GEOGRAPHY

June 28, 2024 | 0

Department Vision

Geography is the study of the relationships between the Earth’s landscapes, people, places and environments. It helps us to understand and explain the complex world we live in.

Geography has an important role in the understanding of current local, national and global issues, such as climate change and world trade and is increasingly recognised by governments and businesses as an important enabling subject. Geography has a wide range of transferable skills in numeracy, literacy and problem solving which not only enhances understanding of other subjects but is useful at degree level and then in to the world of work.

Geography appeals to those who are interested in understanding the world around them and to people concerned about the impact of humans on the physical environment. Transferable skills, such as team building, decision-making, IT and communication skills, which are acquired whilst undertaking an education in Geography are important in furthering prospects and creating a balanced education. It is the ability of Geography to synthesise different disciplines and subjects that makes it so unique and important. Students enjoy Geography because they can relate to it and appreciate the value of furthering their understanding of the world around them.

So, whether you have a desire to contribute to finding solutions to some of the world’s most critical issues or whether you simply have a fascination for people and places, then Geography will be the subject for you.

Year 7

Year 7

	Topic	Learning Outcomes
Term 1	Geography – An Introduction	What is geography? Continents and oceans, longitude and latitude coordinates, Earth’s land features and ocean-floor features. Looking at how to read maps, take grid references and how to use maps.
Term 2	Our Island Home	What are the British Isles? Changing population, changing settlements, British Isles physical geography, British Isles climate influences and patterns.
Term 3	Restless Earth – Volcanoes	A detailed look at the tectonic activity of the planet focusing on Volcanoes. Understanding eruptions in relation to plate boundaries and the impacts and management of tectonic events with located examples.
Term 4	Restless Earth – Earthquakes	To understand the cause and effect of earthquakes. Understanding these in relation to plate boundaries and the impacts and management of tectonic events with located examples.
Term 5	Biomes 1 – Introduction	To look at the range of ecosystems on the planet, from what lies beneath a stone to the globe itself. Understand deciduous, taiga and Mediterranean.
Term 6	Biomes 2 – Extremes	An understanding of Tundra and Tropical rainforest as examples of large-scale biomes at extremes.

Year 8

Year 8

	Topic	Learning Outcomes
Term 1	Rivers	Looking at how and why rivers form. Their role in the hydrological cycle and the range of land forms they create through processes of erosion, transportation and deposition. The use of rivers in terms of how they can be exploited and managed.
Term 2	Flooding	To have an understanding of the problems and issues that arise when rivers exceed their carrying capacity. Use hydrographs to show how a river responds to water within the system and how through careful management of the basin a river can be modified to be less prone to flooding.
Term 3	Weather	Students are introduced to the processes and controls on weather, looking at the role of energy from the sun, different pressures on the Earth’s surface and how this can lead to a range of different atmospheric conditions.
Term 4	Climate	Students are introduced to the processes and controls on climate, looking at the role of energy from the sun, different pressures on the Earth’s surface and how this can lead to a range of different atmospheric conditions.
Term 5	Climate Change	Students fully appreciate this issue and understand the complexities of the linkages within ‘global warming’. Understand what can be done at the individual, local, national and international level in order to mitigate the effects of this phenomenon.
Term 6	Energy	Students fully understand the wide range of energy sources on the planet from fossil fuels to non-renewables and assess the advantages and disadvantages of each. The unit concludes by investigating the appropriate energy mix for local, national and international situations.

Year 9

Year 9

	Topic	Learning Outcomes
Term 1	Coasts	Students are to understand the processes of erosion, transportation and deposition brought about by waves and the consequent creation of specific landforms.
Term 2	Coastal Management	Investigate how coastal erosion can be managed and the cost/benefits of doing so.
Term 3	China 1 – Introduction	An investigation into arguably the world’s next superpower. Through examples at many scales, students will look at the human and physical geography of the country. Understand the contrasts in wealth, lifestyles along with economic and cultural issues.
Term 4	China 2 – Future	Students to understand living and working in China and the future for this super-power.
Term 5	Global Issues – Development	To understand how the global economy has grown. Advantages and disadvantages of such growth and the effect on the individual and the wider world. Kenya is used to contextualise issues and problems countries face in this region of the world. Students will understand their comfortable position in the world hierarchy and understand the importance of tackling the development gap.
Term 6	GCSE Skills Preparation	Students will undertake both topics and tasks that will give them a head start for the full GCSE to follow. Skills including examination style questions and practice will be undertaken. Students’ numeracy and literacy will be deepened.

Years 10 & 11

Year 10

	Topic	Learning Outcomes
Term 1	Global Hazards 1 – Weather	Why do we have weather extremes? Global circulation of the atmosphere, tropical storms and droughts. El Nino and La Nina. Case Study Typhoon Haiyan 2013, Philippines.Case Study UK Heatwave 2018.
Term 2	Global Hazards 2 – Tectonics	Understand tectonic Hazards, plate boundaries, how the movement of tectonic plates causes earthquakes and volcanoes. E16 Icelandic eruption and the Japanese Tsunami 2011.
Term 3	Changing Climate	To understand climate change and the factors that have caused it. To look at and understand the economic, social and environmental impacts of global climate change.
Term 4	Urban Futures	How is the pattern of urbanisation changing? What does rapid urbanisation mean for cites? Birmingham city case study, UKRio de Janeiro city case study, Brazil.
Term 5	Dynamic Development	What is development? Uneven development and groups of countries: ACs, EDCs and LIDCs. Economic and social measures of development. Human and physical factors leading to uneven development. Barriers to development.
Term 6	Dynamic Development	Ethiopia case study: How it has developed since 1970. What global connections influence its development? What development strategy is most appropriate?Preparation and undertaking of Year 10 Physical fieldwork.

Year 11

	Topic	Learning Outcomes
Term 1	Distinctive Landscapes	What is a landscape? Where are the physical landscapes of the UK? How have geology, glaciation and human activity affected the UK’s landscapes? What physical processes shape coastal and river basin landscapes?
Term 2	UK in 21^st Century	Students to understand population changes within the UK since 2001 and look at how employment and the economy have changed and will change in the future. Is the UK losing its global significance?Preparation and undertaking of Year 11 Human fieldwork.
Term 3	Sustaining Ecosystems	What are ecosystems? What biodiversity exists in tropical rainforests? Why are tropical rainforests being exploited and how can this be managed sustainably?
Term 4	Resource Reliance	How increasing demand for resources has affected our planet. What does it mean to be food secure? How can countries ensure their food security? Case Study: Tanzania food security. Sustainable food security strategies.
Term 5	Revision and Final examination preparation	Revision covering individual topics, past paper questions, case study revision
Term 6	Pre-enrolment tasks for WG6	Preparing students for the rigors of WG6.

Post 16 at WG6

Year 12

	Topic	Learning Outcomes
Term 1	Coastal landscapes systems Changing Spaces; Making Places	How can coastal landscapes be viewed as systems? How are coastal landforms developed? What’s a place? How do we understand place? How does economic change influence patterns of social inequality in places?
Term 2	Coastal landscapes systems Changing Spaces; Making Places	How are coastal landforms developed?How do coastal landforms develop as climate changes? Who are the players that influence economic change in places?How are places created through placemaking processes?
Term 3	Earth Life Support systems Migration	How important are water and carbon to life on Earth?How do water and carbon cycles operate in the Amazon rainforest? Why has migration become increasingly complex?
Term 4	Earth Life Support systems Migration	How do water and carbon cycles operate? What are the issues associated with unequal flows of global migration?Preparation and undertaking of Year 12 NEA fieldwork.
Term 5	Earth Life Support systems Human Rights	How much change occurs over time in the water and carbon cycles? What is meant by human rights? What are the variations in women’s rights?
Term 6	Earth Life Support systems Human Rights	To what extent are water and carbon cycles linked? What are the strategies for global governance of human rights? To what extent has intervention in human rights contributed to development?

Year 13

	Topic	Learning Outcomes
Term 1	Hazardous Earth Disease Dilemmas NEA write up	What is the evidence for continental drift and plate tectonics? What are the main hazards generated by volcanic activity? What are the global patterns of disease and can factors be identified that determine these? Is there a link between disease and levels of economic development? Introduction, Methodology & Presentation.
Term 2	Hazardous Earth Disease Dilemmas NEA write up	What are the main hazards generated by seismic activity? What are the implications of living in tectonically active locations? How effectively are communicable and noncommunicable diseases dealt with? How far can diseases be predicted and mitigated against? Analysis, Conclusion and Evaluation.
Term 3	Hazardous Earth Disease Dilemmas	What measures are available to help people cope with living in tectonically active locations? Can diseases ever be fully eradicated?
Term 4	Revision & Final preparation	Revision techniques and testing
Term 5	Revision & Final preparation	Past papers and timed tests
Term 6

Related Careers

Related Careers

The skills and knowledge gained by studying geography at GCSE and A level or university are relevant to almost all jobs and workplaces. Geography makes you literate, numerate and gives you a deep knowledge of contemporary affairs. Quite simply, there has never been a better time to be a geographer. The Russell Group of leading universities has selected geography as one of their preferred ‘facilitating’ subjects.

River & Coastal management
Disaster Response Coordinator
Development and flood risk analyst
Agribusiness
UN strategic planner
Sustainable development engineer
Estate manager
GIS specialist for a geospatial IT company
Weather Producer for a TV company
Advisor for climate change mitigation
Travel writer and broadcaster
Education travel consultant
Geographer Teacher