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    • Geography

    Curriculum Intent

    The Geography curriculum is designed to give all students the confidence and experience to help inform and shape ideas; investigating human and physical strands of the multi-faceted subject. This will enable students to become global citizens and have the cultural literacy to be role models for the future and set a trail for others to emulate. Considering themes such as sustainability, development and climate change in their everyday lives.

    Geography offers the opportunity to study a range of topics that investigate the physical processes of our planet, human societies and the economic and environmental challenges within the local, national and global context. This gives students the confidence to interact with the wider world, leading to fulfilled and positive life experiences. The curriculum encourages students to ask questions, develop critical thinking skills, and layer a deeper understanding of complex concepts as the course navigates through the curriculum.

    Geographical skills are embedded within units of work throughout all key stages. Fieldwork enquiries enable students to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding.

    Geography bridges the curriculum from the physical process in Science, creativity in English to the quantitate skills of Mathematics. Students are able to use these connections to excel in the wider world.

    KS3

    Introduction

    Year 7

    Year 7 students start off the year with an introduction to geography through studying ‘Fantastic Places’ around the world. We ‘visit’ locations such as Madagascar, The North Pole and Easter Island and students have their very own passport to record their journeys. ‘Map skills’ are then taught through various interactive activities both inside the classroom and around the school site.

    Topics taught for the remainder of the year include ‘Climate and Climate Change’ which examines factors that influence world climates and looks at how and why our climate can change. Next, we study ‘Rivers’ where we learn about physical river processes and landforms with a study of flooding and management. Fieldwork in our local environment of Cardingmill Valley may be conducted.

    Year 8

    Year 8 begins with a focus on physical geography through the topic of ‘Geology’. This looks at geological time, rock-types, processes, the structure of the earth, continental drift, local geology in Shropshire, extinction events, fossils and ice ages.

    Next, we explore human geography through the topic of ‘Population and urbanisation’. During this topic we look at global population growth and factors effecting population change. We study maps so that we can describe patterns of urbanisation and explain the factors which result in urban and rural areas. We then analyse whether our global population is sustainable before we examine life in unsustainable locations, the slums of Dharavi. Next, we look at the role that transnational corporations play in lower income countries and newly emerging economies through a study of sweat stops. We finish the topic by considering what sustainable cities of the future may look like.

    Our third topic is ‘Coasts’ which explores the physical processes acting upon the coast and how humans can manage the coast. We look at the characteristics of waves and erosion, describe the processes that result in coastal landforms, examine sea level rise and coastal flooding, assess the impacts of coastal erosion and flooding on towns in the UK and explain how humans can protect the coast.

    We finish year 8 by studying one of the world’s biggest emerging economies, China. This topic covers both the physical and human geographical features through learning about the rise of China, urbanisation in China, controlling population growth, living in isolated places, development at The Three Gorges Dam and using the environment for development.

    Year 9

    Geography in year 9 is all about giving students a taster of the AQA GCSE geography course so that they are in good position to make decisions about their option subjects in the spring term. Three topics are taught in the style of GCSE geography and course content is embedded through the frequent practise of exam skills and techniques, putting our year 9’s ahead of the game when they begin the course in year 10. We start off the year studying ‘Rainforests’ which includes the physical processes and structure of rainforests. We then examine issues surrounding deforestation and the protection and management of rainforests. Our second topic is ‘Tectonics’ which is explored through learning about the physical processes that result in volcanoes and earthquakes, case study examples of past earthquakes in Nepal and Chile, how the effects of earthquakes can be reduced and the danger of volcanoes and why people live in places at risk. Our final topic is ‘Rio de Janeiro’ which examines the human features of the city including migration, economic growth, social and environmental challenges and improving favela life.

    How to support your child

    We are sure that you already do many of these things to support your child but here is a useful reminder for you to refer to:

    • Encourage wider reading
    • Ask them what they have learnt today
    • Help them to structure revision for tests and assessments
    • Support the completion of homework

    Web Links

    Additional Reading

    • The library has many fiction and non-fiction books related to the topics studied above.
    • Geographers should keep up to date on the news as newspapers are a rich source of Geographical knowledge.

    KS4

    Introduction

    • AQA
    • Paper 1
      • Living with the physical environment
      • Section A: The challenge of natural hazards; Volcanoes and earthquakes, hurricanes and climate change.
      • Section B: The living world Rainforests and either hot deserts or cold environments.
      • Section C: Physical landscapes in the UK; Overview, then coasts and rivers.
    • Paper 2
      • Challenges in the human environment
      • 3.2.1 Section A: Urban issues and challenges; problems and management of cities.
      • 3.2.2 Section B: The changing economic world; studies around global development gap, and a look at the economy of the UK.
      • 3.2.3 Section C: The challenge of resource management; Management of food, water or energy.
    • Paper 3
      • Geographical applications
      • Section A: Issue evaluation using pre released materials worked on in class.
      • Section B: Fieldwork Based on two field trips – one to the coast, and one to Birmingham.

    How to support your child

    We are sure that you already do many of these things to support your child but here is a useful reminder for you to refer to:

    • Encourage wider reading
    • Ask them what they have learnt today
    • Help them to structure revision for tests and assessments
    • Make good use of BBC Bitesize
    • Use revision guides to complete practice papers
    • Ensure homework is complete to the deadline

    Web Links

    Additional Reading

    Stay up to date with current affairs in the papers – especially matters relating to units studied.