GCSE Geography

Subject Leader - Miss L McDonald

How is London being shaped by globalisation, migration and a changing economy?

Can the world’s biosphere cope with a population of 7 billion?

Why are parts of the UK losing 2m of land a year to coastal erosion?

Why do over 1 billion people live in squatter settlements? What are they like to live in?

If you would like to explore answers to these questions and ask your own questions about your world, then GCSE Geography is the course for you.

This EDEXCEL B course provides an exciting opportunity for you to explore your world, the issues it faces and find geographically sustainable solutions to these. Through an enquiry approach, you are encouraged to use investigative skills to explore contemporary questions and issues - perfect preparation for your further study or a world of work.

Course Content and Assessment: Three units all assessed by examination

1. Global Geographical Issues (37.5%)
   Hazardous world: Global climate and climate change, Extreme weather events, Tectonic hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis).
   Development Dynamics: How can inequalities in development across the world be reduced? How is India managing to develop so rapidly?
   Urbanising world: What are the causes and challenges of rapid urban change? Why does quality of life vary so much within Lagos?

2. UK Geographical Issues (37.5%)
   UK’s physical landscape: Coastal processes and landforms, managing coastal flooding and erosion; River processes and landforms, managing river flooding.
   UK’s human landscape: how is migration, globalisation and employment changing urban areas; how is London changing?
   Geographical Investigation: based on fieldwork, pupils will complete fieldwork on Investigating river processes and pressures and dynamic urban areas.

3. People and Environmental Issues—Making Geographical Decisions (25%)
   People and the biosphere: How does the biosphere provide resources, regulate climate and water globally?
   Forests under threat: What are the threats to tropical and taiga forests - why does this affect us?
   Energy resources: How can our growing demand for energy be met without serious environmental consequences?

Fieldwork

Two pieces of fieldwork will be completed, one physical and one human.  We undertake a residential field trip to Dorset in the summer of Year 10 to collect data for Paper 2.  This is always a fun trip and an extremely valuable experience.

 Why study geography?

The broad range of skills and techniques used in the course make geographers extremely valuable to employees (second-lowest unemployment level after University). The GCSE course builds on KS3 topics so if you have enjoyed Geography at Challoner, and have succeeded, and you want to keep learning more about contemporary issues in your world today and tomorrow — you’ll love GCSE Geography.