Geography

"Geography is a subject that holds the key to our future" - Michael Palin.
"Geography tackles the big issues! Without geography, you're nowhere!"

Field work is an essential part of the course at all levels, varying from River Studies and 'Where is the school suntrap' in Upper 3 to data collection days on the Dorset Coast for GCSE and AS and the residential field course in Snowdonia for A2.

Geography provokes and answers questions about the natural and human worlds, using different scales of enquiry to view them from different perspectives. It develops knowledge of places and environments throughout the world, an understanding of maps, and a range of investigative and problem-solving skills both inside and outside the classroom. As such, it prepares pupils for adult life and employment.

Geography is a focus within the curriculum for understanding and resolving issues about the environment and sustainable development. It is also an important link between the natural and social sciences. As pupils study geography, they encounter different societies and cultures. This helps them realise how nations rely on each other. It can inspire them to think about their own place in the world, their values, their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment.

Key Stages 2 and 3

The syllabus is based on the National Curriculum: details of topics are given below:

Lower 3 (Years 5 and 6):
In year 5 we use our map reading and atlas skills in the 'Where in the World' unit before journeying to the Caribbean, visiting an Indian village and sailing down the Amazon. In the summer term we return home to investigate our local area through field-work.
In year 6 we study settlements on a local and world scale before visiting Kenya, journeying up the Nile and, lastly, learning about global warming, acid rain and recycling, including a field trip to the Cary Moor Environmental Centre.
Upper 3 (Year 7):
Rivers - a field work approach including River Divelish Field Trip
Making Connections - atlas and map skills
Tundra and Inuit
Settlement
Lower 4 (Year 8):
Population Problems, including migration
What is Development?
Weather and Climate.
The Restless Earth, including trip to Natural History museum
Coastal Environments, including Durdle Door Field Trip
Upper 4 (Year 9):
Global Fashion Industry
Street children
Can the Earth Cope?, including Rainforests and 'Woodland' field work
Virtual Volcanoes and Internet Earthquakes
Tourism - Good or Bad?, including New Forest Field Trip

GCSE

We study the AQA Geography A (3033) syllabus for GCSE .

We look at apsects of both physical and human Geography. In phyiscal Geography we look at the processes at work on the coasts & rivers and the impact on humans. We also study earthquakes and volcanoes and the impact they have in different parts of the world. Finally we look at a variety of ecosystems throughout the world. In human Geography we look at the issues surrounding industry (especially globalisation), urban areas and development.

In the examination, the first paper is a skills paper plus questions on physical Geography. The second paper has questions on each of the human geography topics. Coursework of approximately 2500 words, based on a fieldwork investigation at a local scale, completes the specification.

Advanced level

In the sixth form we follow the EDEXCEL AS/A Level GCE Geography B syllabus.

At AS the students follow the following topics:

Unit 1 Changing Landforms and their Management – which includes understanding the processes involved in the development of coastal and river systems and how they relate. An important part of this is looking at how these systems affect human activity, and humans affect them.

Unit 2 Managing Change in Human Environments – change is rapid in both rural and urban areas of the world (for example, the development of squatter settlements in LEDC’s). This module looks at what changes are taking place and how the impact of these changes can be managed.

The assessment is completed with a piece of coursework (of not more than 2500 words) based on fieldwork carried out on an environmental topic from the other two units.

At A2 the topics studied become much more varied and many will be new to the students. It gives an opportunity to study some of the interesting issues that face the world today.

Unit 4 Global Challenge – this unit looks at the issues facing the world today and how these issues might be tackled. It includes global warming, globalization and the loss of biodiversity.

Unit 5 Researching Global futures – this module gives the students a choice of studying a variety of topics. It includes choosing one physical topic like ‘Managing Wilderness regions’, ‘Living with hazardous environments’ (e.g. earthquakes and volcanoes). They also choose one Human topic such as ‘Health and Welfare’, ‘Feeding the Worlds People’ or ‘The Geography of Sport and Leisure’.

Unit 6 Issues Analysis – this is a synoptic module drawing together the skills the students have learnt, based on resources they receive two weeks before the exam.

Geography Intranet.

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