin

 

Curriculum

KS3

Year 7

Throughout Year 7 students will be focusing on developing their geographical skills from primary school. All students will complete a baseline assessment at the beginning of the year and will then study the topics below.

What new skills will I be learning?

  • An understanding of the dynamic relationships between the human and physical world
  • The ability to ask questions and think critically about geographical issues
  • Identifying causes and effects of geographical hazards and events
  • The development of map skills, including grid references, scale, distance and direction
  • The ability to describe, explain, compare, analyse and evaluate patterns and distributions using a variety of sources
  • The development of Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills which will enable students to be independent enquiries, think creatively, self-manage, reflect and participate in classroom activities.
  • The development of students’ Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural education through a variety of topics.

 

In Year 7, you will study…

Unit 1: Making Connections

Students will be developing their maps skills throughout this unit as well as looking at their local, national and global connections.

Unit 2: Crime

A chance for students to discuss the links between geography and crime, map crime across the UK and suggest reasons for crime patterns. Students will also take part in onsite fieldwork but completing a crime investigation around the school building.

Unit 3: Eco-Warriors

With global warming and climate change all over the news this unit is designed to educate students on ways they can be more environmentally friendly. Students will look at issues including the greenhouse effect, food miles and deforestation.

Unit 4: Coasts

Students will learn about erosion and deposition processes as well as different coastal management strategies.

Unit 5: The Gambia Project

A 3 week unit which takes place across all subjects. Students will be using maps to locate The Gambia as well as learning about the physical and human features of the country.

Unit 6: Impossible Places

To finish the year off students will be looking at places around the world where we wouldn’t expect people to settle so easily. This unit runs across KS3 and will look at places such as Las Vegas and desert environments, the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil and Russia.

 

Year 8

In Year 8 Geography students will study a variety of topics to excite and engage them. All lessons will look at developing their geographical skills further as well as promoting teamwork, creativity and reflectiveness.

What new skills will I be learning?

  • An understanding of the dynamic relationships between the human and physical world
  • The ability to ask questions and think critically about geographical issues
  • Identifying causes and effects of geographical hazards and events
  • The development of map skills, including grid references, scale, distance and direction
  • The ability to describe, explain, compare, analyse and evaluate patterns and distributions using a variety of sources
  • The development of Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills which will enable students to be independent enquiries, think creatively, self-manage, reflect and participate in classroom activities.
  • The development of students’ Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural education through a variety of topics.

 

In Year 8, you will study…

Unit 1: China

A country study looking at the location of China, the impact of the One Child Policy and the effect of China’s growing economy.

Unit 2: Weather and Weather Hazards

Students will be learning about different aspects of weather and factors that affect temperature and rainfall. Students will also discover the cause and effects of hurricanes.

Unit 3: People people everywhere!

This unit looks at changing populations around the world and the push/pull factors which result in migration. The impact of migration will also be explored by looking at the growth of slums in developing countries.

Unit 4: Rivers and Flooding

A unit looking at the water cycle, river processes and the impacts of flooding on people and the environment.

Unit 5: May the resource be with you!

A unit looking at different types of energy sources and ways that we can become more energy efficient.

Unit 6: Impossible Places

To finish the year off students will be looking at places around the world where we wouldn’t expect people to settle so easily. This unit runs across KS3 and will look at places such as Las Vegas and desert environments, the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil and Russia.

KS4 - Year 9-11

In Year 9 students will begin their Geography GCSE which follows the AQA Specification. The GCSE is broken down into 3 sections:

  • Paper 1: Living with the physical environment (35%) – 1 hour 30 min exam
  • Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment (35%) – 1 hour 30 min exam
  • Paper 3: Geographical applications (30%) – 1 hour 15 mins exam

Controlled assessment is no longer included in the new GCSE, however students are still required to complete two fieldwork trips which will be assessed in paper 3. These trips will take place across Year 9 and 10 and will include follow up work in lessons to prepare students for the exam.

Please note: All GCSE exams will take place at the end of Year 11.

What new skills will I be learning?

  • An understanding of the dynamic relationships between the human and physical world
  • The ability to ask questions and think critically about geographical issues
  • Identifying causes and effects of geographical hazards and events
  • The development of map skills, including grid references, scale, distance and direction
  • The ability to describe, explain, compare, analyse and evaluate patterns and distributions using a variety of sources
  • The development of Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills which will enable students to be independent enquiries, think creatively, self-manage, reflect and participate in classroom activities.
  • The development of students’ Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural education through a variety of topics.

 

Topics of Study – Paper 1

Natural Hazards
Students will look at a range of natural hazards and the impacts these have on people, the economy and the environment. These include: 

  • Tectonic Hazards – the causes and effects of earthquakes and volcanoes including a named example.
  • Weather Hazards – the atmospheric circulation model, the distribution, causes and effects of tropical storms including a named example.
  • Climate Change – causes and impacts

 

The Living World

  • Local Ecosystems – an example of a small-scale ecosystem including an understanding of interrelationships and producers, consumers, decomposers, food chains, food webs and nutrient recycling.
  • Global Ecosystems – overview, distribution and characteristics.
  • Tropical Rainforests – their physical characteristics, value to people and the environment and a case study of a tropical rainforest to illustrate causes and impacts of deforestation.
  • Hot Deserts – their physical characteristics, causes of desertification and a case study of a named hot desert to illustrate development opportunities and challenges.

Physical Landscapes in the UK
Students will begin by looking at the location of major upland and lowland areas in the UK before looking more specifically at the following landscapes: 

  • Coasts – the impact of geological structure and rock type on coastal landscapes, the formation of erosional and depositional landforms and a case study of a named coastline to idetnfiyt it’s main features. Students will also look at different coastal management strategies through the example of Holderness in Yorkshire.
  • Rivers – the long profile and changing cross profile of a river and it’s valley through a named example, fluvial processes such as erosion, deposition and transportation and the characteristics and formation of a range of river landforms. Students will also look at how human and physical factors affect flood risk as well as an example of a flood management scheme in the UK.
     

Topics of Study: Paper 2

Urban Issues and Challenges

  • Patterns of urban change, factors affecting urbanisation and the emergence of megacities.
  • Rio do Janeiro, Brazil – a case study of a major city in a NEE. Students will be looking at the importance of the city, causes of growth, social and economic opportunities, social and economic challenges and environmental issues.
  • Portsmouth – a case study of a major city in the UK. Students will be looking at the importance of the city, social and economic opportunities, social and economic challenges, environmental issues and urban regeneration with a focus on Gunwharf Quays.
  • Urban sustainability – features of sustainable urban living and how transport strategies are used to reduce pollution.

 

The Changing Economic World

  • Different ways of measuring development, the demographic transition model, causes and consequences of uneven development.
  • Nigeria – a case study of a LIC/NEE. Students will study the importance of the country, the wider context, the changing industrial structure, the role of TNC’s in the country, the impacts of aid and the environmental impacts of industrial development.
  • Economic futures in the UK – causes of economic change, moving towards a post-industrial economy, impacts of industry on the environment, transport improvements, the north-south divide and the place of the UK in the wider world.

 

Resource Management

  • Overview of resources in the UK – food, water, energy.
  • Water – areas of surplus and deficit, factors affecting water availability, reasons for increasing water consumption, impacts of water insecurity and strategies to increase water supply including sustainable solutions.
     

Topics of Study: Paper 3

The first half of the Geographical Applications paper will see students presented with a pre-release booklet 12 weeks prior to the exam. The theme of the booklet will be on one of the compulsory units of study in the GCSE. In the lead up to this exam, students will work closely with their teachers in order to dissect the booklet and analyse the various resources. They will also practice exam questions and draft their decision making answer which is the largest question in this half of the paper. Students will be able to annotate their pre-release booklets and take them home with them but will be issued a new clean booklet on the day of the exam to use.

The second half of the Geographical Applications paper is centred on fieldwork. Students will be asked generic fieldwork questions before being asked specifically about the two fieldwork trips they completed. They will need to be able to recite their fieldwork investigation questions as well as comment on their risk assessment, data collection methods, data presentation methods, results and conclusions and evaluation. It is therefore crucial that students attend the fieldwork trips that take place in Year 9 and 10.

Throughout all units geographical skills will be developed and tested. These include:

  • Cartographic Skills – the use of atlas maps and identification of patterns and the use of OS maps to develop skills in reading grid references, height/gradient, scale, distance and direction.
  • Graphical Skills – the ability to produce appropriate graphs and charts to present data as well as extract information from different types of maps, graphs and charts.
  • Numerical Skills – designing fieldwork data collection sheets and understanding how to correctly use proportion, ratio and frequency.
  • Statistical Skills – using appropriate measures such as averages and being able to calculate percentage increase or decrease.
  • Formulate enquiry and argument – identifying questions and sequence of enquiry, writing descriptively, analytically and critically, developing extended written arguments and drawing well-evidenced and informed conclusions
  • Use of qualitative and quantitative data
  • Literacy

Students will be tested on their subject knowledge throughout each topic through exam questions in class, Independent Learning tasks and an end of topic assessment.

Year 9 and 10 will sit a terminal exam in June, there will be revision lessons in class as well as after school sessions and IL tasks to support students with this.

Year 11 students will sit mock exams in November and February. There will be after school revision sessions running weekly from February half term.

For the Geography GCSE we are using the AQA board:

GCSE Geography (8035)

In KS3 assessment is carried out in several form including developing graphicacy skills, extended writing, handling data and analysing conflicting views and solutions. All assessments are linked to KPI’s which are displayed on student’s flightpaths in the front of their books. This can then be updated with evidence from assessments throughout the year as well as evidence seen in classwork. Students are expected to complete feed forward activities regularly, where they reflect on their successes and act on areas for development.

In KS4 students are assessed based upon GCSE marking criteria. KS3 knowledge and understanding is extended and tested through knowledge recall tests and past paper questions in lessons and for independent learning tasks. There is a big emphasis on case study knowledge, so retaining this is crucial. Current Year 11 students are also assessed on a piece of controlled assessment, which makes up 25% of their overall grade. Student’s progress is tracked on their assessment log which can be found in the front of their books. This highlights strengths and areas for development across different topics. At KS4 students are also expected to complete regular feed forward activities in order to reflect on their strengths and act on areas for development.

Terminal exams are sat across the year groups during the summer term, with the exception of Year 11 who take part in mock exams in November and February.

All students are entitled to:

  • A positive, safe learning environment that encourages the sharing of work within a culture of mutual respect and shared responsibility.
  • Explore misconceptions about the world and their environment.
  • Be actively engaged in their own learning whilst being challenged and motivated to take responsibility for their own development and take risks!
  • Experience well planned lessons which challenge them, provide clear assessment and opportunities to develop their geographical thinking whilst reflecting upon their own learning and development.
  • Opportunities to learn outside the classroom highlighting the relevance of the curriculum to the real world.
  • Support in being able to structure well developed pieces of geographical writing.