Geography

“Geography is the subject that holds the key to our future.”

Michael Palin

While the world changes so quickly, we focus on developing student skills that remain a constant to enable students to face any situation or task with these skills. As students move through Year 7 to 9, our expectation is that they develop these skills and apply them to a range of topics with increasing accuracy and detail.

The skills of drawing, mapping and describing are accessible to all, regardless of age, and therefore this skill does not change, however we apply them to differing contexts throughout the 3 years. The high order skills of explaining and evaluating tend to be more difficult and certain aspects of these skills require further understanding to allow students to master. As a result our expectations of these skills especially increases as the students move up to Year 9. This in turn prepares them well for answering the harder IGCSE questions.

Below are two grade descriptors to give an overview of what a grade 9 and 6 geographer looks like:

Grade 9

DRAW: Annotate in detail with developed explanations and detailed descriptions. Graphs are always drawn accurately with all the required features. Maps and diagrams (often sequenced) are annotated to clearly explain the processes involved. MAP: Consistently accurate, complete maps with direction, title, key, 4 and 6 figures grid references, coordinates and scale. Additional research is undertaken to add further features of interest.

DESCRIBE: Detailed descriptions that consistently uses evidence/data to support points and identifies anomalies. Patterns, landforms and features are described using visual adjectives and verbs. Location is described accurately with all the required features with further independent research undertaken to find further relevant information.

EXPLAIN: Points are always fully explained using a range of connectives to link the causes and consequences. Independently, examples are found to support their point.

EVALUATE: Balanced argument and their opinion is expressed based on arguments and explanations, further supported with independently sourced data.

SPaG* & VOCABULARY: Consistently uses a range of topic specific vocabulary, spellings are always accurate and written work always has correct grammar and punctuation. Terminology is defined in extended writing tasks.

Grade 6

DRAW: Labels and brief annotations with description and beginning to explain are added to diagrams. Graphs are usually drawn accurately but not consistent.

MAP: Maps are not always completed and there are inaccuracies with some of the following, direction, title, key, 4 and 6 figures grid references, coordinates and scale.

DESCRIBE: Clear descriptions using key words and beginning to use evidence/data to support points, but it is not consistent. Patterns, landforms and features are described using suitable adjectives and verbs. Descriptions of location have most of the required features.

EXPLAIN: Beginning to explain by identifying the cause or the consequence, but not both. Connectives such as, so and because, are occasionally used to highlight this.

EVALUATE: An evaluation is balanced/two sided, with brief explanations. There is final opinion.

SPaG* & VOCABULARY: Sometimes uses topic specific vocabulary, spelling, grammar and punctuation is not consistently accurate.