Geography
GEOGRAPHY
“Geography: the study of the earth as home to humankind.”
The Geography department is made up of three specialist Geographers: Mr Brown, Miss Woolliscroft and Mr Clarke. The Geography department is currently housed in three specialist classrooms, equipped with a wide range of resources. Access to the school’s computer suites is actively encouraged through the departmental schemes of work and an extensive range of both printed and digital contemporary resources are kept. The department’s focus is on innovative, contemporary teaching through experiential learning.
What is contemporary Geography? Why not have a look at the Geographical Association’s manifesto: http://www.geography.org.uk/download/GA_ADVBookletFULL.pdf
Students have two lessons a week of Geography in Year 7 and 8.
Year 7: Map-work, Weather and Climate, Population
Year 8: Climate Change, Natural Hazards and Tourism.
Assessment: Year 7 and 8 receive end of unit tests and a final end of year examination.
Students have three lessons a week of Geography for Year 9 onwards.
Year 9: Geography in the News. Students study an innovative curriculum based on News Article analysis, computer projects and documentaries and skills. All aimed at learning and developing the skills required in order to succeed in geography GCSE.
Year 10: Distinctive landscapes, Resource Reliance, Changing Climate, Dynamic Development, Sustaining Ecosystems
Year 11: Fieldwork, Global hazards, UK in the 21st Century, Decision making skills.
Assessment: 3 terminal exams (All in Y11) - 30% Geographical Exploration, 35% People and Society, 35% Our Natural World
Board: OCR Geography B Specification code: J384
Website:http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-geography-b-geography-for-enquiring-minds-j384-from-2016/
POST 16
Year 12: A two exam split, with one exam focussing on core topics and the other optional topics generating geographical debates. Both papers incorporate elements of fieldwork and geographical skills.
Landscape and place – 55% – Landscape Systems, Changing Spaces; Making places.
Geographical debates – 45% – Hazardous Earth, Changing Climate, Future of Food
These topics will also be included in the Year13 exams.
Year 13: A three exam split and an independent Geographical investigation. One exam focussing on Physical Systems, another Human Interactions and the other Geographical debates. All papers will incorporate Geographical skills aspects The independent investigation will be a supported study around a topic of the pupils choosing and account for 20% of the overall grade.
Physical systems – 22% – Landscape Systems, Earth’s Life Support Systems
Human interactions – 22% – Changing Spaces; Making places, Global connections
Geographical debates – 36% – Hazardous Earth, Changing Climate, Future of Food
Board: OCR Geography Specification code: H081/H481
Website:http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-geography-h081-h481-from-2016/
Sixth Form Prospectus
FIELDWORK: Fieldwork is carried out at all levels. Past fieldwork has included: Year 7 orienteering, Year 8 urban studies. GCSE students carry out local fieldwork to gather data for their geographical skills theory.
Our AS Geographers spend a day in London at the docklands and 2012 Olympic site, investigating urban regeneration and tourism.
A2 Geographers complete a week-long residential trip to North Wales at the start of Year 13, to support their independent investigation. Spending time investigating sand dunes on Anglesey, conducting fieldwork on the impacts of urban regeneration projects in Bangor and researching the role tourism plays in Betws-y-Coed.
RESULTS: Our student numbers and exam results excel against both school and national averages. A good number of students go on to study the subject and related courses at university, including Oxbridge entrants.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR: The department are heavily involved in extra-curricular activities across the school. We have a specialist Geography Library, which is accessible to sixth form Geographers. Sixth form Geographers also volunteer to become Geography Ambassadors, an innovative scheme that gets them to assist with younger classes.
WORLD CHALLENGE: The department also lead expeditions through the World Challenge organisation. Miss Woolliscroft and Mr Brown taking teams to the Ecuador in 2020 to volunteer, trek and visit some of the most culturally rich regions in Ecuador. Please see the separate webpage relating to World Challenge.
