Subject Lead - Mr Hywel Abbott, 01805 623531 Ext. 266

Teachers - Ms Sarah Anstee & Miss Kelly Silcox

Intent

In Geography, we aim to:

• Deliver a broad curriculum that develops students’ understanding of their place in the world, promoting curiosity and inspiring a sense of adventure in the world around them, reaching far beyond the classroom.
• Students will have a comprehensive and analytical understanding of both human and physical geography and be able to apply this to the world around them.
• Students will enjoy a dynamic curriculum which adapts and responds to world events with case studies that are contemporary and relevant.
• Promote a sense of empathy for people around the world by understanding the challenges they face, and to foster an appreciation of our students’ roles as part of a global community.
• Inspire our students to become young citizens who understand some of the most complex challenges of the 21^st century, equipping them with the expertise to become part of the solution to creating a more sustainable world.

The key to understanding Geography is that it is happening all around us, all the time, and that we are a part of it on a local, national and global level. To study Geography is to study the world: unlocking the opportunity to learn about its natural processes; the many, diverse ways people live on this planet and our complicated relationship with the world we inhabit.  In 1900, there were 2 billion humans living on planet Earth. In just over 120 years, that number is over 8 billion. In the last 120 years, humans have had a greater impact on our planet than at any other point in history and the next 100 years will see even more changes to how we live and the impact we will have on the world.

Geography is a dynamic subject that responds to the world around us. There will always be breaking global news events altering the shape of the world and how we live our lives. As these changes happen, our Geography curriculum must be just as quick to respond and continually evolve to provide our students with the best foundation for life beyond the classroom. Geography should be exciting and promote a sense of adventure which should extend beyond the school. Students will be introduced to fieldwork, a wonderful opportunity for learning outside. At Great Torrington School, we aim to open the students’ eyes to the world around them.

Students will study the earth’s natural processes whilst also understanding the dynamics of our ever-changing human world. Geography aims to promote a sense of awe and wonder in our natural world; we share our planet with amazing ecosystems which are home to millions of different species. These are astonishing places, but they are fragile and threatened by human actions.  Our planet’s natural forces can be spectacular, yet destructive, reaping havoc upon communities around the world. As our population continues to grow, people and their communities will be increasingly at risk from natural hazards. 

The Geography curriculum at Great Torrington School promotes empathy for people around the globe by understanding the challenges they face. Students at Great Torrington School will be able to identify their role in a global community and form an appreciation that our day-to-day decisions and actions have impacts on communities far from Torrington. They will become globally-aware citizens who understand the challenges of a rapidly-changing world. This is crucial because within their lifetimes, not only will they see the human population expand to 10 billion people and African cities grow be the home of over 50 million people. They will also witness the effects of climate change on both the human population and the natural world, they will encounter increased destruction caused by natural hazards and the continued exploitation of our natural resources. Crucially, they will also have the power to change things. At Great Torrington School, students will learn about the positive actions we can take, including the investigation of brand new technologies, to inspire them to be at the forefront of creating a more sustainable world. 

We encourage our students to be part of the global community. Our world is something we all share. We motivate students to explore it, understand it, and look after it.

Curriculum and Qualifications

TITLE OF QUALIFICATION

GCSE Geography

EXAM BOARD

AQA

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

The course has three papers:

PAPER 1: LIVING WITH THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Section A – The Challenge of Natural Hazards Natural Hazards. Tectonic Hazards. Weather Hazards. Climate Change.

Section B – The Living World Ecosystems. Tropical Rainforests. Hot Deserts.

Section C –Physical Landscapes of the UK UK Physical Landscapes. Coasts. Rivers.

PAPER 2: CHALLENGES IN THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT

Section A – Urban Issues and Challenges Exeter. Lagos.

Section B – The Changing Economic World Nigeria The UK.

Section C – The Challenge of Resource Management Resource Management. Water.

PAPER 3: GEOGRAPHICAL APPLICATIONS

There isn’t any new content for you to learn for this unit. It is all about applying what you already know.

Section A – Issue Evaluation You will be sent a booklet of material 12 weeks before the exam. You have to analyse and interpret it, then answer questions in the exam on a related issue.

Section B – Fieldwork

You must take part in 2 field trips. In the exam you will be asked to write about general fieldwork techniques as fieldwork you have done yourself.

HOW WILL THIS COURSE BE ASSESSED?

100% final examination:

• Paper 1 = 1 hour and 30 minutes. 35% of your final mark.
• Paper 2 = 1 hour and 30 minutes. 35% of your final mark.
• Paper 3 = 1 hour and 15 minutes. 30% of your final mark.
• Question types = multiple choice, short answer, levels of response, extended writing.

WHAT SKILLS DO I NEED?

• Literacy – the ability to read and write fluently.
• Numeracy Skills – 25% of your final mark will come from questions that test your numerical, statistical and data analysis skills.
• Listening skills and the ability to engage in group activity.