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Geography
Head of Department: Mrs J Paradiso
Mrs S McPhail
Miss E Calvert
The Importance of Geography
• Geography plays an important role within the school curriculum, promoting the intellectual and social development of pupils and helping to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
• We aim to develop a naturally inquisitive and analytical approach to all aspects of learning.
• Geography is unique in creating a bridge between the Humanities and the Sciences.
• The breadth of content and methodology of Geography support other subjects and aid the development of literacy and numeracy.
• Geographers think and work in defined ways and ask specific questions about people and their environments.
• Using a range of skills the subject identifies, analyses and helps to clarify contemporary world problems
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is an important part of the overall geographical experience. Field enquiries are undertaken with all age groups including studies in the Marston Vale, Ampthill and Barton Hills with the Lower School. GCSE groups go to Stevenage and the Peak District. The Sixth Form undertake a residential field course in Yorkshire and a day trip to London Docklands.
Accommodation and Resources
The department has three specialist, fully equipped, teaching rooms, each with an Interactive Whiteboard, LCD projector and computer.
Outline Syllabus
Year 7
Six units are studied:
1 Making Connections
2 Exploring England
3 People Everywhere
4 Flood Disaster
5 Ordnance Survey Map work and Revision
6 Fieldwork Enquiry
Year 8
Six units are studied:
1 Can the Earth Cope?
2 Brazil
3 Europe
4 Rivers
5 Shopping
6 Fieldwork Techniques
Year 9
Five units are studied:
1 Fieldwork Enquiry
2 Comparing Countries - China and Japan
3 Tourism
4 Tectonic Activity
5 Global Fashion
Upper School - GCSE
1 Rocks and Landscapes
2 Glacial Landscapes
3 Population Problems and Migration
4 Coastal Landscapes
5 Fieldwork Enquiry
6 Ordnance Survey Map work
7 Geographical Enquiry
8 Development
9 Industrial Activity
Sixth Form - AS/A level Geography
Geography is studied at various scales of enquiry from the local through national to the global scale.
There are two units at each level.
AS Level
Unit 1 - Physical and Human Geography
• Physical Geography looks at the natural environment and its impact on mankind. It includes river and coastal environments.
• Human Geography looks at man's impact on the globe and includes population, settlement and food issues.
Unit 2 - Geographical Skills
These include, investigative, cartographic, ICT and statistical skills.
A Level
Unit 3 - Contemporary Geographical Issues
• Physical Options - one or two will be chosen from plate tectonics, weather and climate and ecosystems.
• Human Options - one or two will be chosen from world cities, development and globalisation and contemporary conflicts and challenges.
Unit 4 - Fieldwork Investigation or Issue Evaluation.