Geography

Curriculum Intent

Our curriculum vision is based around 4 major themes which equips students with the knowledge and understanding to prepare them for their futures as well as studying Geography at A Level and beyond.

The 4 major themes in our vision for students

Knowledge and Understanding
Geographical Skills
Evaluation and Judgement
Global Interactions

The aim of the Geography Department is to ensure that all students develop an appreciation of how people interact with the environment around them. In simple terms, Geography is the study of where places are, what they are like and what life is like in them.

Our aim in the Geography Department is to help to make students more aware of their global citizenship status. We investigate many issues facing the world today including coastal erosion, the loss of the tropical rainforests, global warming, globalisation and migration and focus on how we can manage these issues sustainably. These issues, as well as traditional geography, are taught throughout the key stages.

Facilities

Specialist teaching classrooms
A wide range of specialist fieldwork equipment
Interactive materials to exemplify the topics being studied.

A level Geography

Course Details

First Year:

Coastal Systems and Landscapes – This section focuses on the dynamic nature of coastal zones in the UK and beyond.
Hazards – Students investigate natural hazards in relation to human populations, often in dramatic and sometimes catastrophic fashion.
Contemporary Urban Environments – Geographers study urban growth and change, which are seemingly ubiquitous processes and present significant challenges for human populations.
Changing Places – This unit focuses on human engagement with place and considers how these spaces are fundamentally important to how people live their lives.
Geographical Fieldwork Investigation and Skills – All students are expected to undertake fieldwork. Statistical maths is an important part of this section.

Second Year:

Changing Places – This unit focuses on human engagement with place and considers how these spaces are fundamentally important to how people live their lives.
Global Systems and Global Governance – Students consider how technological advances and other driving factors have altered the economy and society at large in recent decades.
Water and Carbon Cycle – This unit explores some of the major questions about the health of our planet and the impact humans are having on the natural world.
Non-examined Assessment

Link to course specification

Assessment

Exam (2.5 hrs)

Physical Geography

40% of the

qualification

Exam (2.5 hrs)

Human Geography

40% of the

qualification

Coursework report

Geography Fieldwork

Investigation

20% of the

qualification

Enrichment opportunities

Students will go on a residential field trip to Exmoor National Park for four days, and there will also be various trips during the two years to increase data collection methods.

Student quotes

“Geography lessons are really great! Resources are different and learning is fun! Lessons have a range of activities in them.”

“I am really glad I chose Geography for A level. I find the topics interesting and challenging, and I am really looking forward to the field trips.”

Progression

Geography provides varied career paths and a Geography degree would lay a good foundation for jobs such as surveying, accounting, teaching, law, banking and finance and many, many more opportunities!