Geography
Staffing of the department
Mr Edwards – Head of Department
Ms Cahir – Teacher of Geography / Associate Assistant Head
Educational philosophy/Aims of the curriculum
The department aims to give full access to the Geography curriculum for all pupils up to GCSE level, regardless of their ability or background. We wish to allow pupils to experience ‘positive achievement’, to reinforce and make links with other areas of their curriculum.
We build on pupil’s experiences in primary school and we make use of their personal experiences, relating them to the worlds of work and leisure, whilst developing their investigative and communicative skills. We strive to ensure that the form of the curriculum and the approaches to teaching and learning lead to a greater appreciation of Geography and its relevance to both the individual and society and to cater for the needs and aspirations of all pupils within a balanced whole-school curriculum.
Geography is a very successful subject in an outstanding school and the department is always seeking to improve on its performance. We are always striving to improve standards of teaching and learning across the Department. Geography is our passion, teaching is a joy, behaviour is exemplary and staff are committed, creative and reflective.
KS3 curriculum
In KS3 schemes of work are designed to deliver a broad and interesting range of content and to develop a range of geographical skills. The weekly curriculum for students is 100 minutes a week of Geography at KS3.
The curriculum has a focus on locational knowledge places, processes and skills and it reinforces the importance of geography and its relevance on our lives.
Locational knowledge
Key stage 3 students should extend their locational knowledge and be using globes, maps and atlases routinely in the classroom. Ideas for how to develop locational knowledge with your students.
Places and processes
Students should develop their place knowledge through the study of the human and physical geography in contrasting locations around the world. Students should also understand key processes in human and physical geography.
Geographical skills
There is an emphasis on Ordnance Survey map skills, fieldwork and Geographical Information Systems.
Fieldwork
Pupils carry out fieldwork at different scales over their time in KS3 including;
A Year 8 trip to the Natural History Museum in which students develop knowledge of tectonic processes and natural hazards
A Year 9 trip to the Olympic Park, Stratford in which students investigate the issues relating to the regeneration of this urban area.
KS3 Programme of study
- Year 7
In term 1, students learn about what is geography including the difference between physical, human and environmental geography. They develop their knowledge of the wider world knowledge including the continents, oceans, different countries and their capital cities. Students then study the geography of the UK in more depth before developing key geographical skills including; how to read and interpret maps, using scale, direction, calculating distance and using grid references on maps.
In term 2 students study the unit of China in which they learn about this Newly Emerging Economy and the issues this country faces relating to population pressure and attempts made to control policy and development issues. The next unit in term is Tropical Rainforests. In this unit students learn about the biodiversity of this ecosystem, how and why people are destroying tropical rainforests and what is being done to protect this fragile and important global biome.
In term 3, students study the topic of Rivers. They learn about the processes which help shape rivers, the landforms that can be found along river systems including v-shaped valleys, waterfalls and meanders and they consider how humans try to manage rivers to reduce the impacts of flooding.
Year 8
In term 1 students study the unit of Coasts in which they learn about different types of waves and how waves help shape the coastline. They look at the different landforms made by the waves including caves, arches, stacks and stumps, wave cut platforms and the processes operating along coasts including longshore drift and landforms created through deposition. They then find out how humans try to stop the sea from eroding away their land and study what has been done to protect the Holderness coastline in northeast England which is Europe’s fastest eroding coastline.
In term 2, students study the topics of Population and Migration. They consider the issues surrounding rapid population growth around the world and learn about the different stages of the Demographic Transition Model. Students learn about the different push and pull factors that contribute to migration consider the causes and consequences of rural-to-urban migration in different countries around the world.
In term 3 Pupils study the topic of Development issues. In this unit, students learn abou the inequalities that exit throughout the world. They consider the vast differences between many people living in High Income Countires (HICs) and those who live in Newly Emerging Economies (NEEs) and Low Income Countries (LICs) in terms of their access to resources, education, housing, employment, incomes and wealth. Students then complete year 8 by looking at one of the biggest challenges facing mankind – Climate Change. They consider some of the main causes, consequences and solutions to this issue.
- Year 9
Year 9 is all about building towards the start of the GCSE Geography course which students will begin at the end of the academic year if chosen as an option. Geography is currently one of the most popular option subjects at the school and this is mainly down to the more varied and exciting curriculum now on offer at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. Pupils begin year 9 by looking at natural hazards including tectonic hazards such as earthquakes, and atmospheric hazards such as tropical storms. They then study UK hazards including the floods, heatwaves and extreme cold weather. This leads into a more in depth study of the causes, consequences and solutions to climate change which builds on knowledge gained during Year 8.
Links to useful sites for KS3 students, parents and members of the public