Geography

Primary

At Primary, we follow the Curriculum in Unity Schools Partnership (CUSP) curriculum.

A guiding principle of CUSP Geography is that each study draws upon prior learning. For example, in the EYFS, pupils may learn about People, Culture and Communities or The Natural World through daily activities and exploring their locality and immediate environment. This is revisited and positioned so that new and potentially abstract content in Year 1 can be put into a known location and make it easier to cognitively process. Pupils in EYFS explore globes and world locations through their curiosity corners, making links to where animals live. This substantive knowledge is used to remember and position the locations of continents and oceans, with more sophisticated knowledge. High volume and deliberate practice are essential for pupils to remember and retrieve substantive knowledge and use their disciplinary knowledge to explain and articulate what they know. This means pupils make conscious connections and think hard, using what they know.

CUSP Geography is built around the principles of cumulative knowledge focusing on spaces, places, scale, human and physical processes with an emphasis on how content is connected and relational knowledge acquired.  CUSP Geography equips pupils to become ‘more expert’ with each study and grow an ever broadening and coherent mental model of the subject. Specific and associated geographical vocabulary is planned sequentially and cumulatively from Year 1 to Year 6. High frequency, multiple meaning words (tier 2) are taught and help make sense of subject specific words (tier 3).  The cumulative nature of the curriculum is made memorable by the implementation of Bjork’s desirable difficulties, including retrieval and spaced retrieval practice, word building and deliberate practice tasks. This powerful interrelationship between structure and research-led practice is designed to increase substantive knowledge and accelerate learning within and between study modules. That means the foundational knowledge of the curriculum is positioned to ease the load on the working memory: new content is connected to prior learning. The effect of this cumulative model supports opportunities for children to associate and connect with places, spaces, scale, people, culture and processes.

YEARS 7, 8 AND 9

Geography is arguably one of the most important subjects’ students are taught. Many of the issues in our news today link to geography and so the aim of the Merchants’ Academy Geography Department is to equip our students with the knowledge, skills and empathy to understand and engage with some of society’s and the environment’s biggest challenges. Students are taught a range of topics and skills in Years 7-9 that aim to introduce students to a wide variety of places, human and physical processes and geographical issues. We employ an enquiry approach that refers to real examples often in lessons, which helps students to ask important questions about the world and adds relevance to their learning. The topics taught are an important foundation for those students who take Geography further to GCSE or A Level.

Topics studied and content covered include:

YEARS 10 & 11

Course Title: GCSE Geography
Exam Board: AQA
Qualification: GCSE

About the course

This exciting course is based on a balanced framework of physical and human geography. It allows students to investigate the link between the two themes, and approach and examine the battles between the man-made and natural worlds.

Students will travel the world from their classroom, exploring case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), higher income countries (HICs), newly emerging economies (NEEs) and lower income countries (LICs). Topics of study include climate change, poverty, deprivation, global shifts in economic power and the challenge of sustainable resource use. Students are also encouraged to understand their role in society, by considering different viewpoints, values and attitudes

The course equips students with the knowledge and skills to understand and engage with some of the big geographical challenges facing our society today.

Students will learn to:

• develop the ability to think creatively, for example, by posing questions that relate to geographical process and concepts that include questioning about spatial pattern and geographical change
•  develop the ability to think scientifically by collecting and recording appropriate evidence from a range of sources, including fieldwork, before critically assessing the validity of this evidence and synthesising their findings to reach evidenced conclusions that relate to the initial aim of their enquiry
• develop the ability to think independently by applying geographical knowledge, understanding, skills and approaches appropriately and creatively to real world contexts. In so doing they should appreciate that geography can be ‘messy’ i.e. that real geography does not always match typical or predicted outcomes.

The topics covered include:

• Tectonic Hazards
• Weather Hazards
• Climate Change
• Ecosystems including Tropical Rainforests and Deserts
• Management of Ecosystems
• Coastal Landscapes
• River Landscapes
• Urbanisation and Megacities
• In-depth study of Rio de Janeiro
• Change in Cities- focus on Bristol
• Development
• In-depth study of a Newly Emerging Economy (NEE) - Nigeria
• Redevelopment of areas
• How the UK’s economy has changed over time
• Resource Management
• Energy Usage and Resources

How it is assessed

Paper 1: Living with The Physical Environment. Written Exam 1hr 30mins. Worth 35% of the course.

Paper 2: Challenges in the Human Environment. Written Exam. 1hr 30mins. Worth 35% of the course.

Paper 3: Geographical Applications. Written Exam. 1hr 15mins. Worth 30% of the course.

Specification Link: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035

MA16-Lower 6^th and upper 6^th

Course Title: A Level Geography                
Exam Board:  Edexcel
Qualification: A Level

About the course

The Edexcel A Level Geography specification offer an issues-based approach to studying geography, enabling students to explore and evaluate contemporary geographical questions and issues such as the consequences of globalisation, responses to hazards, water insecurity and climate change.

The content gives students the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of physical and human geography, the complexity of people and environment questions and issues, and to become critical, reflective and independent learners.

A Level Geography has traditionally been a subject that is well-received by university admission tutors due to its mix of science and arts traits. The scientific processes, mathematical techniques, evaluative essay skills and investigative project build a well-rounded and versatile student.

The wide variety of content covered by this specification also allows for easy progression to study Geography and its related sciences at undergraduate level.

Overview of content

Students study:

Component 1: Paper 1 (Paper code: 9GE0/01)

Overview of content:

• Area of study 1, Topic 1: Tectonic Processes and Hazards
• Area of study 1, Topic 2: Landscape Systems, Processes and Change – including optional sub-topics from which students choose one from two: 2A: Glaciated Landscapes and Change or 2B: Coastal Landscapes and Change
• Area of study 3, Topic 5: The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity
• Area of study 3, Topic 6: The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security

Exam Paper Structure

Section A: Tectonic Processes & Hazards

Section B: Landscape Systems, Processes & Change- Coastal Landscapes

Section C: Physical Systems & Sustainability

Contribution to final grade: 30% of final qualification, 105 marks

How it is assessed: Written examination: 2 hours 15 minutes

Component 2: Paper 2 (Paper code: 9GE0/02)

Overview of content

• Area of study 2, Topic 3: Globalisation
• Area of study 2, Topic 4: Shaping Places – including optional sub-topics from which students choose one from two: 4A Regenerating Places or 4B Diverse Places
• Area of study 4, Topic 7: Superpowers
• Area of study 4, Topic 8: Global Development and Connections – including optional sub-topics from which students choose one from two: 8A Health, Human Rights and Intervention or 8B Migration, Identity and Sovereignty

Exam Paper Structure

Section A: Globalisation/ Superpowers

Section B: Shaping Places- Regenerating Places

Section C: Global Development & Connections- Migration, Identity & Sovereignty

Contribution to final grade: 30% of final qualification, 105 marks

How it is assessed: Written examination: 2 hours 15 minutes

Component 3:  Paper 3 (Paper code: 9GE0/03)

Overview of content

The specification contains three synoptic themes within the compulsory content areas:

● Players

● Attitudes and actions

● Futures and uncertainties.

The synoptic investigation will be based on a geographical issue within a place-based context that links to the three synoptic themes and is rooted in two or more of the compulsory content areas.

A resource booklet will contain information about the geographical issue. The exam may include short open, open response and resource-linked questions. The examination includes 8-mark, 18-mark and 24-mark extended writing questions. Calculators may be used.

Contribution to final grade: 20% of the qualification, 70 marks

How it is assessed
Written examination: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Component 4: Non-examination assessment: Independent Investigation (9GE0/04)

Overview of content: The student defines a question or issue for investigation, relating to the compulsory or optional content. The topic may relate to any aspect of geography contained within the specification. The student’s investigation will incorporate fieldwork data (collected individually or as part of a group) and own research and/or secondary data. The fieldwork, which forms the focus and context of the individual investigation, may be either human, physical or integrated physical-human. The investigation report will evidence independent analysis and evaluation of data, presentation of data findings and extended writing. Students will be expected to show evidence that they have used both quantitative and qualitative data to support their independent investigation as appropriate to the environment and/or location.

Contribution to final grade: 20% of the qualification, 70 marks.

How it is assessed: The investigation report is internally assessed and externally moderated. The student will produce a written report of 3000–4000 words.
 

For further information: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/geography-2016.html