Geography

Geography Department Staff

For more information about the Subject curriculum, please contact: Mrs S Thomasson the Curriculum Leader

  • Mrs S Thomasson - Curriculum Leader
  • Miss H Blenkinship
  • Miss E Brown 
  • Miss D Lockhart
  • Mr J Shannon

"Geography is a subject which holds the key to our future" Michael Palin.

 

The intent of our Geography curriculum is to promote a curiosity and understanding about physical and human aspects of the world.  The curriculum will enable our students to be confident to understand and ask questions about the world in which they live.  The intent is to develop a holistic knowledge of the subject in Years 7 – 9 to provide a strong platform on which to build their knowledge and skills at GCSE.  The Geography curriculum develops skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the students.  We promote sensitivity and empathy towards others and develop tolerance and independent thinking to prepare our students to become active citizens in a dynamic world.  Geography fascinates and inspires and the curriculum has been developed to raise awareness that geography is all around us!

Key Stage 3 Geography

In Years 7 & 8 students study Geography for 3 hours over the two week timetable.  Year 9 students study Geography for 2 hours per week.  All Geography teachers follow a consistent programme of study. Students study a range of human and physical topics, explore case study locations from around the world and investigate environmental, social, economic, and political issues affecting today’s society.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9 - GCSE Ready

Map work— Physical & Human Features

Map work— Physical & Human Features

 

Map work— Physical & Human Features

Geo-Skills

Coasts

 

Development & Globalisation

 

World Climate & Ecosystems

 

Population & Urbanisation

 

Global Issues

 

The World of Food

 

Tectonics

 

Africa, a Continent of Contrast

Rivers

 

Glaciation
(including climate change)

 

Issue Evaluation Energy & Development

 

Geographical Enquiry Skills - 

Water on the Land

 

The Geography of Crime
(including enquiry skills)

 

The Living World

 

 

A Tourists World

 

 

 

 

Key Stage 4 Geography

Geography is a popular option at GCSE and all groups are taught by specialists.  Students follow the AQA specification.  This GCSE Geography course enables students to appreciate the complexity of our world and the diversity of its environments, economies and cultures.  The course builds on a number of topics studied at Key Stage 3 including tectonics, coasts, urban issues and challenges and development as well as introducing new concepts.

The Geography course is linear, students will sit all their exams at the end of the course, there is no coursework.  There are three exams:

Paper 1: Living with the physical environment 2: Challenges in the human environment 3: Geographical application
Topics
  • The challenge of natural hazards. (tectonic hazards, weather hazards, climate change)
  • Physical landscapes in the UK. (coasts & glaciation)
  • The living world. (ecosystems, tropical rainforests, hot environments)
  • Urban issues and challenges
  • The changing economic world
  • The challenge of resource management. (resource management & food)
  • Issue evaluation
  • Fieldwork
  • Geographical skills
How it is assessed
  • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • 35% of GCSE
  • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • 35% of GCSE
  • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • 30% of GCSE

 

GCSE programme of study:

Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
  • The living world
  • The challenge of natural hazards
  • The changing economic world
  • Physical landscapes in the UK (coasts & glaciation)
  • Fieldwork
  • Urban issues and challenges
  • The challenge of resource management (resource management & food)
  • Issues evaluation

 

GCSE Revision

Students are encouraged to establish an independent study routine to regularly reflect on the course content in order to learn it thoroughly by the end of Year 11.  To support them with this they receive a booklet of key questions and answers and a knowledge organiser for each unit of work.  Students are encouraged to use these to create revision resources and use them to regularly check their subject knowledge.  Over the summer holiday between Year 10 and 11 students are set a bridging task to encourage them to continue to reflect on the content covered in Year 10.  Your child's class teacher will either email you with the details of this task.  Students are encouraged to purchase a revision book to support them with their revision.  There are a range of books available to support the AQA GCSE Geography course, the one we recommend and refer to in school is 'My Revision Notes: AQA GCSE (9 - 1) Geography' by Simon Ross and Rebecca Blackshaw.  ISBN: 9781471887314.  This book is available for purchase through the Geography Department during the Autumn Term.

GSCE Revision Resources

Please see your Geography Teacher for the full set or Mrs Thomasson

Natural Hazards Questions and Answers

Revision Planner

Tectonic Hazards

Curriculum