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Geography

"Geography is the subject that holds the key to our future." Michael Palin

Geography has a unique view of the world. It is the only subject that looks at how all the elements of the earth interact and interconnect. Studying Geography will help you see clearly and understand accurately the environment that surrounds you. Our aim is to provide students with opportunities to evaluate and challenge the way in which their world operates.

Head of Department: Miss A Hamilton (currently on maternity leave), Miss F Brown (Acting Head).

Teachers: Mr N Grassick, Miss M-T Letissier, Mr S Wigman

We encourage students to consider the complexity of the major challenges the planet faces through the perspectives of different peoples, as well as consider a range of strategies to help overcome a number of these ‘wicked problems’, such as inequality, climate change and sustainability. We facilitate this through an emphasis on high expectations of geographical literacy, mastery of geographical skills, and the development of decision-making and evaluation, both in the classroom and the field.

The geography curriculum is designed to:

  • Study a knowledge-rich, horizon-widening breadth of content examined through physical, social, economic, environmental, cultural and political contexts to build student’s awareness of locations, places and environments at a range of spatial and temporal scales.
  • Emphasise the importance of a deep understanding of both physical and human processes, and on applying this understanding to interrogate people-environment interactions and people-place connections.
  • Engage students with critical issues and concepts that shape the world we live in. These include, but are not limited to, causality, climate change, development, geopolitics, globalisation, identity, inequality, interdependence, mitigation and adaptation, physical systems and feedback and sustainability.
  • Facilitate a mastery of the application of geographical knowledge, skills and approaches to enable students to investigate a range of important geographical questions and issues.
  • Foster the development of students’ character (including ethics and values) and attributes relevant to a world beyond education, providing a platform to develop social and environmental sensitivity and build an innate responsibility in students to become informed and engaged global citizens.
  • Provide a platform for students to carry forward transferrable skills and experiential approaches for implementation in their chosen future pathways and careers.

KEY STAGE 3

The Key Stage 3 curriculum is varied and engaging, aimed at promoting a love of the subject. It is carefully sequenced to enable students to achieve mastery in the subject. We introduce key geographical skills whilst exploring a wide range of physical and human units. Year 7 investigate the existence of microclimates around the school site. Year 9 come off timetable in half-year groups to compete in the World Trade game in the Great Hall. The students are divided into groups and trade with each other within the ‘free’ market economy of tariffs, quotas and other sanctions! Year 9 develop their independent learning skills, by investigating an issue in their local area, which involves collecting field data, and subsequent analysis.

Year 7

  • Mastering mapwork
  • Wild weather
  • Amazing Africa
  • Glorious glaciation

Year 8

  • Wild waters
  • Moving masses
  • Changing coastlines
  • Incredible India

Year 9

  • Going global
  • Perilous plates
  • Magical Middle East
  • Our world in 2035

KEY STAGE 4

At GCSE, our students follow the AQA Geography specification, and is a very popular option subject. Students carry out two fieldwork investigations - one in human and another in physical geography. These days provide a fantastic opportunity for students to experience the theory in real life. The specification is split into human and physical topics, which we alternate to allow variety in students learning.

Year 10

  • Living world
  • Resource management
  • UK physical landscapes

Year 11

  • Urban issues
  • Natural hazards
  • Economic world

KEY STAGE 5

For A Level, our students follow the AQA Geography specification, and is a popular option subject. Students have two single-day field trips in Year 12. The first is to Camber Sands to investigate changes in vegetation across this impressive sand dune system, and the second is a visit to Stratford to investigate the impact of the London 2012 Olympic Games on the changing character of the local area. In Year 13, students are afforded the opportunity to plan their own independent investigation based on either human or physical aspects of Geography (or a combination of both).

Year 12

  • Changing places
  • Coasts
  • Natural hazards

Year 13

  • Global systems and governance
  • Water and carbon cycles
  • Population and environment

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 

  • Bi-annual Sixth Form ‘Awe and Wonder’ trip to Iceland - a real highlight for all who attend!
  • GeogSoc, our well-attended society, entirely run by Sixth Form students
  • Guest lecturers
  • Geography Review magazine
  • Royal Geographical Society access, lectures, essay competitions, etc
  • Online seminars and lectures
  • ‘Discover the world’ webinars

DESTINATIONS

We aim to foster a life-long passion for geography. This is represented by the 58 students who went to university in 2018 - 2023 to study a geography-related degree, including Geology and Physical Geography, and Geography with Economics. Our students attend some top universities, such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Durham University and the University of Manchester.