Geography
The study of geography is about more than just memorising places on a map. It’s about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents.
Barrack Obama
Curriculum Information
Key Stage 3
Students will explore key issues facing our planet, including the harm done by humans as well as discovering different ways that people are working sustainably to solve these problems. They will also learn how to form opinions and present justified arguments based on a range of data and their growing body of knowledge. This will eventually lead to an ability to evaluate schemes effectively drawing on a range of concepts from across the varied units of study.
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
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What is Geography? In Year 7 we study a range of Diverse Places in Geography starting locally with Christchurch before comparing it against Mexico City, an inherently different geographical location. Continents We then move on to a range of different continents starting with North America where we focus initially on the main physical and human features before looking into some of the most pressing issues facing the continent such as migration and resource exploitation before moving next to South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australasia and then finally Antarctica. The idea is to give students a flavour of the distinct continents to allow a range of comparisons to be made whilst building upon the skills taught when investigating earlier continents.
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Energy We look at renewable and non-renewable energy resources, local, national and international changes in energy use and collaboration with other countries. Are you flood ready? During this unit, we look at local and national flood events and flood management. We also study the water cycle and river features. We include work comparing UK flooding and flooding in Bangladesh in this unit. China Students develop an awareness of this rising nation and the issues it faces in the future regarding the sustainability of development. Coasts This unit comprises a study of coastal processes, landforms and management and culminates in a trip to Hengistbury Head in order to complete a geographical enquiry. Economic Geography We aim to develop an understanding of different types of industry and how the employment mix varies between countries of different development levels. This leads to a focus on the tourist industry where we investigate a range of different case studies including some in the UK and East Africa. World of Work We investigate the different sectors of employment that exist in this topic. Tackled next is the changes to various sectors over time and the factors that are needed for each industrial sector followed by the impacts specific to each sector. Finally the tourism sector is covered looking in to ecotourism with a particular case study focus on Kenya. |
Natural Hazards A range of natural hazards are studied, with in depth work on earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes. Focus is on hazard management and mitigation and challenges for hazard management in the future. We focus on South East Asia in this topic. Current Global Issues In this topic we investigate a range of the most contemporary issues that are currently facing the world including geopolitics, population, migration, urbanisation pressures and tensions on a range of natural resources in Asia. Development and Population Ways of measuring development, investigation into why some countries are richer than others and what the implications for this are for a range of stakeholders around the world. We include an investigation into whether aid or fair trade is better for helping development. We compare benefits of both top-down and bottom-up development examples. Climate Change One of the most important aspects of Geography is tackled here where we outline the causes, consequences and responses to climate change, the most pressing global issue in the eyes of many of our students. The Geography of the Middle East A study of both the physical and human features of the Middle East enabling students to understand the challenges faced in this region. UK Landscapes During the summer term we investigate a variety of landscapes from across the UK including those unfamiliar to our local area including limestone and glaciated landscapes. |
Key Stage 4 Options Information
Key Stage 4 Options Information
| Exam board: Edexcel A |
| Qualification: GCSE in Geography |
| Specification: Edexcel A GCSE in Geography |
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Assessment: You will have 3 papers to sit: - Papers 1 and 2 are the knowledge and application papers. They focus on physical and human geography. - Paper 3 is the fieldwork paper. Students are required to undertake one day of fieldwork in a human environment and one day of fieldwork in a physical environment. They are then examined on this in this paper. |
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Who is the course for? This course would suit students who are interested in understanding the world we live in. There is a particular focus on the way in which people impact the environment. Geography would suit someone who is happy to ask lots of questions and find the answers, and who is interested in teamwork and social awareness. A lot of emphasis is placed on using data to make decisions and undertaking statistical testing. |
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What will I do on the course? You will study a range of physical and human Geography topics including river and coastal processes and landforms, weather hazards and climate change, ecosystems, and social and economic development issues. Content will be based both on the UK and further afield. Field trips are an important part of the course and all students are required by the exam board to complete 2 days in the field. We will visit an urban area and a coastal area. |
