Geography
Purpose
Geography at Heath Park aims to inspire pupils’ curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We develop knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, and natural and human environments. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected, and change over time.
Curriculum Features
Having studied Geography at KS2 (Key Stage 2), students should already be able to locate the world and UK countries, have studied areas with geographical similarities and differences as well as understand physical geography (rainforest characteristics, rivers (the water cycle) and volcanoes) and human geography (settlement and energy). They will have covered some of the key geographical skills (compass points, graphs, using atlases).
During the Key Stage 3 curriculum, we continue to build upon their KS2 knowledge. The places that are studied, are at a variety of different scales. We start with providing students with foundation skills needed to become a good geographer and then move onto deepening their knowledge further and focus on at the human and physical processes that shape and change these places, for example in terms of natural hazards or global issues such as climate change and water security. The students follow a spiralling curriculum. This means in Year 7 for example, they complete a unit/topic and then in Year 8 they develop this topic further. For example, in Year 7 the students study population and settlement, whereas in year 8 they develop this and look at urbanisation and megacities. A Physical example would be in Y7 they study weather and climate and in Year 8 they deepen and extend this knowledge by looking at extreme weather events such as hurricanes and other weather issues such as climate change. We also use geographical skills that they already have, introduce new skills, and develop these to enhance and deepen their geographical thinking. This enables learners to analyse and form conclusions about a range of issues and processes that affect people, the environment, and the natural landscape.
At Key Stage 4, students follow the AQA GCSE geography curriculum that builds on and extends learning from KS3 to ensure all knowledge is acquired to prepare students for their end of year 11 examinations and future pathways. Once the curriculum has been fully delivered, teaching focuses on revision informed by formative assessments. Topics covered in the GCSE include, natural hazard challenges, living world, UK Physical landscapes, urban issues and challenges, global economic development, and the challenges of resources (food, energy, and water issues). They also complete fieldwork technique and elements on a variety of local and national scales.
In all year groups we use rigorous formative and summative assessments in the classroom to allow us to identify gaps in students’ knowledge, enabling us to adapt teaching to the needs of the students. This is achieved through: spaced recall, retrieval practice, skills development, exam technique and practice as well as quizzes and other learning activities.
Enrichment
Geography has cross curricula links to most subjects such as ecosystems and energy issues in Science, chronology and industrial changes in History, mathematical problem solving as well as descriptive and evaluative writing linking to English. The subject is always linked to current news stories and issues. As a result of this all lessons include a “Geography in the News” segment to ensure students understand the relevance of their studies and why it is important they understand about what is happening. Recent examples would include the Morocco Earthquake, Water Pollution issues in the UK and the major floods occurring in Libya.
In addition to lessons, pupils have several opportunities to develop their geographical understanding outside the classroom. Fieldwork promotes first hand geographical knowledge and understanding by closing the divide that separates the classroom environment from the real world. Students will have the opportunity to visit such places as Birmingham, Blackpool, Dovedale in the Peak district, and Stafford as well as investigating lots of issues active in our local area around school.
Due to the cross curricula nature of geography, it feeds into many different career pathways. As a degree subject, geography is highly respected by employers. Examples of careers range from volcanologists to engineers, project managers to GIS specialists, aid workers, disaster management, urban planning the list really is endless.
We have even had guest visitors in from Oxford University to discuss their findings and research from time spent in Tuvalu and how it being affected by climate change.
