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Welcome
to the Geography Department home page
Head
of Department Mr H. Bains
Teachers of Geography
Mr J. Hartley
Mrs G. Palmer (Key Stage 4 Coordinator)
Mrs H. Archer
Mrs P. Spooner
Geography
is a popular subject at Key Stage 4 and 5. Results are very good and this
is a result of hard work from both staff and pupils.
In this Geography
area we would like to tell you a little about the courses we run and the
topics pupils will study. There are also links provided to other sites
that may prove helpful for students and parents. Keep checking on a regular
basis, as more site links will be added and resources shared.
Geography
at Key Stage 3 (Year 7, 8 and 9)
Year
7- pupils have 2 lessons a week:
Year 7 students follow a programme that starts with Map Skills. We feel
that this is an essential part of studying Geography and the skills that
are taught to the pupils will be useful throughout their Geography careers.
Within this unit students will also learn about “Our country”.
We then move onto a unit called Physical processes. This is a short unit
that introduces the ideas involved in weathering and erosion. Armed with
this knowledge pupil’s then study Floods in the spring term. France
is the first country that is studied in year 7 and we focus on Paris and
the Auvergne region. Pupils will also study the country of Brazil, looking
at the cities there and the rainforest ecosystem. The last term of Year
7 is dedicated to Environmental issues, such as Climate change, renewable
energy and endangered species.
Year
8 – pupils have 1 lesson a week:
In year 8 pupils start the year by studying Coastal management. They learn
how the coast is shaped and how we can protect the coastline. They then
move onto Football and Development in the spring term – which is
closely linked to Geography! Pupils learn about child labour in Pakistan
and how it is linked to the game as well as other issues surrounding development.
The final term of Year 8 is dedicated to the study of Hazards. Pupils
learn about Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Hurricanes, as well as the human
hazard of Crime!
Year
9 – pupils have 1 lesson a week:
In the final year of Key Stage 3 pupils study Geography through the news.
The course is linked to the GCSE syllabus and there is a separate information
sheet about this course, explaining its rationale and how it actually
works. The course is designed to increase pupil’s knowledge of the
world as it stands and to encourage them to take an interest in current
affairs. It will also encourage the development of greater independence
of study.
Geography
at Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and 11)
If pupils
opt for GCSE Geography they will follow the OCR Avery Hill syllabus. The
core textbook for this course is Heinemann Geography for Avery Hill: Compendium.
Pupils will have access to this book in school only, but if parents wish
to purchase a copy they can do so (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heinemann-Geography-Avery-Hill-Compendium/dp/0435354108)
The
GCSE course consists of 4 units:
People and
Place – urban and rural environments
Water, Landforms and People – coastal and river studies
People, Work and Development – development issues and trade
Climate, the Environment and People – a study of weather and climate
and ecosystems
Examination by:
We are lucky in Geography to have tiered entry. This means some students
will sit a Foundation paper, which will enable them to obtain grades C-G.
Some pupils will sit the Higher tier paper, which will allow them to achieve
grades A*-D.
2 pieces of
coursework worth 25% in total
2 exam papers worth 75%
Further information
about this course can be found at:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/GCSEGeographyB_Avery_Hill.html
For the past
three years students have been offered the chance to go on a residential
fieldtrip in Year 10 to Norfolk. This has proven to be an enjoyable and
educational experience for pupils and staff!
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