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Geography
'Geography is not only up-to-date and relevant, it is one of the most exciting, adventurous and valuable subjects to study today. So many of the world's current problems boil down to geography, and need the geographers of the future to help us understand them.'
Michael Palin cbe
Staff
Mrs D Kanasewich (Subject leader Geography)
Mr J Calver
Mrs S Roseveare
Mrs M Dudley
Vision
Geography inspires pupils to develop curiosity in both their local spaces, but also to become global citizens and explore their place in the world. The fundamental aim of the Geography Department is to prepare our pupils with the skills and knowledge required in a modern society that is being shaped by pressing issues such as climate change, living sustainably, mass migration, natural disasters and depleting resources. We aim to allow our pupils to think critically about the solutions to geographical issues and to go out and explore for themselves.
Intent
The geography curriculum is designed to ensure that students develop a good understanding of key concepts and vocabulary. The content covered is shaped around the OCR specification throughout all key stages. Our curriculum covers key areas of both human and physical geography and focuses specifically on key topics of natural hazards, weather and climate, climate change, ecosystems, changing populations and migration patterns, and also the geomorphological processes that shape our local, national and international coastlines and rivers.
Fieldwork is a key component in every key stage, that provides an opportunity for students to get out of the classroom and develop and extend their geographical knowledge in the ‘real-world’. Fieldwork incorporates cross-curricular links to subjects such as maths, computing and the sciences, as pupils collect data in the field, and then proceed to analyse and evaluate this data through graphs and GIS mapping.
Recognising the importance of cultivating links beyond school, the department are members of the Geographical Association and Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and have links with ESRI UK and Digimaps to develop proficiency in GIS.
Key Stage 3: The KS3 Geography curriculum begins to lay the foundations for future study. Pupils begin year 7 by acquiring fundamental skills in map reading and understanding place, from local to global, before moving on to study weather and climate, climate change and global warming, economies and deserts of the world. Enrichment activities include a weather project completed on the school site during lesson time, where pupils analyse the microclimate of Dover.
Our Year 8 curriculum begins with the topic of changing population, a topic that incorporates migration and is a fundamental building block to GCSE and A-Level study. Pupils then study the pressing topic of human’s reliance on (dwindling) natural resources and use their decision-making skills to analyse and evaluate responses and solutions to this issue that faces society today. The topics of Asia and Africa are covered in year 8 and provide pupils with cultural capital as misconceptions of these continents are addressed and the real social, economic and environmental characteristics are explored. Year 8 is concluded with the topic of rivers, where enrichment includes a fieldwork trip to the local river of The Dour.
The year 9 curriculum of study commences by studying natural hazards such as volcanoes and earthquakes, where pupils explore what causes eruptions and tremors to occur, but how these tectonic events shape the physical landscape and the social and economic consequences for human populations. The next topic studied is development, a topic that is crucial to further studies into KS4 and KS5. In this topic, pupils understand why poverty and gender inequality continues to exist in our modern society. Year 9 study incudes physical topics such as exploring how ice has shaped the world, but also human topics such as understanding how and why conflict exists in the Middle East and also an exploration of Russia, understanding everything from the climate, economic structure, demographic structure and ecosystems that exist in this vast country.
Key Stage 4:
Year 10
Unit 1
Living with The Physical Environment
Topic 1
The Challenge of Natural Hazards
Within this module students will be introduced to many of the Earth’s most dramatic features and processes; natural hazards! Students will come to understand how geological and meteorological natural hazards occur, their impacts, and how humans respond to and prepare for disasters. Additionally, students will study the evidence and causes for climate change, and understand human strategies to manage and cope.
Topic 2
The Living World
The focus of this module is to gain a better understanding of the natural world at both a local and global scale. Students will begin by studying a local ecosystem and looking at the relationships within food webs and food chains. Global ecosystems are then introduced with the Malaysian rainforest and the cold environment of Svalbard, Norway used as case studies for greater understanding of the economic, social and environmental opportunities and challenges inherent in these regions.
Topic 3
Physical landscapes
This module focusses upon coastal and fluvial features and process found in landscapes across the UK. Students will explore how these physical processes shape our island nation, and what we are doing in these regions to manage flooding on coasts and rivers.
Unit 2
Challenges in the Human Environment
Topic 1
Urban Issues and Challenges
Within this module, students will understand the patterns and causes of urbanisation. With particular focus on Rio de Janeiro and Bristol, students will uncover the opportunities and challenges faced by humanity as our world becomes increasingly urbanised, and how we can strive for a more sustainable urban future.
Year 11
Unit 2 continued
Challenges in the Human Environment
Topic 2
The Changing Economic World
The causes and consequences of uneven development across the globe is the focus of The Changing Economic World. With a particular focus on Nigeria and the UK, this topic considers the changing context of population, economy and society and of technological and political development within these two contrasting countries.
Topic 3
The Challenge of Resource Management
Global disparities in the availability of resources, and how the UK manages its consumption of food, water and energy are key topics within this module. With a focus on energy, students will understand the opportunities and challenges associated with uneven global availability, and how nations are working to ensure a sustainable energy future.
Unit 3
Geographical applications
Unit 3
Geographical applications and skills
Through the use of a pre-released resource booklet, students’ critical thinking and problem-solving are tested alongside their ability to apply knowledge and understanding by looking at a particular issue.
Students are also required to carry out two geographical enquiries, each of which must include the use of primary data, collected as part of a fieldwork exercise.
Key Stage 5:
Year 12 Geography
Term 1
Teacher A: Changing spaces, making places: Students begin their human geography studies by understanding what place knowledge is, how we understand place, and how past connections shape a place's identity today. The case studies of Toxteth and Lympstone are studied here. Changing spaces, making places: Students begin studying more complex ideals such as globalisation and how time-space compression is linked to globalisation and our sense of place.
Teacher B: Geographical Debates: Disease Dilemmas – synoptic essays & short answer questions throughout the year in each term. Students to read articles each week related to the topics Brainstorm what they think they know and what they actually know; key terms think, pair, share; global mapping exercises identifying patterns of communicable and noncommunicable diseases; Torsten Hägerstrand and disease diffusion; physical factors affecting communicable diseases, vectors and zoonosis. Teacher C: Seminar group presentations on different diseases linked to Climate Change & ENSO – groups to prepare and present case studies to their peers – includes West Nile Virus, Malaria, Ebola, Cholera, Typhoid and others. Natural Disasters and diseases – Haiti as a case study.
Term 2
Teacher A: Changing spaces, making places: Students consider the complexities that exist when defining space and place and how places can be represented in different ways. Students begin to study social inequality; how people and places are affected, and the government's role in reducing, reinforcing and creating patterns of social inequality. Changing spaces, making places: Students study the ‘players’ involved in changing spaces and making places. They understand and assess the role of town planners, architects, the local government and the community when designing new spaces. Margate is studied here as a local example. Students study the redevelopment of Birmingham in depth.
Teacher B: The epidemiological model linked to the DTM and population characteristics; the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in ACs – focus on cancer and heart disease and concluding by analysing the documentary, the ‘Supersize Me’ film. They then study HIV/AIDS and global strategies. They finally study how far can diseases be predicted and mitigated against – the World Health Organisation; swine flu and the role of the Red Cross in Haiti
Term 3
Teacher A: Coastal landscapes: Students begin to understand how coastal landscapes have been shaped by both past and present climate change and the landforms created by isostatic and eustatic change. The final part of this topic is human influence on the coastline. Students study human management of the coastline in the UK, but also global. The use of the coastline for economic gain is also studied. Students study Poole in Dorset and The New Zealand coastline for their case studies.
Teacher B: Mitigation strategies to combat the global HIV/AIDs pandemic with Botswana as a case study and Covid19. Can diseases ever by fully eradicated?. Students look at medicines from nature with case study of the Rosy Periwinkle; National and grassroots strategies – Mauritius and Ghana.
Term 4
Teacher A: Coastal landscapes: Students begin by understanding the difference between open, closed, and isolated systems and applying this knowledge to how coastal landscapes can be viewed as systems. Students build on their GCSE knowledge as they study potential influences on coastal landscapes, such as wind, waves, tides, geology and ocean currents. KS3 and GCSE knowledge is continuously built upon here, as students study how coastal sediment is supplied from various sources, such as sub-aerial processes and marine erosion.
Teacher B : Earth’s life support systems: Students are introduced to this new unit. They recap knowledge of the water cycle from GCSE studies. Key terms and theories are built upon in more depth. Students study concepts such as the effects of water abstraction on the water cycle. The next topic is the carbon cycle, where students understand how carbon is important to life and the transfers of carbon. Students understand changes in the carbon cycle and how to mitigate against climate change.
Term 5
Teacher A & Teacher B: Students practice skills for their NEA and begin to plan their coursework. Students' complete fieldwork.
Year 13 Geography
Term 1
Teacher A: Global migration: This topic is introduced with the understanding of how people flow between countries, regions and continents. Students consider the reasons for migration, such associo-economic gain, globalisation, conflict, and study the corridors of migrant flow. Students study The USA and Mexico as their case study here. Global migration: Students finish this topic by understanding how global migration creates opportunities and challenges which reflect the unequal power relations between countries. Students study the case study of Brazil.
Teacher B: Geographical Debates - Hazardous Earth - Essays, synoptic questions and short answers embedded throughout; intro to plate tectonics, structure of the earth, continental drift and the theory of plate tectonics; evidence of plate tectonics; types of plate margin, features and processes associated with tectonic plate boundaries The nature of vulcanicity - seminar presentations from the GA on volcanic hazards; classifying volcanoes; non-magmatic and magmatic volcanic hazards - key areas Lake Nyos, Anak Krakatoa, White Island, Mt Ontake
Term 2
Teacher A: Global governance - Power and Borders: Students begin by understanding what is meant by sovereignty and territorial integrity, and then analysing the contemporary challenges to sovereign state authority. Student study the Ukraine and Russia conflict here.
Teacher B: Volcanic hazards continued - Pinatubo, Nevado del Ruiz, Iceland and Monserrat; hotspot volcanicity - Hawaii and super-volcanoes - Yellowstone; Hazards generated by seismic tectonic events; hazard event profile; the Park Model; hazardsgenerated by seismic activity - measurement of & landforms; key case studies - Japan vs Haiti; New Zealand vs Haiti; Nepal and Indonesia.
Term 3
Teacher A: Global governance - Power and Borders: Students consider the role of global governance in conflict and the role of institutions, treaties, laws and norms which are significant in regulating conflict and in reproducing the global system of sovereign nation-states. Students evaluate how effective global governance of sovereignty and territorial integrity are. Students study the case studies of South Sudan and Mali.
Teacher B: Students practice a variety of exam questions and techniques. Why do people live in tectonically active locations? The disaster risk equation; exposure and vulnerability to tectonic hazards; hazard risk changing over time. Weekly timed essays in 45 mins, starting with open book then closed book; short answer and revision techniques.
Term 4
Teacher A : Earth's life support systems: Students continue their studies of this topic with an introduction to two major case studies of The Tropical Rainforest and the Arctic Tundra. Students consider the physical and human factors that affect the water and carbon cycles in the rainforest and Arctic Tundra regions.
Teacher B: Review of coasts, water cycle and the carbon cycle. Students complete practice questions and past papers.
'Geography is not only up-to-date and relevant, it is one of the most exciting, adventurous and valuable subjects to study today. So many of the world's current problems boil down to geography, and need the geographers of the future to help us understand them.'
Michael Palin cbe
Staff
Mrs D Kanasewich (Subject leader Geography)
Mr J Calver
Mrs S Roseveare
Mrs M Dudley
Vision
Geography inspires pupils to develop curiosity in both their local spaces, but also to become global citizens and explore their place in the world. The fundamental aim of the Geography Department is to prepare our pupils with the skills and knowledge required in a modern society that is being shaped by pressing issues such as climate change, living sustainably, mass migration, natural disasters and depleting resources. We aim to allow our pupils to think critically about the solutions to geographical issues and to go out and explore for themselves.
Intent
The geography curriculum is designed to ensure that students develop a good understanding of key concepts and vocabulary. The content covered is shaped around the OCR specification throughout all key stages. Our curriculum covers key areas of both human and physical geography and focuses specifically on key topics of natural hazards, weather and climate, climate change, ecosystems, changing populations and migration patterns, and also the geomorphological processes that shape our local, national and international coastlines and rivers.
Fieldwork is a key component in every key stage, that provides an opportunity for students to get out of the classroom and develop and extend their geographical knowledge in the ‘real-world’. Fieldwork incorporates cross-curricular links to subjects such as maths, computing and the sciences, as pupils collect data in the field, and then proceed to analyse and evaluate this data through graphs and GIS mapping.
Recognising the importance of cultivating links beyond school, the department are members of the Geographical Association and Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and have links with ESRI UK and Digimaps to develop proficiency in GIS.
Key Stage 3: The KS3 Geography curriculum begins to lay the foundations for future study. Pupils begin year 7 by acquiring fundamental skills in map reading and understanding place, from local to global, before moving on to study weather and climate, climate change and global warming, economies and deserts of the world. Enrichment activities include a weather project completed on the school site during lesson time, where pupils analyse the microclimate of Dover.
Our Year 8 curriculum begins with the topic of changing population, a topic that incorporates migration and is a fundamental building block to GCSE and A-Level study. Pupils then study the pressing topic of human’s reliance on (dwindling) natural resources and use their decision-making skills to analyse and evaluate responses and solutions to this issue that faces society today. The topics of Asia and Africa are covered in year 8 and provide pupils with cultural capital as misconceptions of these continents are addressed and the real social, economic and environmental characteristics are explored. Year 8 is concluded with the topic of rivers, where enrichment includes a fieldwork trip to the local river of The Dour.
The year 9 curriculum of study commences by studying natural hazards such as volcanoes and earthquakes, where pupils explore what causes eruptions and tremors to occur, but how these tectonic events shape the physical landscape and the social and economic consequences for human populations. The next topic studied is development, a topic that is crucial to further studies into KS4 and KS5. In this topic, pupils understand why poverty and gender inequality continues to exist in our modern society. Year 9 study incudes physical topics such as exploring how ice has shaped the world, but also human topics such as understanding how and why conflict exists in the Middle East and also an exploration of Russia, understanding everything from the climate, economic structure, demographic structure and ecosystems that exist in this vast country.
Key Stage 4:
Year 10
|
Unit 1 |
Living with The Physical Environment |
|
Topic 1 |
The Challenge of Natural Hazards Within this module students will be introduced to many of the Earth’s most dramatic features and processes; natural hazards! Students will come to understand how geological and meteorological natural hazards occur, their impacts, and how humans respond to and prepare for disasters. Additionally, students will study the evidence and causes for climate change, and understand human strategies to manage and cope. |
|
Topic 2 |
The Living World The focus of this module is to gain a better understanding of the natural world at both a local and global scale. Students will begin by studying a local ecosystem and looking at the relationships within food webs and food chains. Global ecosystems are then introduced with the Malaysian rainforest and the cold environment of Svalbard, Norway used as case studies for greater understanding of the economic, social and environmental opportunities and challenges inherent in these regions.
|
|
Topic 3 |
Physical landscapes This module focusses upon coastal and fluvial features and process found in landscapes across the UK. Students will explore how these physical processes shape our island nation, and what we are doing in these regions to manage flooding on coasts and rivers. |
|
Unit 2 |
Challenges in the Human Environment |
|
Topic 1 |
Urban Issues and Challenges Within this module, students will understand the patterns and causes of urbanisation. With particular focus on Rio de Janeiro and Bristol, students will uncover the opportunities and challenges faced by humanity as our world becomes increasingly urbanised, and how we can strive for a more sustainable urban future. |
Year 11
|
Unit 2 continued |
Challenges in the Human Environment |
|
Topic 2 |
The Changing Economic World The causes and consequences of uneven development across the globe is the focus of The Changing Economic World. With a particular focus on Nigeria and the UK, this topic considers the changing context of population, economy and society and of technological and political development within these two contrasting countries.
|
|
Topic 3 |
The Challenge of Resource Management Global disparities in the availability of resources, and how the UK manages its consumption of food, water and energy are key topics within this module. With a focus on energy, students will understand the opportunities and challenges associated with uneven global availability, and how nations are working to ensure a sustainable energy future.
|
|
Unit 3 |
Geographical applications |
|
Unit 3 |
Geographical applications and skills Through the use of a pre-released resource booklet, students’ critical thinking and problem-solving are tested alongside their ability to apply knowledge and understanding by looking at a particular issue. Students are also required to carry out two geographical enquiries, each of which must include the use of primary data, collected as part of a fieldwork exercise. |
Key Stage 5:
Year 12 Geography
Term 1
Teacher A: Changing spaces, making places: Students begin their human geography studies by understanding what place knowledge is, how we understand place, and how past connections shape a place's identity today. The case studies of Toxteth and Lympstone are studied here. Changing spaces, making places: Students begin studying more complex ideals such as globalisation and how time-space compression is linked to globalisation and our sense of place.
Teacher B: Geographical Debates: Disease Dilemmas – synoptic essays & short answer questions throughout the year in each term. Students to read articles each week related to the topics Brainstorm what they think they know and what they actually know; key terms think, pair, share; global mapping exercises identifying patterns of communicable and noncommunicable diseases; Torsten Hägerstrand and disease diffusion; physical factors affecting communicable diseases, vectors and zoonosis. Teacher C: Seminar group presentations on different diseases linked to Climate Change & ENSO – groups to prepare and present case studies to their peers – includes West Nile Virus, Malaria, Ebola, Cholera, Typhoid and others. Natural Disasters and diseases – Haiti as a case study.
Term 2
Teacher A: Changing spaces, making places: Students consider the complexities that exist when defining space and place and how places can be represented in different ways. Students begin to study social inequality; how people and places are affected, and the government's role in reducing, reinforcing and creating patterns of social inequality. Changing spaces, making places: Students study the ‘players’ involved in changing spaces and making places. They understand and assess the role of town planners, architects, the local government and the community when designing new spaces. Margate is studied here as a local example. Students study the redevelopment of Birmingham in depth.
Teacher B: The epidemiological model linked to the DTM and population characteristics; the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in ACs – focus on cancer and heart disease and concluding by analysing the documentary, the ‘Supersize Me’ film. They then study HIV/AIDS and global strategies. They finally study how far can diseases be predicted and mitigated against – the World Health Organisation; swine flu and the role of the Red Cross in Haiti
Term 3
Teacher A: Coastal landscapes: Students begin to understand how coastal landscapes have been shaped by both past and present climate change and the landforms created by isostatic and eustatic change. The final part of this topic is human influence on the coastline. Students study human management of the coastline in the UK, but also global. The use of the coastline for economic gain is also studied. Students study Poole in Dorset and The New Zealand coastline for their case studies.
Teacher B: Mitigation strategies to combat the global HIV/AIDs pandemic with Botswana as a case study and Covid19. Can diseases ever by fully eradicated?. Students look at medicines from nature with case study of the Rosy Periwinkle; National and grassroots strategies – Mauritius and Ghana.
Term 4
Teacher A: Coastal landscapes: Students begin by understanding the difference between open, closed, and isolated systems and applying this knowledge to how coastal landscapes can be viewed as systems. Students build on their GCSE knowledge as they study potential influences on coastal landscapes, such as wind, waves, tides, geology and ocean currents. KS3 and GCSE knowledge is continuously built upon here, as students study how coastal sediment is supplied from various sources, such as sub-aerial processes and marine erosion.
Teacher B : Earth’s life support systems: Students are introduced to this new unit. They recap knowledge of the water cycle from GCSE studies. Key terms and theories are built upon in more depth. Students study concepts such as the effects of water abstraction on the water cycle. The next topic is the carbon cycle, where students understand how carbon is important to life and the transfers of carbon. Students understand changes in the carbon cycle and how to mitigate against climate change.
Term 5
Teacher A & Teacher B: Students practice skills for their NEA and begin to plan their coursework. Students' complete fieldwork.
Year 13 Geography
Term 1
Teacher A: Global migration: This topic is introduced with the understanding of how people flow between countries, regions and continents. Students consider the reasons for migration, such associo-economic gain, globalisation, conflict, and study the corridors of migrant flow. Students study The USA and Mexico as their case study here. Global migration: Students finish this topic by understanding how global migration creates opportunities and challenges which reflect the unequal power relations between countries. Students study the case study of Brazil.
Teacher B: Geographical Debates - Hazardous Earth - Essays, synoptic questions and short answers embedded throughout; intro to plate tectonics, structure of the earth, continental drift and the theory of plate tectonics; evidence of plate tectonics; types of plate margin, features and processes associated with tectonic plate boundaries The nature of vulcanicity - seminar presentations from the GA on volcanic hazards; classifying volcanoes; non-magmatic and magmatic volcanic hazards - key areas Lake Nyos, Anak Krakatoa, White Island, Mt Ontake
Term 2
Teacher A: Global governance - Power and Borders: Students begin by understanding what is meant by sovereignty and territorial integrity, and then analysing the contemporary challenges to sovereign state authority. Student study the Ukraine and Russia conflict here.
Teacher B: Volcanic hazards continued - Pinatubo, Nevado del Ruiz, Iceland and Monserrat; hotspot volcanicity - Hawaii and super-volcanoes - Yellowstone; Hazards generated by seismic tectonic events; hazard event profile; the Park Model; hazardsgenerated by seismic activity - measurement of & landforms; key case studies - Japan vs Haiti; New Zealand vs Haiti; Nepal and Indonesia.
Term 3
Teacher A: Global governance - Power and Borders: Students consider the role of global governance in conflict and the role of institutions, treaties, laws and norms which are significant in regulating conflict and in reproducing the global system of sovereign nation-states. Students evaluate how effective global governance of sovereignty and territorial integrity are. Students study the case studies of South Sudan and Mali.
Teacher B: Students practice a variety of exam questions and techniques. Why do people live in tectonically active locations? The disaster risk equation; exposure and vulnerability to tectonic hazards; hazard risk changing over time. Weekly timed essays in 45 mins, starting with open book then closed book; short answer and revision techniques.
Term 4
Teacher A : Earth's life support systems: Students continue their studies of this topic with an introduction to two major case studies of The Tropical Rainforest and the Arctic Tundra. Students consider the physical and human factors that affect the water and carbon cycles in the rainforest and Arctic Tundra regions.
Teacher B: Review of coasts, water cycle and the carbon cycle. Students complete practice questions and past papers.
