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Geography
Philosophy of the Department
As the Geographical Association makes clear, the power of geography is to both ‘satisfy and nourish’ our curiosity about the world. It is our responsibility as subject specialists to use the power of geography to inform and inspire young people. We are committed to challenging and educating our students with the knowledge that will allow them to thrive in wider society. Our objective is to get them asking 'why' and 'how'.
Our curriculum aims to take young people beyond themselves and their everyday experiences by studying the extraordinary physical variety of Earth’s surface. We present this through a spiral curriculum which spans across the seven years of KS3, KS4 and KS5. We believe that this allows our students to revisit places and topics in ways that increase the breadth and depth of skills, content, and contexts. This, in turn, helps them make greater sense of the world around them.
We deliver this curriculum through rigorous, challenging, and intriguing enquiry questions, specially at Key Stage 3.
Through our students’ study of Geography, we aim to:
- Provide students with the means to think about the world in new ways – ‘thinking like a geographer’.
- Provide students with the geographical knowledge they need to understand contemporary challenges facing our planet and to live their lives as knowledgeable citizens, aware of their own local communities in a global setting.
- Provide students with the means to question and debate their view-point; allowing them to be active participants and investigators, rather than passive recipients of knowledge.
- Provide our students with the skills to explore our subject through the medium of literature - using recent and diverse literature as the starting point for KS3 Schemes of Learning.
- Expose students to geographical enquiry – allowing them to deepen their conceptual understanding through reasoning, interpreting data, arguing their point, and undertaking fieldwork.
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM OUR STUDENTS
In Geography, we expect our students to be open-minded and interested in reflecting on their own experiences, as well as those of others. A keen interest in current affairs and the news will be incredibly helpful in making sense of the interconnected nature of our world and our scheme of learning.
Fieldwork and Trips
In recent years, students studying from GCSE upwards have had the opportunity to engage with fieldwork. These include local day trips to Brighton and London, UK-based residentials to Dorset and abroad trips to places such as Iceland, Naples and Barcelona.
Contact Name: Ms a Hudson
Key Stage 3
Our Key Stage 3 curriculum is based on the use of enquiry questions.
These questions follow the national curriculum, but also provide students with the opportunity to study beyond what is prescribed. We have aimed to pair topics together that allow students to apply prior knowledge to a new example or location. We have also reflected on the sequence of learning in humanities at LPGS and planned to deliver schemes of learning that encourage cross-curricular leaning.
We are currently in the process of updating the curriculum, however, below is what each year group will study this year.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 |
How to become an expert geographer? UK Georgraphy - How has UK changed over time? |
Why do we have different Biomes around the world?* Is the Arctic under threat? |
Why do our continents fit like a jigsaw? Why are some earthquakes mroe deadly than others? |
| Year 8 |
Why do we have different biomes around the world?* How diverse is the continent of Africa? |
The Almighty Dollar: Where does money go when it is spent? Population: Are global borders opening or closing? |
How does a river change as it travels towards the sea? Will the world run out of water? |
| Year 9 |
Do we have 12 years to solve the issue of climate change? Will the Maldives be the first climate refugees? |
Why are our coasts continuously changing? How diverse is the continent of Asia? |
Development: Is our understanding of the world wrong? Who are the world's future superpowers? |
Key Stage 4: GCSE Geography
Year 10 and 11 are studying the new Edexcel B Specification. They are assessed through three exams:
Assessment Overview:
|
Global Geographical Issues 37.5% |
UK Geographical Issues 37.5% |
People and Environment Issues 25% |
All students are expected to complete two days of fieldwork as part of this course.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 10 |
Edexcel B GCSE Unit 1 + 2 Urbanising World UK Rivers and Geology
|
Edexcel B GCSE Unit 2 UK living spaces - Urban and Rural Fieldwork Studies - Coasts |
Edexcel B GCSE Unit 2 + 3 Fieldwork Studies - Urban areas Global Energy issues
|
| Year 11 |
Edexcel B GCSE Unit 3 People and Biosphere Forests at risk - Rainforests and the Taiga |
Edexcel B GCSE Map ad graph skills unit Revision unit 1 |
Edexcel B GCSE Revision unit 2 followed by public examinations
|
Key Stage 5: A Level Geography
Description of Course
Geography is about exploring and understanding both the natural and human world we live in. It covers a broad range of themes and topics, always looking at how our actions interact with and thus change and shape the planet we call home.
At LPGS "In Geography we expect every student to progress".
All students studying the course must have the opportunity to engage with fieldwork. To account for this we have a broad range of experience at LPGS, these include:
- local day trips and university lecture days.
- UK residential fieldwork to play such as Swanage, Dorset.
- Fieldwork abroad to locations such as Iceland and the Bay of Naples, Italy.
Topics of study in the specification include:
- Tectonics and Hazards
- Coastal Landscapes and change
- The water cycle and issues of global water insecurity
- The carbon cycle and issues of global energy security
- Globalisation
- Diverse Places
- Super power geographies
- Global development issues and connections
When students reach Year 13 they undertake coursework based on their own experiences of fieldwork and around an optional area of study. Areas of study to choose from include:
- Option 1: Tectonic processes and Hazards
- Option 2: Glaciated landscapes and change
- Option 3: Coastal landscapes and change
- Option 4: The water cycle and issues of global water insecurity
- Option 5: The carbon cycle and issues of global energy security
- Option 6: Regenerating places
- Option 7: Diverse places
- Option 8: Health Human rights and Intervention
- Option 9: Migration, Identity and Sovereignty
- Option 10: Sustainability issues
Key Skills Development
The A-Level program of study focuses on data response skills, research for extended writing and the development of skills in communication, presentations, group work, geographic fieldwork and ICT.
Entry Qualifications
Grade 6 or above in Geography or History and students must have a grade 6 or above in English, Maths and Science.
Method of Assessment
Paper 1: Written examination 2 hours and 15 mins
- 30% of qualification
- 105 marks
Paper 2: Written examination 2 hours and 15 mins
- 30% of qualification
- 105 marks
Paper 3: Written examination: 2 hours and 15 mins
- 20% of qualification
- 70 marks
Coursework: Independent Investigation - Non-examined assessment
- 20% of qualification
- 70 marks
Educational Progression and Career Opportunities
Geography is viewed as an academically rigorous and wide ranging discipline. It draws on many aspects of the sciences, economics, mathematics, politics and sociology. Data collection/response and interpretation is an integral part of our work and the students develop skills in planning and evaluating key management issues.
The subject lends itself to any career involving management and decision-making, for instance engineering, the civil service and tourism. It is also an excellent course for preparation for Higher Education or a direct move into employment because of its contemporary and holistic nature and its emphasis on research based learning.
