Geography

The Geography curriculum is designed to give all students the confidence and experience to help inform and shape ideas; investigating human and physical strands of the multi-faceted subject. This will enable students to become global citizens and have the cultural literacy to be role models for the future and set a trail for others to emulate. Considering themes such as sustainability, development, and climate change in their everyday lives.

Geography offers the opportunity to study a range of topics that investigate the physical processes of our planet, human societies, and the economic and environmental challenges within the local, national, and global context. This gives students the confidence to interact with the wider world, leading to fulfilled and positive life experiences. The curriculum encourages students to ask questions, develop critical thinking skills, and layer a deeper understanding of complex concepts as the course navigates through the curriculum.

Geographical skills are embedded within units of work throughout all key stages. Students develop their cartographic, graphical, ICT and GIS skills. Fieldwork enquiries enable students to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding within both human and physical Geography.

Geography bridges the curriculum from the physical process in science, creativity in English to the quantitative skills of mathematics. Students can use these connections to excel in the wider world.

Our Key Stage 3 Geography course aims to extend students locational knowledge and deepen their spatial awareness of the world’s countries as well as understand geographical similarities, differences and links between places. Students are introduced to human, physical and environmental geography. At this stage, the great focus is being put on studying geographical skills, including using grid references, scale, thematic mapping, interpretation of aerial and satellite photographs.

Year 7:

·         It’s Your Planet – To find out how the Earth was formed and changed over time.

·         About the UK – To remind you of what you know already, and to tell you some more!

·         Rivers - How do rivers shape the land and how do we use them?

·         Africa – An introduction to physical and human geography of Africa.

·         Glaciers – How they form, and how they shape the landscape.

Year 8:

·         Population –The bigger picture of how Earth’s population is growing.

·         Urbanisation -The causes and consequences of the rise in the percentage of people living in towns and cities. How can we build for a sustainable future?

·         Our restless planet -All about Earth’s tectonic plates, earthquakes and volcanoes.

·         Weather and climate -What is the difference between weather and climate? What causes changes in the weather?

·         Climate Change –What are the causes and consequences? How can we ensure a sustainable future.

Year 9:

·         Earning a living -An introduction to employment and economic geography.

·         International Development -Why do countries have various levels of development and how can we move to equality for all.

·         The Middle East -The junction of three continents. Human and cultural diversity, physical landscapes and conflict.

·         Geographical skills -Application of map skills, interpretation of pictures, presentation of statistical data and decision making in geography.

Home learning at KS3

Students in KS3 can expect to be set geography home learning once per fortnight.  Usually this will be to carry out some additional research or to find a ‘Did you know?’ on the topics we are studying or completing revision and retrieval activities on Kerboodle.

What can parents/carers do to support at home?

Encourage your child to show and discuss the work they have completed in class.

Check that you child can log into the online textbook on Kerboodle.

Play board games, card games, or online games that focus on geography. This can make learning fun and interactive. Create your own games, such as geography quizzes or scavenger hunts.

Relate geography to current events and real-world situations. Discuss news stories that involve different countries and regions. Connect geography to topics such as climate change, migration and global issues.

We follow the AQA exam board specification, which allows students to study a balance of human and physical Geography topics. We choose case studies carefully and keep the course up to date by ensuring that news articles and real-life examples are used throughout the course. There are opportunities for fieldwork (coasts and urban environments).

Continuing the work from Key Stage 3, we explore Geographical skills which are woven through all units.

Subject content includes the following:

·         Living with the Physical environment

Section A: The challenge of natural Hazards (tectonic and climate hazards including climate change and management)

Section B: The Living World (Ecosystems, rainforests and deserts, challenges and opportunities in these environments)

Section C: Physical landscapes of the UK (rivers and coasts, processes landforms and management)

·         Challenges in the Human environment

Section A: Urban issues and challenges (Opportunities and challenges, sustainable development and in-depth studies of Rio and Bristol)

Section B: the changing economic world (The economy of the UK, development challenges around the world and an in-depth study of Nigeria)

Section C: The challenge of resource management (Issues of water, food and energy supply in the UK and the wider world with an in-depth study of water resource and management)

·         Geographical Skills

Section A: A decision-making exercise (based on pre-released material)

Section B: Unseen fieldwork and geographical skills (cartographic, graphic and statistical)

Section C: Questions based on two pieces of fieldwork undertaken throughout the course

Home learning at KS4

Home learning at KS4 will allow students to supplement their learning and support their GCSE studies. Students will often expect to complete note taking tasks to secure their subject knowledge, or complete GCSE style questions.

We also encourage an ongoing expectation of revision throughout KS4.  In year 10, students are expected to use their online textbook and class notes to make revision resources based on the topics they are learning.  In year 11, there are more structured revision tasks through our guided revision timetable and additional revision sessions.  In KS4, your child can never say they “don’t have any home learning”!!

What can parents/carers do to support at home?

Encourage your child to show and discuss the work they have completed in class

Check that you child can log into the online textbook on Kerboodle and other platforms such as SENECA

Use key word lists to test retrieval of key vocabulary - https://www.aqa.org.uk/resources/geography/as-and-a-level/geography/teach/subject-specific-vocabulary

Encourage your child to discuss and read about what is going on in the world or local area exploring differing views on issues such as climate change and migration

Watch documentaries or films about geography, wildlife, and cultures around the world. Discuss the content and encourage questions to promote critical thinking.