General Information
The world in which we live is likely to change more in the next 50 years than it has ever done before. There has never been a better or more important time to study Geography. With growing interest in issues such as climate change, migration, environmental degradation and social cohesion, geography is one of the most relevant courses you could choose to study.
Key Stage 3
In years 7, 8 and 9 the pupils have two lessons of Geography per week. The curriculum has been designed into specific themes to instil a sense of awe and wonder about both the human and physical environment.
Key Stage 3 Themes
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
|---|---|---|
| A Sense of place Key physical and human characteristics Countries and cities Maps British Isles Continents Europe | Tropical Rainforests Extraction management (human activity relies on the effective functioning of natural systems) | Plate tectonics Hazard management Geological timescales |
| Coastal landforms and management OS map interpretation | Population and urbanisation UK city and LIC city OS map interpretation linked to settlement patterns | International development Settlement (Brownfield and greenfield) |
| Deserts | Globalisation | Weather and climate Ice age to the present age Global warming |
| Human and physical characteristics Africa vs Asia | Rivers hydrology Bradshaw model Flood management | Economic Geography |
| International development |
Key Stage 4
WJEC Eduqas GCSE Geography A develops an enquiry approach to the study of geographical information, issues and concepts. It is based on the principle that geographical education should enable learners to become critical and reflective thinkers by engaging them actively in the enquiry process. Content is organised around key questions and learners should develop the ability to pose geographical questions of their own.
| Key Idea | Overview |
|---|---|
| Distinctive Landscapes in the UK | What makes landscapes distinctive in the UK? How are physical landscapes in the UK affected by human activity? How can landscapes in the UK be managed? |
| Landform process and change in two different and distinctive. Landscapes of the UK | How do processes work together to create landform features at different scales in river and coastal landscapes in the UK? What factors affect the rates of landform change in river and coastal landscapes in the UK? |
| Drainage basins of the UK | What physical processes affect stores and flows in UK drainage basins? Why do rivers in the UK flood? What are the current and future management approaches to the problem of flooding in the UK? |
| The urban-rural continuum in the UK | How are urban and rural areas of the UK linked? How are rural areas in the UK changing? |
| Population and urban change in the UK | What are the causes and consequences of population change in the UK? What are the consequences of urbanisation in two global cities? How are global cities connected |
| Key Questions | |
| Tectonic processes and landforms | How do tectonic processes work together to create landform features at different scales? |
| Vulnerability and hazard reduction | What are the impacts of tectonic processes? How might the risks associated with tectonic hazards be reduced? |
Year 11 Topic Summary
- Climate Change
- Weather Patterns and Processes
- Ecosystems
- Development and Resource Issues
- Social development issues
Assessment (first entry in 2018)
Component 1: Changing Physical and Human Landscapes
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes
35% of qualification
84 marks
Component 2: Environmental and Development Issues
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes
35% of qualification
84 marks (plus 4 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and use of specialist terms)
Component 3: Applied Fieldwork Enquiry
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes
30% of qualification
72 marks (plus 4 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and use of specialist terms)
Key Stage 5
From September 2016 the department will follow the new AQA specification.
| Summary of Content and Assessment | |
|---|---|
| AS (Year 12 A'Level) | A'Level |
| Coasts | Carbon and Water Cycles |
| Contemporary Urban Environments | Hazards |
| Changing Places | Global Systems and Governance |
| Skills, Stats and Fieldwork | Coursework |
| Assessment | Assessment |
| Component 1: 90 minutes (50%) Coasts and Urban | Component 1: 2hrs 30 minutes (40%) Physical Geography |
| Component 2: 90 minutes (50%) Changing Places and Fieldwork/Skills/ Stats | Component 2: 2 hrs 30 minutes (40%) Human Geography |
| Component 3 (20%) Fieldwork Investigation |