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Geography

Curriculum Intent

Our intent is to teach Geography in a context that will stimulate students curiosity about the ‘physical’ and ‘natural world’ around them, understanding the ‘wider meaning’ and to inspire a future generation of Geographical Investigators.

Geography underpins a life long ‘conversation’ about the Earth as the home of humankind. (GA manifesto 2018)

Geography is offered as: (these will be links so you can jump the right point in the page)

  • Core subject Years 7, 8 & 9
  • GCSE Option Years 10 & 11
  • A Level Years 12 & 13

ks3

ks4

ks5

Key Stage 3 Geography

Curriculum Overview

In Key Stage 3 we seek to embed the following core skills into our young geographers to help them understand the world around them and begin their life long geographical journey.

  1. Physical process through space and time
  2. Human process through space and time
  3. Systems approach
  4. Interactions of people and place
  5. Geographical skills
  6. Geographical locations and scales
 Term 1Term 2Term 3Term 4Term 5Term 6
Year 7Introduction to Geography and Map SkillsRivers Population Weather and climate 
Year 8Development Natural hazards Ecosystems Urban areas 
Year 9Superpowers Global disastersMiddle East Practice pre-release Diverse and dynamic

 

Year 7

Students receive 3 lessons per fortnight, through which they develop key geographical awareness. They are encouraged to look at the world from a range of scales and study a wide variety of locations. We begin to explore some of the contemporary issues facing the world and how these are being overcome. Students will also carry out local fieldwork which will help them to develop investigative skills and understand the enquiry process.

Year 8

Students receive 3 lessons per fortnight and begin to be taught in a thematic style where much larger issues are looked at and they are guided to reflect upon and apply knowledge from across the geographical spectrum. This in turn helps students to understand the complex interrelationships that exist in the world today between peoples and place. Students will also carry out local fieldwork which will help them to develop investigative skills and understand the enquiry process.

Year 9

Students receive 3 lessons per fortnight and continue to be taught in a thematic style. We carry on looking at some of the large questions facing the world and seek to blur the line between conventional ‘human’ and ‘physical’ geography instead looking to develop synoptic thinkers who critically analyse the world around them.

Assessment

Geography is assessed in a number of ways from convention examinations to group work and presentations. Emphasis is placed on using and applying correct terminology within written and oral work. Students will also reflect frequently on how they are meeting the core 6 skills within geography and the progress that they are making within the subject.

In addition to the Key Stage 3 knowledge and skills, students will also undertake fieldwork to investigate their local area at a range of different scales helping them to understand the enquiry process and how to collect and analyse data.

Further Reading/Resources

– The Royal Geographical Society has a large range of articles, videos and competitions that KS3 students can access

– This curriculum is designed to be as up to date as possible and as such we will frequently change examples based on what is happening in the world around us and as such expect students to follow the news and current affairs to support them in their understanding of the topic.

Key Stage 4 Geography

Curriculum Overview

Students at Key Stage 4 have two periods a week studying the AQA Geography curriculum.

 Term 1Term 2Term 3Term 4Term 5Term 6
Year 10Natural Hazards Weather Hazards Living World Urban Environments Coasts Rivers 
Year 11Fieldwork Economic World Resources Pre-release

 

Year 10

Students will build upon knowledge developed in KS3. Our studies will focus on how disparities in wealth can impact the outcomes of disasters, the ‘curse’ of having resources such as a rainforest and a look at how social opportunity differs between two major cities, Rio De Janeiro and London. We will finish the year by undertaking fieldwork to the coast to look at the impacts and effectiveness of coastal management, which is assessed on paper 3.

Year 11

We start the year by completing our fieldwork requirements and we head to Canterbury to assess the impact that regeneration has had on the Highstreet. Studies then turn to the economic world where we look at global and regional differences between countries and consider why Nigeria and the UK have differed in terms of development and what the future holds for each nation.  We finish the set curriculum by looking at resource issues within the UK. Around the Easter break we will also issue the pre-release document which is assessed on paper 3 and spend term 5 working through this with students as well as revising.

Assessment at GCSE

  • Paper 1 – Living with the Physical Environment
    • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
    • 88 marks (including 3 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology (SPaG))
    • 35% of GCSE
  • Paper 2 – Challenges in the Human Environment
    • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
    • 88 marks (including 3 marks for (SPaG))
    • 35% of GCSE
  • Paper 3 – Geographical Applications
    • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
    • 76 marks (including 6 marks for SPaG)
    • 30% of GCSE
    • Pre-release resources booklet made available 12 weeks before Paper 3 exam

Further Reading/Resources

– My Revision notes AQA GCSE 9-1 (Available for purchase through the Geography department)

– This curriculum is designed to be as up to date as possible and as such we will frequently change examples based on what is happening in the world around us and as such expect students to follow the news and current affairs to support them in their understanding of the topic.

Key Stage 5 Geography A Level

(AQA - A Level)

Curriculum Overview 

Paper 1: Physical Geography 

  • Water and carbon cycles – investigates the major stores of water and carbon at or near the Earth’s surface and the dynamic cyclical relationships associated with them.  Consideration of the key role of carbon and water stores and cycles in supporting life on Earth with particular reference to climate.   
  • Coastal systems and Landscapes – focusing on coastal zones, which are dynamic environments in which landscapes develop by the interaction of winds, waves, current and terrestrial marine sediments.  The operation and outcomes of fundamental geomorphological processes and their association with distinctive landscapes are readily observable.   
  • Hazards – within this section we consider the lithosphere and the atmosphere, which intermittently but regularly present natural hazards to human populations, often in dramatic and sometimes catastrophic ways. 

 

Paper 2: Human Geography 

  • Global systems and global governance – the economic, political and social changes associated with technological and other driving forces which have been a key feature of the global economy and society in recent decades.  We will consider globalisation and the impact of international trade and access to markets, global governance and the ‘global commons’. 
  • Changing places – considers people’s engagement with places, their experience of them and the qualities they ascribe to them through considering two contrasting places.  This will investigate how and why places change over time.   
  • Population and the environment – explores the relationships between key aspects of physical geography and population numbers, population health and well-being, levels of economic development and the role and impact of the natural environment.   

 

Fieldwork Investigation 

  • Students will undertake 4 days of fieldwork that will help the completion of the independent investigation.  The investigation gives an opportunity for application of geographical knowledge in a practical context, enhancing understanding of real-world issues.  It encourages skills such as critical thinking, data analysis and independent research that is valuable for higher education and future careers.   

 Term 1Term 2Term 3Term 4Term 5Term 6
Year 12Water and Carbon Cycle / Place 

Coasts 

Global governance 

NEANEA 
Year 13NEA

Population / Hazards 

Revision   

 

Assessment

80% Examination 

  • Paper 1 Physical Geography 
  • Paper 2 Human Geography 

20% Geography Fieldwork Investigation (NEA) 

Complementary Subjects

 

British Values in Geography

Democracy:

  • KS3 Abuses of democracy are explored through the exploitation of workers by TNCs We also look at child soldiers and the abuse that is inflicted on them POL for yr 7 also looks at the commonwealth and the benefits that this brought with it
  • KS4 and KS5 We look at areas that are not democratic and totalitarian/authoritarian states such as North Korea, China and Russia and the impacts for people and society

Rule of law:

  • KS3 We look at sustainable development goals and a big part of this is the rights and respect that are offered to differing groups such as females and children
  • KS4 We explore how TNCs have violated laws and how corruption in governments have led to negative impacts for people and the environment.
  • KS5 The teaching of Superpowers and Geopolitics focuses on the rule of law around the world the role of large IGOs such as the UN and the role of the security council. We also consider the law of the sea and the rules regarding exclusive economic zones.

Individual Liberty:

  • KS3 We explore the role of woman in societies and the emancipation of women around the world and the impacts that this has for them and their societies.  We look at sustainable development goals and a big part of this is the rights and respect that are offered to differing groups such as females and children

Mutual respect:

  • KS3 Resect of other cultures and an understanding of ‘British norms’ in comparison to others such as Asian, African and European cultures. POL looks at the commonwealth as well as multicultural societies in the context of London.
  • This is done in KS4/5 with a range of other examples

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs:

  • KS3 We look at Inuit peoples and how their way of life differs from ours. As well as the lives of people in India, across Europe POL looks at the commonwealth as well as multicultural societies in the context of London.
  • KS5 We explore a range of different cultures and beliefs through looking at western vs eastern spreads of cultures and how they have been accepted as well as how these cause challenges. We also look at how indigenous tribes have been treated and how increasing tolerance has enabled them to maintain cultural identities and beliefs