Geography’s curriculum is ambitious and allows all pupils to develop knowledge and skills that that promote key geographical values and cultural capital. We have several aims within our curriculum. First, we aim to embed essential knowledge by delivering a wide range of topics within the discipline that explore the world around them, whilst giving pupils the skills needed to interact in a global society. Knowledge will be sequenced and spaced throughout. Second, pupils will explore the interconnections between the human and physical world. Pupils will finish the geography curriculum being acutely aware of the way in which humans impact, and are impacted by, the natural world. Third, pupils will develop important skills. Geographical skills, map work, and fieldwork are investigated thematically and throughout the curriculum in a variety of contexts. Finally, cross curricular links will be embedded throughout the curriculum, ensuring our pupils have access to a breadth and depth throughout the curriculum. Pupils will know at each stage of the curriculum where geography is on the thread that binds all subjects.
In Key Stage 3 we follow the National Curriculum for Geography. Students will have three hours of Geography per fortnight.
In Year 7, students will explore continents and countries of the world, develop map skills and an introduction to fieldwork. Students will develop an understanding of life in Africa, they will learn about weather and climate, glaciers and the Almighty Dollar.
In Year 8, students will start by studying earthquakes, looking at the causes, effects and responses. Students will go on to learn about Asia, specifically looking at the Child One Child policy, India’s overpopulation and Japan’s nuclear power. They will then go onto learn about climate change, factfulness (based on the book), rivers and resource management.
In Year 9, students will start by studying volcanoes, looking at the causes, effects and responses. Students will go onto learn about the Middle East, specifically looking at Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They then go onto learn about extreme environments, Prisoners of geography (based on the book), coasts and oceans.
Geography is a subject like no other – it allows you to link events that are yet to even happen with changes that have been happening for millions of years! It is a subject that goes well with the Sciences and Mathematics as well as the Humanities, Languages and Arts. It is very flexible in terms of what it can be combined with both at GCSE and A Level. Above all it is fun, engaging and allows those to want to excel to be able to! What are you waiting for…Geography is the future!
Course Outline:
| Module | Elements | Assessment | Date | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Physical Environment | – The Changing Landscape of the UK – Coastal Landscapes & Processes – River Landscapes & Processes – Weather Hazards & Climate Change | External exam | June in Year 11 | 37.5 |
| The Human Environment | – Changing Cities – Global Development Resource Management – Energy Resource Management | External exam | June in Year 11 | 37.5 |
| Fieldwork and UK Challenges | – Fieldwork – Coastal landscapes – Urban environments | External exam | June in Year 11 | 25 |
Geography is highly valued by universities as an A Level choice. The Russell Group report published in 2011 names geography as one of the eight facilitating subjects. This is a subject most likely to be required or preferred for entry to degree courses and choosing facilitating subjects will keep more options open to you at university.
Your A Level geography course will cover both the physical and human environments and the complex interaction of processes that shape our world. It will also, importantly, show the applied side of the subject – how human intervention affects the environment and how people adapt and mitigate the effects of processes on their environment. This is complex and dynamic and varies from place to place depending on people’s resources, technology and culture. There is plenty of room for discussion and extended research which will help you become an independent thinker and learner. By the time you get to your exams, you will be able to show your understanding of a range of opinions and be able to illustrate your answers with case studies from local, national and international examples.
Fieldwork will be an essential part of your A Level course. You will go on a residential field trip to experience a very different environment to the one where you live. For example you may visit Wales, an area famous for its coastal, river and glaciated scenery, as well as carrying out enquiries relating to issues in your local environment.
For further information, please see the Geography A-Level Handbook