National Curriculum Aims

The national curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
• understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
• are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
• collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
• interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
• communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Assessment Progress Map for KS3 and KS4

KS3 Geography

Geography helps us to explore and understand space and place – recognising the great differences in cultures, political systems, economies, landscapes and environments across the world, and exploring the links between them.

Geography is the ‘world subject’. In geography shows students learn how to observe, describe and seek explanations for why the world around us is as it is.  It positively encourages them to imagine possible futures. Geography helps students to think more intelligently about complicated and unresolved issues: global warming, international population movements, food security or where to build new homes. The subject is concerned with real world learning and making sense of the world first hand, or ‘in the field.’

Units of Work

GCSE Geography

Exam Board: AQA

This qualification is linear which means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.    

Aims

This exciting and relevant course studies geography in a balanced framework of physical and human themes and investigates the link between them.

Students will travel the world from their classroom, exploring case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), higher income countries (HICs), newly emerging economies (NEEs) and lower income countries (LICs). Topics of study include climate change, poverty, deprivation, global shifts in economic power and the challenge of sustainable resource use. Students are also encouraged to understand their role in society, by considering different viewpoints, values and attitudes.

Upon completion of this two year course, students will have the skills and experience to progress onto A-level and beyond.

Content Overview

• Living with the physical environment: The challenge of natural hazards; The living world; Physical landscapes in the UK

• Challenges in the human environment: Urban issues and challenges; The changing economic world; The challenge of resource management

• Geographical applications: Issue evaluation; Fieldwork;

• Geographical skills

Units of Work