Geography

In the GCSE course there is a strong emphasis on world issues & concerns.

A wide range of topics will be studied:

Living with the physical Environment:

• Challenges of the Natural World – earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, tropical storms, climate change and the UK’s extreme weather.

• The Living World – local ecosystems, tropical rainforests and deserts.

• Physical Landscapes – coasts and rivers.

Challenges of the Human Environment:

• Urban challenges & global patterns – studies of contrasting cities and sustainable urban futures.

• Changing economic worlds – global patterns, contrasting studies of economic development and closing the development gap.

• Challenges of resource management – includes the UK’s resources & global resource security.

Students will sit 3 exam papers.

Paper 1 (physical geography) and paper 2 (human geography) include short & structured questions, including data response and map skills.

Paper 3 tests geographical application through issues and fieldwork techniques. All GCSE students must carry out a day of both human and physical fieldwork to prepare for this exam.

Students will be taught in a variety of ways including: discussions, group work, Youtube clips, model making, internet research, problem solving, analysing photographs, mind maps, field sketches & many more.

Geography is both an Arts & Science subject. It also promotes skills in communication, numeracy & graphicacy. Geography is a popular subject at A Level. Geography opens access to a wide range of careers including: medicine, veterinary science, engineering, agriculture, politics, art & design, town planning, land management, marine biology, environmental sectors, coastal management, land/estate management and hydrology.

Transferable skills that can be gained from Geography include:

• Research skills, such as using a range of technical methods for the collection and analysis of spatial and environmental data, and undertaking fieldwork

• Transferable skills, such as teamwork, problem solving, IT skills, communication skills (presentation, writing, debating)

• Intellectual skills, such as critically evaluating theories and judging evidence in order to make informed decisions and to develop reasoned arguments

• Personal attributes such as time-management, development of responsibility, coping with uncertainty, self-reflection, motivation, flexibility, and creativity