Geography

Overview

The first lesson we learn in Geography is……

Geography is everything!

Geography permeates all aspects of our everyday life.

It affects us all from our journey to school and the factors of current economics that make us decide whether to drive or walk, to exploring in the far-flung reaches of the world and seeing how climate change has affected glaciation or how economics affects development. Keeping the curriculum relevant to the students using up to date case studies and topicality are paramount in the geography department’s planning.

We in the department believe it is crucially important for students to be able to discuss openly the issues of a changing global environment and we encourage the students to share their experiences along the way.

Key Staff

Mr Russell-Smith - Head of Department
Miss Selby
Mr Bibby
Mr Burges
Mrs Fletcher
Mr Birch

Key Stage 3

 
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Autumn
  • Introduction to Geography
  • Baseline test 
  • Test
  • Arctic and the Antarctic
  • Test
  • China
  • Test
Spring
  • India
  • Test
  • The America's
  • Test
  • The Middle East
  • Test
Summer
  • Africa
  • Test
  • End of year test
  • Russia
  • Test
  • End of year test
  • Living with the physical environment (new GCSE spec)
  • Test
  • End of year test
KS3 Banding

Students will follow national guidelines throughout Key Stage 3 to support and prepare them for their Key Stage 4 courses. The school operates a banding system of 1-9 (9 being the highest band). Students will be given a target based upon their Key Stage 2 scores and baseline assessments on arrival at Edgbarrow.  The band they are awarded at the end of the Key Stage is intended to be indicative of the grade they may achieve at GCSE.

Banding Curriculum Map & Assessment

Key Stage 4

GCSE

Students will be studying the GCSE course in Geography offered by AQA.  More information on the can be found www.aqa.org.uk

 

 
Year 10

Autumn

1

The Challenge of natural hazards (22hrs)


The Living World 13hrs

2

Spring

1

The Living World contd. (9hrs)

Physical landscapes in the UK (20hrs)

2

Summer

1

Physical landscapes in the UK contd. (3 hrs)


Fieldwork (10hrs)
Challenges in the Human Environment  (18 hrs)

2

Autumn

1

The Changing Economic World (18 hrs)


The Challenge of Resource Management (16 hrs)

2

Spring

1

Issue Evaluation (6-8 hrs)


Revision (24 hrs)

2

Summer

1

Revision (15) hrs

Exam date:  June/July

At the end of each topic, students will have an end-of- topic test made up of questions from past exam papers. These will be collected and stored centrally and compared to target bands to inform monitoring and required intervention. Students will also undertake exam questions in specially designed Geography Covey booklets to ensure the students know the content and the required skills. If students miss their target grade by two levels then students will have to retake parts of the test which, as well as any intervention, will also be noted centrally.
We will also have a mock exam at the end of the Physical topics and end of the Human topics at the end of Year 10 and after Christmas in Year 11.

GCSE Students will be assessed as follows –

Paper 1: Living with the physical environment - Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes, 88 marks (including 3 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology (SPaG), 35% of GCSE

Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment - Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes, 88 marks (including 3 marks for SPaG), 35% of GCSE

Paper 3: Geographical applications, Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes, 76 marks (including 6 marks for SPaG), 30% of GCSE, Pre-release resources booklet made available 12 weeks before Paper 3 exam

Key Stage 5

A Level

Students will be studying the A Level course in Geography offered by AQA. They will not be understating the AS in Geography.  More information on the can be found at www.aqa.org.uk

  • Section A: Water and carbon cycles
  • Section B: Coastal systems and landscapes
  • Section C: Hazards
  • Section A: Global systems and global governance
  • Section B: Changing places
  • Section C: Contemporary urban environments

Autumn

Coastal systems and landscapes
Contemporary urban environments

Spring

Water and carbon cycles
Changing places

Summer

Finish off the above topics if needed
Preparation for Geography fieldwork investigation
(to be completed in the summer holidays by students).

Autumn

Hand in finished Geography fieldwork investigation
Hazards
Global systems and global governance

Spring

Finish off topics if needed.
Revision

Summer

Revision
Exam date: June/July
A Level Examinations

Component 1: Physical Geography
Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes, 120 marks, 40% of A-level

What's assessed

Component 2: Human Geography
Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes, 120 marks, 40% of A-level

What's assessed

Component 3: Geography fieldwork investigation
3,000–4,000 words, 60 marks, 20% of A-level, marked by teachers moderated by AQA

What's assessed
Students complete an individual investigation which must include data collected in the field. The individual investigation must be based on a question or issue defined and developed by the student relating to any part of the specification content.


For further information regarding our Geography Curriculum please contact:
Mr Russell-Smith   [email protected]