Geography

Intent

The Geography Department aims to develop a deep understanding of the world we all live in and share. We encourage students to consider their future world by exploring key issues, landforms, and global changes. Through their geography lessons, students have the opportunity to explore the world from their classroom, investigating case studies from the UK, Europe, and beyond. Additionally, students are encouraged to understand their role in society by carefully considering different cultures, viewpoints, and values.

Our goal is to create successful learners who progress and achieve, considerate individuals who lead safe and healthy lives, and responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.

Knowledge and Skills

Geography encourages the development of a wide range of transferable skills. Students of Geography should be capable of doing all of the following:

Understand what motivates people, what they think, and how they feel.
Gather and read different kinds of information.
Read maps, graphs, and other diagrams, and accurately interpret various types of data.
Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Present arguments and consider different viewpoints.
Work safely in different locations through experience gained on fieldwork.
Use specialized fieldwork equipment to gather information about the locations you visit.
Confidently use specialist geographical vocabulary.

Curriculum Overview

Key Stage 3

All students study Geography at Key Stage 3, enabling them to investigate a variety of aspects of physical and human geography. Students explore a wide range of topics, including Urban Challenges, Coasts, Earthquakes, Brazil, Ecosystems, Africa, China, Climate, Map Skills, Tourism, and the UK.

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4, students complete a full GCSE qualification in Geography, with examinations taking place at the end of Year 11. Students are also required to participate in fieldwork. They will sit three examinations at the end of Year 11:

Paper 1: Living with the Physical Environment (35% of GCSE)
Paper 2: Challenges in the Human Environment (35% of GCSE)
Paper 3: Geographical Applications (30% of GCSE)

During the course, students will investigate themes such as Natural Hazards, Weather Hazards, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Physical Landscapes in the UK, Urban Issues and Challenges, the Changing Economic World, the Challenge of Resource Management, and Fieldwork.

Career Opportunities in Geography

The study of Geography provides a broad skill set applicable to many career paths, including accountancy, administration, archaeology, architecture, broadcasting, civil service, diplomatic service, drama, theatre and the performing arts, education, environment and conservation, finance, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), information management, law, media, teaching, public relations, journalism, legal executive, police, politics, publishing, sales and marketing, solicitor, tourism, town planning, and TV researching.

Geography is valued by employers and universities for its comprehensive skill set, allowing students to excel in various fields. Many universities offer courses in Geography, providing further development opportunities.

Year 7 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?

What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?

What will excellence look like?

How will this be assessed?

Map Skills

Students will learn how to accurately locate themselves in the world by learning about different hemispheres, compass directions and continents. Along with this, they will also be able to find and accurately identify a wide variety of geographical features and landscapes, on a map such as mountains, rivers, different gradients while also utilising OS map skills.

With the use of OS and map reading skills, students will be able to describe in depth a location based on what they observe on a map, explain the reasons why someone might visit an area for business, or tourist based activities.

Formative assessment throughout, including recall quizzing to assess prior knowledge as well as partaking in discussions and direct questioning. Pupils will also complete a summative assessment where they will practice their map skills.

Geography of the UK

Students will be able to understand the difference between ecosystems and biomes.

Students will gain knowledge on the difference between weather and climate

Students will explore the physical processes of the sea and its interaction with land Students will gain knowledge of the different landforms and their formation processes and how geology of a coastline can determine what landforms develop over time.

With an understanding of the different components that make up an ecosystem, students will be able to predict the changes to a whole environment when any single change with a food chain occurs.

Students will gain knowledge on the factors that influence our weather and climate, analysis and argue for why certain temperatures and rainfall are experienced in some locations but not others

Students have a secure understanding of coastal erosion processes and the impact they have on the coast.

Year 8 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?

What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?

What will excellence look like?

How will this be assessed?

What are the causes and effects of natural hazards and disasters?

Defining the difference between a natural hazard and disaster. Students will look at examples of earthquakes in the USA, including on the San Andreas fault in 1989. Through this, they will be able explain the causes of earthquakes and volcanoes at conservative, constructive and destructive boundaries. They will also be able to analyse the relationship between magnitude and death toll, and how to reduce the impacts of natural hazards (mitigation). Develop graph and statistical skills in order to display data from earthquakes over time.

Explain and assess the causes and effects of a real-life natural hazard through use of facts, figures and specific case-study references.

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used to reduce the impacts of natural hazards, for example evacuation and building supports.

Utilise key terms such as mitigation and epicentre correctly within independent writing tasks.

Formative assessment will be used through discussions and tasks to assess students understanding of the subject. Students will complete recall quizzes at the start of lessons to embed knowledge.

Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding through exam-style questions completed in class, to which teacher feedback will be given.

How has China’s population and economy changed over the years?

Study the physical geography of China and how this has influenced population density. Understand how China’s economy has grown into the 2^nd largest in the world in just over 60 years. Learn the different employment sectors in any economy – primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary - whilst looking at how these have changed within China. Students will then look at how China’s economic boom has been costly for people’s health as well as the environment.

Give a balanced argument to evaluate the extent to which opportunities have been created by China’s economic growth. Students will be able to write using data to reflect changes over time as well as evidence from sources used within the lessons.

Students will know how to make inferences (making judgements and conclusions) from texts about urbanisation – this will require students to put their own ideas and opinions across.

Formative assessment will be used through discussions and tasks to assess students understanding of the subject. Students will complete recall quizzes at the start of lessons to embed knowledge. Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding through exam-style questions completed in class, to which teacher feedback will be given.

Year 9 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?

What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?

What will excellence look like?

How will this be assessed?

Can we deal with the consequences of climate change?

Students will gain an understanding of the natural causes of climate change and how this is different to global warming.

Students will learn about the short- and long-term evidence of climate change and draw conclusions over which piece is the most convincing that climate change is real.

Students will investigate what we could do to manage climate change by studying ways to mitigate and adapting to it.

Students have a secure understanding of the natural causes of climate change and global warming.

Students can evaluate the short- and long-term evidence for climate to conclude whether it is real or not.

Students have secure knowledge of the methods that are being developed to manage climate change.

Are resources equally used around the world?

Students will gain understanding of the current major resources of global energy, their sources, their extraction and how this is continuing at a solid rate into the future. Students will further develop their knowledge on renewables and fossil fuels.

Students will look at the importance of water and food as a resource and the impact in countries where these resources are not secure.

Students will be able to explain why there are varying levels of energy, food and water insecurity around the world.

Students will be able to discuss the social and economic impacts of countries being insecure in food/water/energy.

Year 10 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?	What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?	What will excellence look like?	How will this be assessed?
Why are tropical rainforests important?	Start by studying the location and key features of tropical rainforests, including plant and animal adaptations, temperature and rainfall. Students will utilise statistical skills in order to draw and interpret a rainforest climate graph. Students will then study the causes and effects of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, in Brazil and how this has brought economic opportunities as well as environmental challenges. Finally, students will find strategies to manage the rainforest sustainably, specifically looking at international agreements, debt reduction, ecotourism and selective logging.	Consistent use of case study specific details when explaining and evaluating the causes, effects and management of deforestation. Linking previous topics, such as weather hazards, with learning in this topic to show full understanding of the location of biomes. Making independent decisions about the effectiveness of strategies used to manage the rainforest to show the student’s own understanding and application of knowledge.	Formative assessment will be used through discussions and tasks. Students will complete recall quizzes at the start of lessons to embed knowledge. Students will be constantly assessed on their knowledge and understanding through exam questions (from 2 marks up to 9 marks) completed in class, to which teacher feedback will be given. End of topic assessments will be given in order to fully check understanding from the entire sequence of lessons.
Are there opportunities in hot deserts?	Understand how hot desert climate links to global positioning. Explain how plants and animals, such as cacti and desert foxes, are adapted to the harsh conditions of deserts. Through a case study of the Arabian desert, students will examine how hot deserts can be used for economic development such as agriculture and tourism. But also consider some of the limitations and issues that come with this opportunity. All students will then look at how desertification has been made worse by population growth, overcultivation and cutting down trees. Consider what strategies can reduce the rate of desertification.	Integrate case study details of the Arabian desert and Sahel Region to show case key processes such as desertification. Students will confidently describe and analyse charts and graphs in order to display the extent of desertification across the Sahel region in Africa. Use resources to explain fully the adaptations of plants and animals without needing too much teacher guidance. Make links to other topics on the AQA specification, such as tropical rainforests, to help consider sustainability of opportunities within the desert.	Formative assessment will be used through discussions and tasks. Students will complete recall quizzes at the start of lessons to embed knowledge. Students will be constantly assessed on their knowledge and understanding through exam questions (from 2 marks up to 9 marks) completed in class, to which teacher feedback will be given. End of topic assessments will be given in order to fully check understanding from the entire sequence of lessons.

Year 11 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?	What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?	What will excellence look like?	How will this be assessed?
Fieldwork Preparation	In this unit, students will have the opportunity to recap key areas in fieldwork investigation, from methodology and data collection to presentation and analysis. Students will be learning, practising and executing specific fieldwork techniques in order to be fully prepared for the fieldwork excursion.	Students will have a secure understanding of the process of a whole investigation, from hypothesis to conclusion. Students will meticulously collect data in the field as honestly as possible, create high quality data presentations using raw data, analyse the results respecting reliability and accuracy, interpret and conclude, linking back to the hypotheses. Students will advise on the future and possible follow-up investigations from the conclusions.	Formative assessment will be used through discussions and tasks. Students will complete recall quizzes at the start of lessons to embed knowledge. Students will be constantly assessed on their knowledge and understanding through exam questions (from 2 marks up to 9 marks) completed in class, to which teacher feedback will be given. End of topic assessments will be given in order to fully check understanding from the entire sequence of lessons.
Changing Economic World	Students will investigate the social, economic and environmental definitions of development. Students will gain knowledge of various development indicators used to measure and compare the levels of development between countries. They will investigate the reasons for uneven development and different types of aid. Students will use case studies of one HIC (The UK) and LIC (Brazil) countries and will illustrate their economic development	Students can identify reasons for uneven development and how different types of aid can be helpful and not helpful. They will demonstrate the ability to analyse the factors contributing to uneven development. Students will engage in in-depth case studies of LIC and one HIC countries.	Formative assessment will be used through discussions and tasks. Students will complete recall quizzes at the start of lessons to embed knowledge. Students will be constantly assessed on their knowledge and understanding through exam questions (from 2 marks up to 9 marks) completed in class, to which teacher feedback will be given. End of topic assessments will be given in order to fully check understanding from the entire sequence of lessons.