Geography

Key Stage 3

Are you interested in the world all around you? Do you like to know why natural hazards occur or why some countries are richer than others? Are you concerned about the environment? Do you want to develop skills you will find useful long after you have left school? There has never been a better time to study Geography and attempt to understand the world in which we live.

During Key stage 3 students have one lesson of Geography in Year Seven, two in Year Eight and one in Year Nine. The subject is brought alive by using a wide range of engaging and interactive resources, and a very high standard of teaching. The aim of our curriculum is to enthuse and engage students through the study of geography. The Year Seven course has a very skills orientated feel with a lot of use of maps, ICT, aerial photographs and other resources. These are used to study their local area in a lot of depth and later in the year to study rivers. The Year Eight and Nine courses have a more in depth thematic approach. We use a wide range of assessment approaches during Key stage Three to ensure that our students progress well and achieve their best. A brief overview of what we cover is shown on the table below, which follows the National curriculum.

Key Stage 4

Geography is a popular option choice with students at GCSE and forms part of the English Baccalaureate. We follow OCR syllabus B and our previous GCSE results have been very strong with 80% of students attaining A* - C and almost 30% gaining A* - A.

The course has a traditional flavour to it with the study of natural hazards, rivers, coasts, population and economic geography. However, it has a very contemporary setting and outlook. An overview of the course can be seen in the table below:

The course is assessed using three different approaches; a traditional exam worth 50%, a decision making examination worth 25% and two pieces of controlled assessment worth 25% in total.

Key Stage 5

Geography is offered at both schools across the Joint Sixth Form. We follow the AQA Specification which has a strong emphasis upon the study of contemporary issues, i.e. within the last 30 years. In particular, we look at the relationship of human populations to each other over space and time, and their relationship with their physical environment at a variety of scales from the local to the global. The Specification also encourages the acquisition of a broad range of skills, many of which will be useful in later life.

A LEVEL TOPICS

Physical and Human Geography (Paper 1) 30% of the qualification:

Core: The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity

The Carbon Cycle and Energy Insecurity

Tectonic Processes and Hazards

Climate Change Futures

Options: Coastal Landscapes or Glaciated Landscapes

Human Geography (Paper 2) 30% of the qualification:

Core: Globalisation

​Superpowers

Regenerating Places or Diverse Places

Options: Health, Human Rights and Intervention or Migration, Identity and Sovreignty

Issues Evaluation (Paper 3) 20% of the qualification:

This is a synoptic paper that will be based around core themes within the course. Students will need to evaluate an issue presented in a resource booklet within this written exam.

Independent Investigation 20% of the qualification:

This is an independent study based on fieldwork done during the course of the 2 years. It is done as a fieldwork report of approximately 3000-4000 words. Students will be expected to present and analyse data collected during fieldwork and conclude on their own

question. Students will work on this element throughout the duration of A Level Geography. This component is internally marked and externally moderated.

Fieldwork:

There will be a minimum of 4 days fieldwork done during the course. This may be local area studies or work done further-a-field. The fieldwork will comprise of both Physical and Human Geography and will be connected in part to the Independent Investigation unit.