Geography

The WGS Geography curriculum enriches students understanding of the world to help them understand their experiences within local, regional, and global systems; to empower them with geographical knowledge and skills to make informed judgements about the challenges the world currently faces; and to acknowledge their role in securing a sustainable future for the planet for all of humanity. Through their work, the department encourages students to take their place in an ever-increasing technological society. We challenge the students' mindset to 'think, act and speak' as those working in the field.

 

To meet the needs of our intent, the department have developed the curriculum to include the following opportunities:

  • Frequent retrieval opportunities to empower students and develop their confidence
  • Authentic contexts in which to learn new key concepts, which are designed to motivate students and model to students how we can use geographical knowledge to answer problems. Through these contexts, we can develop the cultural capital of our students.
  • Frequent and timely formative feedback designed to allow students and teachers to check misunderstandings and misconceptions that may have arisen with personalised feedback and rethink opportunities made available
  • A focus upon modelling and scaffolding of application questions which increase in challenge
  • Analysis tasks which offer students opportunities to use knowledge to interpret, evaluate, make judgements, draw conclusions, develop enquiry-based procedures, and improve enquiry-based procedures.
  • Geographical enquiry skills are embedded within the curriculum and integrated with key knowledge.

Knowledge is made powerful in our curriculum by ensuring that students can apply it to a range of contexts, allowing students to become capable of thinking critically from Year 7. The skills required to apply knowledge are taught explicitly. A significant part of the pedagogy we use includes modelling and scaffolding to support students in understanding what excellent work looks like. In this way, we hope to inspire confidence in our students and foster independence.

As a department, we wanted our Geography curriculum to be accessible, dynamic, and engaging. We sat down and created our Department Vision at about the same time as we started with the curriculum intent. We created six “strands” to our vision – that talk about our subject, our approach, and our people:

  1. Geography is a subject that explains the world: people, places, and their interactions with the environment. It is a critical part of a learning community that seeks to develop academic excellence and well-rounded individuals.
  2. Geography is dynamic, contemporary, and fast-changing. Students want to understand the modern world around them.
  3. Students study geography because they want to be able to explore the world and make sense of their place in it. We teach them the skills to investigate, examine and explain what they find.
  4. Geographers are passionate about their subject, knowledgeable and flexible. We embrace creativity and technology to show the world to our students.
  5. Geography is a real-world subject. We understand it best by being immersed in it: learning takes place in the field, and awe and wonder is vital to what we do.
  6. Geographers learn. We never stop asking questions and trying to improve our understanding.

(Moderate)

 

(Moderate)


Year 7

Aim

To enrich students’ understanding of the world to help them understand their experiences within local, regional, and global systems; to empower them with geographical knowledge and skills to make informed judgements about the challenges the world currently faces; and to acknowledge their role in securing a sustainable future for the planet for all of humanity.

 

Topics Covered

Term 1 – Becoming A Geographer - Using a variety of map and atlas skills.

Term 2 – Exploring the UK – An investigation into the UK.

Term 3 – Coasts and Islands – What is happening to our coastline?

Term 4 – Energy and Resources – How are humans using our planet?

Term 5 – Sustainability – What is sustainable development?

Term 6 – Weather and Climate – Including Microclimate Investigation.

 

The KS3 WGS Baccalaureate activities for the Geography subject Award

 

Year 8

Aim

To enrich students’ understanding of the world to help them understand their experiences within local, regional, and global systems; to empower them with geographical knowledge and skills to make informed judgements about the challenges the world currently faces; and to acknowledge their role in securing a sustainable future for the planet for all of humanity.

 

Topics Covered

Term 1 – Ecosystems of the World – An examination of the different ecosystems and their characteristics.

Term 2 – China – A study of population and distribution and migration with a focus on China.

Term 3 – Africa – The danger of a single story? – An exploring of Africa from different perspectives to challenge misconceptions.

Term 4 – River Landscapes – On-site fieldwork into infiltration and flooding.

Term 5 - Travel and Tourism - Using map skills to explore the impact of tourism on places.

Term 6 – India – Exploring the physical and human geography of India.

 

The KS3 WGS Baccalaureate activities for the Geography subject Award can be found here:

https://www.wgswitney.org.uk/learning/wood-green-baccalaureate

 

 

Year 9

Aim

To enrich students’ understanding of the world to help them understand their experiences within local, regional, and global systems; to empower them with geographical knowledge and skills to make informed judgements about the challenges the world currently faces; and to acknowledge their role in securing a sustainable future for the planet for all of humanity.

 

Topics Covered

Term 1 – Natural Hazards - A focus upon tectonic activity (volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis) and managing natural hazards.

Term 2 – Global Issues - An investigation into a variety of issues such as trade, globalisation, climate change and the problem with palm oil production.

Term 3 – Desolate Deserts - An investigation into the processes and challenges of living in desert environments.

Term 4 – Conflict in Geography – An investigation into different conflicts at a variety of scales, both within the UK and internationally.

Term 5 – Russia: A Prisoner of Geography? – An investigation into the geographical significance of Russia and superpower status.

Term 6 – The Geography of Crime – An investigation into crime within the local area, and the application of fieldwork techniques.

 

The KS3 WGS Baccalaureate activities for the Geography subject Award can be found here:

https://www.wgswitney.org.uk/learning/wood-green-baccalaureate

 

 

GCSE

Aim

GCSE specifications for the discipline of geography give students the opportunity to understand more about the world, the challenges it faces and their place within it. This GCSE course will deepen understanding of geographical processes, illuminate the impact of change and of complex people-environment interactions, highlight the dynamic links and interrelationships between places and environments at different scales, and develop students’ competence in using a wide range of geographical investigative skills and approaches. Geography enables young people to become globally and environmentally informed and thoughtful, enquiring citizens.

 

Topics Covered

We follow the EDEXCEL B 2016 specification. There are 9 modules to be covered over two years. Each year there is some flexibility over which units are taught depending on stories in the news and choice of controlled assessment title.

Topic 1: Hazardous Earth

Topic 2: Development Dynamics

Topic 3: Challenges of an Urbanising world

Topic 4: The UK’s evolving physical landscape – a focus on Rivers and Coasts

Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape – including Dynamic UK cities.

Topic 6: Geographical investigations – fieldwork opportunities in order to cover physical and human geography

Topic 7: People and the biosphere

Topic 8: Forests under threat

Topic 9: Consuming energy resources

 

Homework

Homework could be set each lesson when appropriate. At least one homework will be set per week (30 minutes – 1 hour).

 

Assessment

There are three papers which are:

Component 1: Global Geographical Issues – Topics 1 to 3 – worth 37.5% of the GCSE

Component 2: UK Geographical Issues – Topics 4 to 6 – worth 37.5% of the GCSE

Component 3: People and Environment Issues – Making Geographical Decisions – worth 25% of the GCSE

All papers are 1½ hours long.

 

Geography GCSE revision resources 

GCSE Geography specification

 

 

A level

Aim

This A Level course will enable students to be inspired by their geographical understanding, to engage critically with real world issues and places, and to apply their geographical knowledge, theory and skills to the world around them. Students will grow as independent thinkers and as informed and engaged citizens, who understand the role and importance of geography as one of the key disciplines relevant to understanding the world’s changing peoples, places and environments.

 

Topics Covered

Paper 1 – Physical Geography

  • Tectonic Processes and Hazards
  • Changing Coastal Landscapes
  • The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity
  • The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security

Paper 2 – Human Geography

  • Globalisation
  • Shaping Places – Regenerating Places
  • Superpowers
  • Global Development and Connections

 

Homework

At least one homework will be set by each teacher which means 2 hours per week. 1 exam style question will be set by each teacher at least once every 3 weeks.

 

Assessment

Paper 1 – Physical Paper – Dynamic Landscapes – 90 marks and 30% of course

Paper 2 – Human Paper – Dynamic Places – 90 marks and 30% of the course

Both of these papers will be assessed using short open, open response and resource- linked questions. The examinations includes 10-mark and 15-mark extended writing questions.

Paper 3 – A synoptic paper based on the compulsory content of paper 1 and 2- 1 hour and 45 minutes and worth 20%. The examination includes 6-mark, 15-mark and 18- mark extended writing questions

Paper 4 – Independent Investigation – 3,000-4,000 words long, accounting for 20% of the qualification

A level Geography specification

Geography A level revision resources