Red House Academy

Geography

Curriculum Aims

The geography curriculum aims to embed a range of geographical skills which are developed from year 7 - year 11.These skills include the following assessment objectives.

  • AO1: Demonstrate knowledge of locations, places, processes, environments and different scales (15%).
  • AO2: Demonstrate geographical understanding of: concepts and how they are used in relation to places, environments and processes; the interrelationships between places, environments and processes (25%).
  • AO3: Apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues to make judgements (35%, including 10% applied to fieldwork context(s)).
  • AO4: Select, adapt and use a variety of skills and techniques to investigate questions and issues and communicate findings (25%, including 5% used to respond to fieldwork data and context(s))

Throughout KS3 and KS4 students will be assessed using these learning objectives through a variety of question stems in preparation for the GCSE exam.

The Importance of Geography

Geography is an important subject within the curriculum for understanding and resolving issues about the environment and sustainable development. We deal with the most important social and environmental issues facing us currently from global poverty to climate change. It also acts an important link between the natural and social sciences.

Long-term plan (2018/19)

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Year 8

Urbanisation

Global community

Nigeria - WaterAid

Resource management

Restless Earth

Decision making activity

Year 7

Map skills

Rivers

Weather & climate

Tropical storms

Coasts

Ecosystems


During KS3 students will study a variety of topics in line with the national curriculum.Topics have been chosen to provide a varied and dynamic curriculum.One which not only excites students but also allows for stretch and challenge to embedded into their daily diet.

Assessment at KS3 follows the same rigour as KS4 and students are assessed at the end of every topic using GCSE command words.

KS4

The GCSE curriculum at Red House Academy follows the AQA specification and is in line with all NET schools.Assessment objectives are identical to those we embed at KS3.

Long-term plan (2018/19)

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Year 11

Living world

UK physical landscapes

Natural hazards

Urban issues

Economic world

Resource management

Pre- released

Year 10

Urban issues

Economic World

Economic World

Resource management

Resource management

Fieldwork

Year 9

Living world

UK physical landscapes

UK physical landscapes

Natural Hazards

Natural Hazards

Paper 1 Review

Urban issues

Course Description

Exam board Website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography

Course Specification: AQA Geography

Progress 8 Slot:EBacc

There is a natural progression from KS3 into GCSE. We follow the AQA 9-1 specification. The course is linear and exam based; this means students sit all of their exams at the end of the three year course:

  • Paper 1 : Living with the Physical Environment (35%)
  • Paper 2 : Challenges in the Human Environment (35%)
  • Paper 3 : Geographical Applications (30%)

Topics we study include: The Living World, Physical Landscapes in the UK, Challenge of Natural Hazards, Urban Issues and Challenges, The Changing Economic World and The Challenge of Resource Management.

Throughout the units of work students are encouraged to make links between each one and to examine the battles between the man-made world and the natural world. Students will learn how to problem solve and how to think critically about contemporary geographical issues. The focus throughout is on opportunities and challenges and enabling students to enter into a debate, allowing for evaluation of both.

In addition to this, geography students will also take part in two geographical enquiries where they will have two local fieldwork studies in Year 10

Departmental statement

The Geography Department aims to ensure that each student gets the encouragement, guidance and opportunity they need to achieve a minimum of their target grade in their GCSE.

Careers

We aim to produce well rounded geographers, who have the opportunity to flourish in careers as wide ranging as journalism and travel writing to environmentalists and geologists.

Useful links

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/z2f3cdm

http://www.coolgeography.co.uk/

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/

For more information, contact Mrs N Carson, Associate Assistant Principal, Curriculum Leader for Humanities, MFL & Life.