Geography

Geography underpins a lifelong “conversation” about the earth as the home of humankind’ (Geography Association). It is this “conversation” that will enable students to make sense of the world around them by understanding the processes that create the features they observe and how the human and natural worlds interact and influence these features.

Curriculum Intent 

The geography curriculum is designed to inspire students’ curiosity of the world around them. Students are exposed to wide range of place based examples which will provide them with insight into contrasting societies and environments from around the world. Students will develop an understanding of the continuity and change within human and physical environments by studying the processes that operate in these environments and exploring the features that they create. Through a deeper understanding of the workings of the world around them students will become more aware of their world and specifically their impact upon it. Students are given opportunities to discover the importance of conservation and sustainability to help them to become respectful of the world that they are part of, in turn supporting their development as global citizens. Students are encouraged to think critically to help them to develop decision making skills so that they are able to articulate solutions to problems at range of scales from local and global. Fieldwork opportunities allow students to experience geography through the collection of data and the analysis of results and in turn draw their own conclusions. Whilst classroom based study aims through the sequencing of the curriculum and the design of lessons to enable students acquisition of knowledge and skills to lead them into the next stage of their geography journey.

GCSE & A Level

GCSE – AQA Geography (8035)

Paper 1 – ‘Living with the Physical Environment’, written exam (1 hour and 30 minutes), 35% of GCSE.

• The challenge of natural hazards

• The living world

• Physical landscapes of the UK

Paper 2 – ‘Challenges in the Human Environment’, written exam (1 hour and 30 minutes), 35% of GCSE.

• Urban Challenges

• The changing economic world

• The challenge of resource management

Paper 3 – ‘Geographical Applications’, written exam (1 hour and 15 minutes), 30% of GCSE.

• Issue evaluation

• Fieldwork and geographical enquiry

A Level – AQA Geography (7037)

Component 1 – ‘Physical Geography’, written exam (2 hours and 30 minutes), 40% of A-Level

• Water and carbon cycles

• Coastal systems

• Hazards

Component 2 – ‘Human Geography’, written exam (2 hours and 30 minutes), 40% of A-Level

• Global systems and governance

• Changing places

• Resource security

Component 3 – Geography fieldwork investigation

20% of A-level

Facilities

Three teaching rooms.

Enrichment

The geography department has been pleased to run successful residential trips to Iceland where students get to visit waterfalls, geothermal pools, geysers, glaciers and experience the sites of the capital city; Reykjavik. Trips are also run in the UK and in the past we have visited Wales where students stay in Snowdonia National Park and have the opportunity to take part in fieldwork at a range of locations including a river site, a coastal site and the quaint village of Betws-y-Coed.

Useful Subject Links

A Level Geography AQA – Seneca (login required) - https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/blog/free-aqa-a-level-geography-revision/

BBC Bitesize – GCSE - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zy3ptyc

GCSE Geography AQA – Seneca (login required) - https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/seneca-certified-resources/geography-gcse-aqa/

Royal Geographic Society – Podcasts - https://www.rgs.org/schools/teaching-resources/ask-the-expert-podcasts/

National Geographic Society - https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/geography/