GEOGRAPHY

KEY STAGE 3

Year 7

The year 7 course aims to get students familiar with their local area and teach them the investigative skills required to be a successful geographer.

Autumn Term - Students are issued with their own OS map and learn the vital map skills of 6 figure grid references, measuring distance, identifying OS symbols, Making a contour model and describing a route.

Winter Term - Students investigate extreme weather and after studying UK floods, Birmingham Tornado and Snow storms in Wiltshire they get the opportunity to work in pairs and investigate an extreme weather event of choice before presenting to the rest of the class.

Spring Term - students will study how the sites for an early settlement were chosen, settlement patterns and growth / change of settlement. They will then use their knowledge gained to complete a project on Old Sarum and Stratford Sub Castle, which includes a field visit to these local historic sites.

Summer Term - The topic of Dynamic coasts will be studied. This illustrates how rapidly our coastlines are changing and the factors responsible for it. A visit to Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and Stair Hole will form the basis of a fieldwork investigation.

Year 7 Trip to Lulworth

Year 8

The year 8 course builds on and extends the skills, knowledge and understanding gained in year7. The scale extends to cover Europe and some of the most topical global issues.

Autumn Term

Students study the location of the European Countries, Capital Cities and main physical features. They then learn about the Migration, refugees and asylum seekers before making the tough decision using evidence in a court role play of who should be granted permission to stay in the UK and who will have to return home.

Winter Term

Students will study the new and exciting topic of The Geography of Crime. Finding out why some locations are more prone to crime than others and what can be done to reduce crime. This will involve paired research and presentation into one UK city.

Spring Term

Students will study the ever increasing issue of Sustainability and investigate how we can make a difference. They will be required to produce their own advert and design and build an eco home!
They will then investigate the Geography of food, looking at why some countries have an obesity problem whilst others starvation. They will then learn how we can reduce the difference by buying fairtade. This includes chocolate tasting, T shirt designing and fun Fair trade games!

Summer Term

The topic of Tourism will be studied – looking at why Tourist destinations change over time, the impacts of tourism – with a focus on Kenya, before taking part in the SWGS geography department Young apprentice. Following a trip to Longleat Safari Park they will need to work in a team to design a new UK tourist attraction, before putting their ideas forward – Who will be Hired!?

Year 8 Trip to Longleat

Year 9

The major theme of this year is global issues.

Autumn Term – Students study the location of the Main Countries of the World, Capital Cities and main physical features. They then investigate why there is such a disparity between the population and level of development of countries. The game of Country Top Trumps with indicators of development is used, together with ‘The Biscuit Game’.

Winter Term - China forms the basis of a country study for this next topic. Students will investigate what China is like (culture and traditions), how China’s population has changed, how and why its development has rapidly increased and the issues associated with it. We will also take a look at the Partner school Nanhai No1 Middle School, South East China in the Guangdong District

Spring Term – Students will study the exciting topic of Natural Hazards – looking at why they happen and can we do anything to stop them? The recent events of the Haiti Earthquake, the Icelandic Volcanic eruption, Australian Floods are studied, before students have to work together as a team of volcanologists to save the lives of thousands through accurate monitoring and evacuation, as the Montserrat volcano starts blowing smoke! They carry out group presentations and paired work and get to choose the other natural hazards they would like to study – we then tailor our lessons according to their best interests. This year it was Tornado, Avalanches and Tsunamis!

Summer Term - Tropical Rainforests- the most diverse biome in the world, yet one of the most threatened, forms the basis for this final topic. Students will gain an understanding of where Tropical Rainforests are located and- how they are structured. They will then investigate plant and animal adaptations before putting all of their knowledge to the test by creating their own animal to survive in the Rainforest. We will finish by looking at destruction of the Rainforest and how they can be managed sustainably. Last year 15 gifted and talented students had the chance to visit the Living Rainforest.

GCSE

EDEXCEL B - CODE: 2GB01

This new course will inspire, motivate and challenge you.
Geography will develop you as an effective and independent learner and you will become a critical and reflective thinker with an ever increasing mind.

Throughout the two years you will develop your knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts and our changing world through four main units:

Year 10

UNIT 2: People and the Planet 25% of total GCSE (1 hr written paper)

UNIT 4: Researching Geography - 25% of total GCSE (controlled assessment)

Year 11

UNIT 1: Dynamic Planet 25% of total GCSE (1 hr written paper)

UNIT 3: Making Geographical Decisions - 25% of total GCSE (1 hr written paper)

A LEVEL

GEOGRAPHY SPECIFICATION -Edexcel (6GEO1 & 6GEO2)

	Unit Title	Unit code and outlne	Description
AS	Unit 1:Global Challenges	6GEO1 60% AS (30% GCE) 1.5hr exam Taken in Jan Yr 12	Data response, short answer questions & guided essay Questions (90 marks)
AS	Unit 2: Geographical Investigations	6GEO2 40% AS (20% GCE) 1.5hr exam Taken in June Yr12	Data response & extended writing to include investigation and evaluation skills.
A2	Unit 3: Contested Planet	6GEO3 60% A2 (30% GCE) 2.5hr exam	Section A: choice of 2 short essay questions from 5 Section B: Synoptic Investigation
A2	Unit 4: Geographical Research	6GEO4 40% A2 (20% GCE) 1.5hr exam	One extended essay question from a choice of 6 options.

OTHER INFORMATION

At GCSE there will be the opportunity to carry out fieldwork at the coast. In the past we have visited Hengistbury Head and Mudeford Spit.

At AS there are day trips to Boscombe surf reef, Barton-on-sea, Studland sand dunes and the site of the London 2012 Olympics.

At A2 there have been residential trips to Morocco and the West Coast of the USA (California, Nevada and Utah)