Geography
“I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored.” Sir David Attenborough
PHILOSOPHY & VISION
If you could go anywhere and see anything where would you go? Would you explore the sand dunes of the Sahara desert? Would you stay in treehouses with the tribes of the Amazon Rainforest? What about a trip to Antarctica to see penguins in their natural habitat? Wouldn’t you be disappointed if you had to stop?
Studying geography means you have the entire world at your fingertips. You can go on adventures to new places, meet new people and all you have to do is show up! In geography you will have the opportunity to learn about the way in which we humans interact with our physical environment, this includes natural hazards, tropical rainforest, hot and cold deserts and many more. You will also explore different cultures across the world and how people live. From the entrepreneurial residents of the floating slums of Lagos, all the way to the medieval town of L’Aquila in Italy, you will find out how different groups of people live and respond to the challenges and opportunities life throws at them.
Exploring the relationship between people, places, and environments
Year 7
In year 7 students are introduced to the foundations of geography. Geographical skills are developed across the year including map skills and GIS. Students begin the year by studying their place in the world – including local geography, looking at Clacton, before broadening out to take a look at the physical and human geography of the UK. Across the year, we then take a look at Asia, North and South America and Africa, introducing key geographical ideas, such as landscape formation, economic geography, climate change and migration. The year ends with a fieldwork unit focussing on microclimates around the school to introduce fieldwork techniques to students.
Year 8
In year 8 geographical themes continue, starting with a look at extreme environments. Students will then examine global population issues before covering the physical geography of places through the lens of adventure landscapes. Extreme weather, with a link to climate change follows, giving students an understanding of some of the global process that affect our weather and climate. Current trends such as global conflict will also be covered and the year concludes with a unit on the geography of sport, linking to global competitions such as the Olympics.
Year 9
In year 9 students continue to examine geographical themes. The year starts with tectonic hazards, examining the structure of the earth and how and why we have earthquakes and volcanoes. We then introduce economic geography with a look at the US dollar and China. Coastal geography follows looking at processes and landforms around the UK. The next units pull together many of the themes covered across key stage 3 and link to some of the ideas students will study in years 10 and 11. We take a look at the geography of crime, and then our unequal world. The year finishes looking at sustainability and how we need to look after our planet for future generations.
Year 10
The Geography GCSE course begins looking at the characteristics of natural hazards which include tectonic and atmospheric hazards including the threat of climate change. It then moves to investigate urban challenges by looking at London and Lagos. A fieldwork investigation is included in this unit. The course then focusses on the living world – rainforest and hot deserts - examining these areas and how they are being developed. At the end of the year, students will study coasts building on their work in y9 and visiting our local coastline to examine processes and management.
Year 11
Year 11 geography starts with a unit that examines the changing economic structure of Nigeria and post-industrial UK, including the impact of aid, TNCs and tourism. We then move on to look at the processes, landforms and management that take place and shape the UK landscapes in a unit on rivers. Students then study resource management (UK and worldwide) including inequality in the supply of water, food and energy across the world.