Geography

Geography inspires students to become global citizens by exploring their own place in the world, their values and responsibilities to other people, to the environment and to the sustainability of the planet. We aim to stimulate in our students an interest in and a sense of wonder about the world around them. We also aim to equip our students with the ability to question, investigate and to think critically about issues affecting the world and peoples’ lives now and in the future, and to make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world.

The Geography department is based in 3 rooms that are located on the H floor. We share this floor alongside the other Humanities subjects of History and RS.

Key Stage 3

In years 7 and 8 students receive 3 lessons per fortnight, usually with 1 or 2 teachers. Each topic lasts a half term and 4 assessments will take place over the year.

The topics students learn about in year 7 are:

• Geography of the World – an introduction to Geography which includes physical and human aspects of Geography along with map skills.
• Geography of the UK – an introduction to the physical and human geography of the UK to include some environmental issues such aswaste, recycling and Global warming.
• The Blue Planet – an introduction to physical geography of the hydrosphere to include the hydrological cycle, rivers and flooding and coastal environments.
• Life in Africa – Physical and human aspects of Africa as a continent and a country study of Kenya.
• Power of nature – Earthquakes and volcanoes, causes, features and impacts of these hazards.
• Weather and climate – A look at the weather and climate to include the weather elements, measuring the weather and the study of microclimates

The topics students learn about in year 8 are:

• Wild weather – Covers a range of extreme weathers to include Tropical storms, tornadoes, Ice storms, drought, heat waves and the case study of Hurricane Irma.
• Japan – A country study of the physical and human features of this Asian country and their use of technology to overcome their natural restrictions. 
• Glaciation – A physical geography topic that investigates the power of ice from processes to the landform created.
• Extreme Environments – how people, animals and plants are adapted to both hot arid and polar environments
• Brazil and tropical rainforests - a country study to include the human aspect of culture, favela’s and street children to the physical aspects of the structure and life inside the Amazon. 
• Globalisation and Population – population growth, impacts and the development of world trade and a global culture to include the trade game.

Parental advice - Students are encouraged to ensure they learn the key knowledge required as they go through a topic and it is difficult to ensure progress without doing this. Encourage students to produce mind-maps or flash cards and help them to develop the skills to learn independently. Students will undertake 3 assessments throughout the year to measure progress

GCSE

In years 9-11 students receive 5 lessons per fortnight and study the Edexcel B Geography syllabus. Between each topic students will complete an in classroom assessment using exam paper questions that will build up to a full exam paper .Full exam papers will also be sat in the scheduled mock exams periods.

The topics students learn about in years 9-11 include:

Paper 1 - Global Geographical Issues

• Hazardous world - Tectonics – The structure of the Earth, features of earthquakes and volcanoes, impacts using named case studies and the management of these hazards
• Hazardous world – Climate – Global circulation model, climate change, causes and impacts of Tropical cyclones and the management of these hazards.
• Development Dynamics – measuring development, the development gap, models of development, reducing development with top down and bottom up approaches and the case study of one emerging country.
• Challenges of an Urbanising world – causes and challenges of rapid urban growth, a case study in the variation if the quality of life in one emerging country megacity.

Paper 2 - UK Geographical Issues

• UK Physical Landscape - Geology, geomorphic processes and human activity over time and an in-depth study of coastal and river processes and pressures. This will involve completing a physical fieldwork investigation.
• UK Human Landscape – How socio-economic processes and political pressures have shaped the UK’s human landscape including a study of London as a Dynamic city. This will involve completing a human fieldwork investigation.

Paper 3 – People and Environmental Issues – 3 topics that cover people and their interaction with the environment.

• People and the Biosphere – study of large scale ecosystems and why they are important to human well-being.
• Forests under Threat - detailed study of both tropical rainforests and Taiga forests.
• Consuming Energy resources – a study of renewable and non-renewable energies and the issues of sustainable energy use and management.

Parental advice - Students need to be able to apply the knowledge and skills that they study. Ensure your child learns the key facts as they go through topics and get them into the habit of producing revision resources such as mind maps and flash cards as they go along. Try to test them on these so you can see how much they remember.

More extensive revision guides will be available to buy for £5.50 from the Geography department. The students also have access to GCSE pod.