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Ofsted Good Rating

Geography

Introduction

Our team of passionate geographers have developed a broad, balanced and connected curriculum, designed to arm pupils with powerful knowledge of the real world. We aim to raise cultural capital by studying exciting concepts such as the role geography plays in world conflict, why we face a population catastrophe and how different cultures interact and live. Following a curriculum based around our ‘four pillars of geography’, we expect to produce geographers capable of asking and answering questions on a range of challenging and relevant topics. 

Four Pillars of Geography

  • Contextual Knowledge (Place):

A focus on Geography in the context of a range of places, all of which are significant in the modern world.

  • Understanding (Space, Human and Physical Change):

 Students will learn about the physical and human process that shape our world at a range of scales. The concept of space is applied to help achieve an in-depth understanding.

  • Geographical Enquiry (Skills):

Students will develop a range of cartographical, graphical and statistical skills, which will enable them to explore aspects of Geography through enquiry. These skills are embedded in practise through a range of fieldwork challenges.

  • Talking and Reading like a Geographer (Literacy and Numeracy)

Students will develop a range of strategies to develop numerical literacy, such as reading data from complex graphs and using statistical skills. 

The use tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary is interweaved with the curriculum, with students identifying and applying new words to broaden their ability to use complex language. Reading is also embedded within each unit, providing students with the opportunity to explore new texts in a geographical context. Students are encouraged to ‘think through writing’ to apply new knowledge.

Years 7, 8 & 9 

What will I study?
  • In Year 7, you will study the following topics;

  • What are settlements, and how do they change?
  • Weather and Climate
  • Ecosystems
  • A world shaped by wind and ice
  • A tale of two cities: Development and Inequality
  • Tectonic Hazards
  • In Year 8, you will study the following topics;

  • Africa: Region study
  • Our connected world
  • Population and China
  • Asia: Region Study
  • Dark Tourism
  • Hydrology
  • In Year 9, you will study the following topics;
  • Changing climates
  • The Arctic: Region Study
  • Geographies of Conflict
  • The Middle East: Region Study
  • Earth's dwindling resources and our race for more
What skills will I develop?

Year 7:

  • Using an atlas and longitude and latitude to locate some basic information and plot human and physical features with reasonable accuracy.
  • Reading bar and line graphs to obtain information, including climate graphs.
  • Describe your own views on a number of issues and begin to explain why you hold these views.
  • Reaching basic conclusions which describe what you have discovered about an issue being investigated.
  • Explain how some physical processes, such as weather, affect our daily lives.
  • Improving geographic reading, literacy and oracy.

Year 8:

  • Using maps and atlases to compare places in terms of landscapes and human features.
  • Using scatter graphs to describe the relationships between two variables and use data shown on a choropleth map.
  • Embedding the sequencing of key processes.
  • The ability to use real life evidence to form balanced conclusions about world issues.
  • Improving geographic reading, literacy and oracy.

Year 9:

  • Using evidence from maps and graphs to reach basic conclusions.
  • Making links between complex concepts and real places.
  • Improving geographic reading, literacy and oracy.
  • Using real life examples to develop extended writing.
How will I be assessed?

Year 7:

  • 3 x knowledge quiz.
  • 3 x Short answer writing pieces.
  • 3x Tracking assessments, including extended writing.
  • Weekly knowledge homework’s.

Year 8:

  • 3 x knowledge quiz.
  • 3 x Short answer writing pieces.
  • 3x Tracking assessments, including extended writing.
  • Weekly knowledge homework’s.

Year 9:

  • 3 x knowledge quiz.
  • 3 x Short answer writing pieces.
  • 3x Tracking assessments, including extended writing.
  • Weekly knowledge homework’s.

Curriculum Maps 

Years 10 & 11 

What will I study?

Year 10:

  • The challenge of natural hazards
  • The changing economic world
  • Urban issues and challenges
  • The living world

Year 11:

  • Physical landscapes in the UK
  • Fieldwork
  • The challenge of resource management
  • Paper 3 Pre-Release
What skills will I develop?

Year 10:

  • identify questions and sequences of enquiry.
  • write descriptively, analytically and critically.
  • communicate their ideas effectively.
  • develop an extended written argument.
  • draw well-evidenced and informed conclusions about geographical questions and issues.
  • select and construct appropriate graphs and charts to present data, using appropriate scales – line charts, bar charts, pie charts, pictograms, histograms with equal class intervals, divided bar, scattergraphs, and population pyramids.
  • interpret and extract information from different types of maps, graphs and charts, including population pyramids, choropleth maps, flow-line maps, dispersion graphs.

Year 11:

  • identify questions and sequences of enquiry.
  • write descriptively, analytically and critically.
  • communicate their ideas effectively.
  • develop an extended written argument.
  • draw well-evidenced and informed conclusions about geographical questions and issues.
  • select and construct appropriate graphs and charts to present data, using appropriate scales – line charts, bar charts, pie charts, pictograms, histograms with equal class intervals, divided bar, scattergraphs, and population pyramids.
  • interpret and extract information from different types of maps, graphs and charts, including population pyramids, choropleth maps, flow-line maps, dispersion graphs.
How will I be assessed?

Year 10:

  • 4 x knowledge quiz
  • Exam style mock exams
  • SENECA assessed homework’s

Year 11:

  • 4 x knowledge quiz
  • Exam style mock exams
  • SENECA assessed homework’s

Curriculum Maps 

Key Stage 5

What will I study?

Year 12:

  • Tectonic Processes and Hazards
  • Coastal Landscapes and Change
  • Fieldwork
  • Globalisation
  • Shaping Places: Regeneration
  • NEA: Independent Investigation

Year 13:

  • The water cycle and water insecurity
  • The carbon cycle and energy security
  • Superpowers
  • Global development and connections
  • Migration, identity and sovereignty
  • Fieldwork/NEA: Independent Investigation
What skills will I develop?

Year 12:

  • How to understand the nature and use of different types of geographical information, including qualitative and quantitative, primary and secondary, images, factual text and discursive/creative material, digital data, numerical and spatial data.
  • How to communicate and evaluate findings, draw well-evidenced conclusions informed by wider theory, and construct extended written argument about geographical matters.
  • Critical extended writing technique and practice
  • Independent research

Year 13:

  • The water cycle and water insecurity
  • The carbon cycle and energy security
  • Superpowers
  • Global development and connections
  • Migration, identity and sovereignty
  • Fieldwork/NEA: Independent Investigation
How will I be assessed?

Year 12:

  • Knowledge assessments
  • Extended writing pieces
  • Exam style mock exams
  • Coursework

Year 13:

  • Knowledge assessments
  • Extended writing pieces
  • Exam style mock exams
  • Coursework

Curriculum Maps