Geography
The whole of life is coming to terms with yourself and the natural world. Why are you here?
How do you fit in? What’s it all about?
David Attenborough
Curriculum intent |
We believe that the purpose of a geography curriculum is to provide students with an academically rigorous and fulfilling experience of studying the world around them, how it works and how humans interact with it for positive and negative aims. By building knowledge of key concepts within physical geography and evaluating how humans affect their environment through human geography we empower students to understand the world around them and help them develop into thoughtful, responsible, and active citizens. |
Powerful knowledge in Geography |
The study of geography introduces students to the human and physical processes that take place around them every day on our planet. We aim to foster students’ natural inquisitiveness in their surroundings and in the variety of human and physical environments on Earth. Our curriculum builds a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of the world and helps students to appreciate different environments, enhancing their sense of responsibility to work towards a sustainable future for our planet. This broad exploration of the subject will give students the knowledge to understand the natural and built world around them and will encourage intellectual curiosity across a variety of thought-provoking topics. |
Curriculum Features |
At Key Stage 3, students will explore a range of physical and human geography, giving a great balance to the curriculum and engaging all students across Key Stage 3 in a wide range of interesting topics. Students will learn important physical processes from the formation of glaciated landscapes, weathering & erosion, and the rock cycle through to global atmospheric circulation and tectonic hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. Important human issues that are covered range from development, agriculture & food security and urban landscapes to global warming and the impacts of human activity on our planet. Lessons comprise of a mixture of discussion, extended personal responses, and note taking with diagram annotations. Regular recap and practice as well as knowledge retrieval will take the form of quizzes, discussion, questioning and presentations. At Key Stage 4, students that opt for GCSE Geography will follow the AQA full course across three components. The first two components of this course are studied across six sections units, equally balanced in physical and human geography. The third component is Geographical Application, where students have the chance to demonstrate geographical skills, overall knowledge and the ability to make decisions based on a wide range of sources and evidence while also considering the fieldwork they will have conducted. |
Curriculum Enrichment |
The Geography curriculum is enriched through a variety of extra opportunities, our students thrive and learn during these visits. Key Stage 3 will have a Geography field trip that will enhance one unit of study and bring the learning to life through real-life, out of school experiences. At least one fieldtrip will run across Key Stage 4 Geography and directly relate to in-class learning. |