Geography

Head of Department: Mrs J Smith - smithj@wellandparkacademy.com

Lead Teacher of Geography: Mrs R Sullivan - sullivanr@wellandparkacademy.com

 

Our Geography Curriculum

Geography is challenging, topical and engaging. In our diverse society, students need, more than ever before, to understand other people and cultures. In the Geography department, we believe that geographical knowledge, concepts and skills are essential components of a broad and balanced curriculum.

 

KS3 Geography

The geography curriculum at KS3 is structured through topic-based learning, underpinned with geographical skills, framed as enquiry questions to help develop their geographical knowledge as soon as they join us at Welland Park.

We begin with basic concepts of navigation, mapping and a greater awareness of UK geography in Year 7.
Worldwide case studies of countries at differing levels of development are introduced through each topic studied in Years 7, 8 and 9.

In Year 7, students study:

  • What makes a geographer?

  • What shapes our river landscapes?

  • Why are our frozen landscapes important?

  • Why are natural resources so important to the world?

 

In Year 8, students study:

  • Is our weather becoming more extreme?

  • How are our ecosystems under threat?

  • Why is there a development gap?

  • What shapes our coastal landscapes?

     

In Year 9, students study:

  • How is the world becoming more connected?

  • How is the world impacted by natural hazards?

  • Can planet earth support a growing population?

  • Why is Russia globally significant?

  • How has tourism impacted our planet?

 

Within these topics we try to develop key knowledge, understanding and an ability to 'think like a geographer'; meaning students can display empathy towards others, are able to think critically about the issues facing the world and apply them across a range of geographical scales.

 

KS4 Geography

At KS4 students continue to develop their geographical knowledge. The AQA GCSE course is split into 3 exam papers as follows:

  • Paper 1: Living with the Physical Environment: natural hazards, ecosystems, coasts & rivers

  • Paper 2: Challenges in the Human Environment: urban issues, changing economic world, resource use

  • Paper 3: Geographical applications: issue evaluation, fieldwork & geographical skills

Students gain a strong foundation of knowledge for GCSE Geography throughout their KS3 studies, this enables a greater understanding when topics are revisited in-depth at KS4.

KS4 Geography GCSE – AQA 8035 course.

Website: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035

The AQA GCSE Geography qualification is 100% externally examined, comprising of three exam papers:

 

Specification Content

How is it assessed?

Paper 1: Living with the Physical Environment

Section A: Challenge of natural hazards

Section B: The living world

Section C: Physical landscapes in the UK: Coastal landscapes in the UK, River landscapes in the UK

1 hour 30 minute examination

88 marks (including 3 for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

Worth 35% of the GCSE

Paper 2: Challenges in the Human Environment

Section A: Urban issues and challenges

Section B: The changing economic world

Section C: The challenge of resource management, energy management

1 hour 30 minute examination

88 marks (including 3 for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

Worth 35% of the GCSE

Paper 3: Geographical Applications

Section A: Issue Evaluation

Section B: Fieldwork and geographical skills

1 hour 30 minute examination

76 marks (including 3 for spelling, punctuation and grammar

Worth 30% of the GCSE

 

Fieldwork

Throughout the Geography curriculum in KS3 and KS4 we offer a range of fieldwork opportunities.

These include:

  • Year 7: Local based fieldwork

  • Year 8: Coasts visit

  • GCSE studies: 3-day residential to Betws-y-Coed or day visit to Hunstanton

  • Year 10: Iceland residential Assessment

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At KS3, we test both geographical knowledge and skills through end of unit tests.

Throughout these assessments, we use key question styles from GCSE including 'command words', to familiarise them with this language.

In Year 7, students will sit a baseline test when they arrive, in order to assess prior knowledge in Geography.

In Year 8 and 9, we scaffold longer GCSE style questions to aid the understanding of students.

All of our assessments are graded according to GCSE grades 1-9.

In Year 8, students will sit an end of year exam for Humanities.

Please refer to the Geography curriculum map for further information.

 

Geography Careers

Studying Geography can open up a wide range of careers.

As stated by the Royal Geographical Society: "Geography graduates have one of the highest rates of graduate employment, pursuing a wide range of career paths.

It’s often said that there is no such thing as a geography job; rather there are multiple jobs that geographers do".

Geography encourages students to think critically and analytically to solve problems and understand varying viewpoints.

It develops independent research skills and the ability to 'think like a Geographer', showing a wide appreciation of the world around them.

Many of these skills are transferable to high-level careers within cartography, Geographical Information Systems, planning and development, teaching, leisure and tourism, logistics, government and politics, environmental planning and management.

This illustrates a wide and diverse choice of career path that students can access when leaving school with a geography qualification.

There are a few more examples of Geography careers here: https://www.rgs.org/iamageographer/

KS3 Geography Curriculum Maps KS4 Geography Curriculum Maps