Curriculum Intent
We aim to enable learners to think ‘like a geographer'. Students will understand their place in the world and participate fully in a sustainable future.
Geography is challenging, motivating, topical and fun. In our diverse society, students need, more than ever before, to understand other people and cultures. We believe that geographical knowledge, concepts and skills are essential components of a broad and balanced curriculum. Geography makes a major contribution to students’ physical, intellectual, social and emotional development. In short, Geography matters! Our key aims in Geography are to:
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develop an awareness and understanding of distant places and environments
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recognise how people from all over the world are linked through travel and trade
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build a framework of place knowledge
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investigate major rivers, mountains and cities
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develop an appreciation of other people’s cultures
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recognise the need for a just and equitable society.
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Geography Curriculum Intent
1. Locational knowledge
Extend students locational knowledge and deepen their spatial awareness of the world’s countries using maps of the world to focus on Africa, Russia, Asia (including China and India), and the Middle East, focusing on their environmental regions, including polar and hot deserts, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.
2. Place Knowledge
Understand geographical similarities, differences and links between places through the study of human and physical geography of a region within Africa, and of a region within Asia.
3. Human and physical geography
Understand, through the use of detailed place-based exemplars at a variety of scales, the key processes in:
Physical geography relating to: geological timescales and plate tectonics; rocks, weathering and soils; weather and climate, including the change in climate from the Ice Age to the present; and glaciation, hydrology and coasts.
Human geography relating to: population and urbanisation; international development; economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources.
Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems.
4. Geographical skills and fieldwork
Build on their knowledge of globes, maps and atlases and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the field. Interpret Ordnance Survey maps in the classroom and the field, including using grid references and scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs. Use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyse and interpret places and data. Use fieldwork in contrasting locations to collect, analyse and draw conclusions from geographical data, using multiple sources of increasingly complex information.
Year 7
My place in the world – A study of the local area, focusing on Ordnance Survey map skills and Geographical understanding. The difference between human and physical Geography will be taught. Fieldwork will use the local area to identify similarities and differences Geographically.
Rainforests and Climate change – A detailed study of the Physical and Human characteristics of this ecosystem. The idea of sustainability will be introduced. The impacts of climate change will be understood in the tropical rainforest ecosystem.
Asia – A place study focusing on China and India. Students will look at the Physical and Human characteristics of these two countries and the issues facing them in the future.
Africa – A contrasting study focusing on the causes of many problems in the continent of Africa.
Cold Climates – A study, including Glaciation, of the Polar regions of the Earth. Students will look at the Physical causes of the climate and the difficulties of supporting life there. A link to Climate change will be made to look at the sustainability of Polar climates.
Rocks, weathering and Soils – A study of local Geology, including fieldwork looking the usefulness of local soils. The process of rocks turning to soils and the building blocks of life will be included.
Cold Climates – A study, including Glaciation, of the Polar regions of the Earth. Students will look at the Physical causes of the climate and the difficulties of supporting life there. A link to Climate change will be made to look at the sustainability of Polar climates.
Rocks, weathering and Soils – A study of local Geology, including fieldwork looking the usefulness of local soils. The process of rocks turning to soils and the building blocks of life will be included.
Year 8
Crime – A study of social sustainability in the local area including fieldwork using questionnaires. GIS will be used to map crime in the local area and come to sustainable conclusions regarding the future safety of our students. This builds on the local environment study in year 7.
Population and Urbanisation – A study of the issues facing global population, a range of countries at different stages of development will be used to show that migration is a major issue. The module builds on the Physical issues developed during the Rainforest module to incorporate Human Geography issues.
Flooding – Initially a Physical Geography study to develop the year 7 work on Rocks, the module aims to develop into a Physical and Human study of the cause and impact of flooding focusing on the UK and India in different stages of development.
Japan – In year 7 students studied the continent on Asia and now they will focus on the country of Japan. The module will focus on the Human and Physical Geography of Japan including Climate, landscape, population pressures and perceptions of Japan as a country.
Students will start to develop their decision making skills with a land planning task.
Weather and Climate – Students will look at Global climate and extend their understanding from year 7 of the cold climates studies to show the interaction between them. There will also be a focus on the climate of the UK to help students understand the details of UK Geography.
Russia – This study will look at Russia as a contrast to African countries studied in year 7. It will look at the reserves that Russia has and why we need to trade with Russia. It will reinforce climate work as contrasting in Africa and the problems this can lead to.
Year 9.
Development – This module draws together many of the place studies that students have completed by looking at the differences in development globally. The module also looks at future development of countries and how sustainable aid can help.
Sustainable living – This module builds of students study of the Local area and Crime by looking at how our local actions can have global implications. It will focus heavily on energy production and will develop students understanding of climate change from the year 7 module. Fieldwork will involve data collection and manipulation of energy data. Problem solving exercises will enable students to design more energy sustainable places.
Tectonics – This module will develop students ability to show how the Physical environment impacts on the Human environment developed in the Weather and Climate module from year 8.
Coasts – A study of the Physical processes associated with coasts, this module will develop to enable students to be able to understand the impacts on the Human environment and the problems that this can cause. Although we do not travel to the coast, fieldwork techniques will be designed by students to be able to appreciate the importance of Primary and Secondary data.
Globalisation – This study aims to show how interconnected the world is and builds on our study of Russia in terms of gaining resources. It links to the Development module by showing how our consumer society maintains a development gap.
Middle East – A study of the Middle East as a region and its importance as a Global player. The focus will be on the rate of development and the financial interest in the area. Students will build on their understanding of unsustainable living started during the Rainforest module in year 7 and Population issues in year 8.
Have you considered…?
Geography A-Level
Geography Key stage 5 Intent
This specification for the discipline of geography encourages students to gain enjoyment, satisfaction and a sense of achievement as they develop their knowledge and understanding of the subject. The A Level course will enable students to be inspired by their geographical understanding, to engage critically with real world issues and places, and to apply their geographical knowledge, theory and skills to the world around them. Students will grow as independent thinkers and as informed and engaged citizens, who understand the role and importance of geography as one of the key disciplines relevant to understanding the world’s changing peoples, places and environments. The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to build on their GCSE knowledge and skills to:
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develop their knowledge of locations, places, processes and environments, at all geographical scales from local to global across the specification as a whole.
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develop an in-depth understanding of the processes in physical and human geography at a range of temporal and spatial scales, and of the concepts that illuminate their significance in a range of locational contexts.
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recognise and be able to analyse the complexity of people–environment interactions at all geographical scales, and appreciate how these underpin understanding of some of the key issues facing the world today.
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develop their understanding of, and ability to apply, the concepts of place, space, scale and environment, that underpin both the national curriculum and GCSE, including developing a more detailed understanding of these concepts.
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gain understanding of specialised concepts relevant to the core and non-core content. These must include the concepts of causality, systems, equilibrium, feedback, inequality, representation, identity, globalisation, interdependence, mitigation and adaptation, sustainability, risk, resilience and thresholds.
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improve their understanding of the ways in which values, attitudes and circumstances (political and economic) have an impact on the relationships between people, place and environment, and develop the knowledge and ability to engage, as citizens, with the questions and issues arising.
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become confident and competent in selecting, using and evaluating a range of quantitative and qualitative skills and approaches, (including observing, collecting and analysing geo-located data) and applying them as an integral part of their studies.
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understand the fundamental role of fieldwork as a tool to understand and generate new knowledge about the real world, and become skilled at planning, undertaking and evaluating fieldwork in appropriate situations.
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apply geographical knowledge, understanding, skills and approaches in a rigorous way to a range of geographical questions and issues, including those identified in fieldwork, recognising both the contributions and limitations of geography develop as critical and reflective learners, able to articulate opinions, suggest relevant new ideas and provide evidenced argument in a range of situations.
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build on knowledge of contexts, locations, places and environments, by extending the scope and scale of study, the variety of physical, social, economic, cultural and political contexts encountered, the depth of conceptual understanding required, and the range of spatial and temporal scales included.
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develop a deep understanding of both physical and human processes, applying this understanding to interrogate people–environment interactions and people-place connections at all scales from local to global.
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build on and reinforce conceptual understanding underpinning GCSE, experiencing an extended demand that includes a wider range of more complex and specialised concepts that relate to the core and non-core content.
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engage with models, theories and generalisations, and develop a mature understanding of the nature and limitations of objectivity and the significance of human values and attitudes.
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develop understanding of the rationale for, and applications of, skills and approaches used, showing a considerable degree of independence in selecting and using a wide range of geographical methods, techniques and skills, involving both qualitative and quantitative methods.
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undertake fieldwork that encourages them to apply and evaluate theory in the real world, and that A Level fieldwork in particular demands a high degree of responsibility from students for selecting research questions, applying relevant techniques and skills, and identifying appropriate ways of analysing and communicating findings.
What career/future courses might geography prepare me for?
Many jobs are directly related Geography such as Cartographer, Commercial/residential surveyor, Environmental consultant, Geographical information systems officer, Planning and development surveyor, Secondary school teacher, Social researcher and Town planner
And is useful for jobs such as Astronomer, International aid/development worker, Landscape architect, Logistics and distribution manager, Market researcher, Nature conservation officer, Political risk analyst, Sustainability consultant, Tourism officer and Transport planner
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