<
Skip to content ↓

Geography

Welcome to the Geography Department

 "Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?"  - Michael Palin

Head of Department:

TBC
e-mail: TBC

Introduction

Geography is not only up-to-date and relevant, but also one of the most exciting, adventurous and valuable subjects to study today. So many of the world’s current problems boil down to Geography, subsequently we need the geographers of the future to help us to understand them.

Our KS3 curriculum, covers the following key concepts/ideas: physical processes, physical features, globalisation, interdependence, development, ecosystems, map skills and GIS use. At Park High we have developed a curriculum that we believe fosters an enquiring mind. We want our young people to be inquisitive about the world around us; whether that is to question what has created our mountains and rivers, or what causes our weather to behave in the way it does, to critically think about the way in which we impact our planet.

You will find geographers working in a wide range of jobs, including architecture, human resource planning, environmental conservation, teaching and risk management.  Studying geography can help people achieve careers that are enjoyable, as well as professionally and financially rewarding.

Key Stage 3

Year 7

 At the beginning of the year, learners will complete a baseline assessment, this will be used to gauge their current level of geographical understanding and will be what we measure progress against in the end of year assessment in May/June.

Autumn Spring Summer

How do we use maps to learn about the UK?

Assessment: Extended writing piece

What is Africa like?

Assessment: Extended writing piece

What shapes our earth? 

Assessment: Test

What is the difference between weather and climate? 

Assessment: Test

What are the world's water issues?

Assessment: Extended writing piece

What is happening along our coasts?

*Please note this is a working document, and we may change order or change topics completely if we feel that our learners would benefit from something else.

Knowledge Organisers:

You have not allowed cookies and this content may contain cookies.

If you would like to view this content please

KS3 Assessment:

Home learning is allocated on a weekly basis by each department. It may be an isolated piece of work, a project, research or an alternative task which challenges the students to solidify their knowledge and / or extend it.

At the end of each half term and topic, each student will complete some form of assessment in class, which might be in the form of a written piece, presentation, or an end of topic test. These assessments provide a valuable insight into the progress made by each student over the topic. The assessments have been designed to take into account all learning styles and to ensure all students can make progress, no matter what their strengths / talents are.

Each half term students will be asked to complete a personal reflection of their learning.  The aim of this is for students to be able to identify areas of strength and pride within their bookwork, as well as focusing on areas that will help them become better learners.

In the Summer Term, each student will sit a formal, internal exam which will consist of all elements taught throughout the course. Appropriate preparation in the form of revision should be taken seriously with sufficient planning and organisation to ensure each student fulfils their potential.

Year 8

Autumn Spring Summer

What makes the world go around?

What is happening to the world’s climate?

What is China’s place in the world?

How do flora and Fauna survive in Extreme Environments?

What is the importance of Tropical Rainforests?

How does sport link our worlds?

*Please note this is a working document, and we may change order or change topics completely if we feel that our learners would benefit from something else.

Knowledge Organisers:

You have not allowed cookies and this content may contain cookies.

If you would like to view this content please

KS3 Assessment:

Home learning is allocated on a weekly basis by each department. It may be an isolated piece of work, a project, research or an alternative task which challenges the students to solidify their knowledge and / or extend it.

At the end of each half term and topic, each student will complete some form of assessment in class, which might be in the form of a written piece, presentation, or an end of topic test. These assessments provide a valuable insight into the progress made by each student over the topic. The assessments have been designed to take into account all learning styles and to ensure all students can make progress, no matter what their strengths / talents are.

Each half term students will be asked to complete a personal reflection of their learning.  The aim of this is for students to be able to identify areas of strength and pride within their bookwork, as well as focusing on areas that will help them become better learners.

In the Summer Term, each student will sit a formal, internal exam which will consist of all elements taught throughout the course. Appropriate preparation in the form of revision should be taken seriously with sufficient planning and organisation to ensure each student fulfils their potential.

Year 9

Autumn Spring Summer

What is life like for people in different places of the world?

What is the European Union’s place in the world?

What is China’s place in the world?

How are natural environments used by humans?

What is the role of rivers in shaping our landscape, and how do humans interact with them?

What is the role of Geography in the study of conflict?

*Please note this is a working document, and we may change order or change topics completely if we feel that our learners would benefit from something else.

KS3 Assessment:

Home learning is allocated on a weekly basis by each department. It may be an isolated piece of work, a project, research or an alternative task which challenges the students to solidify their knowledge and / or extend it.

At the end of each half term and topic, each student will complete some form of assessment in class, which might be in the form of a written piece, presentation, or an end of topic test. These assessments provide a valuable insight into the progress made by each student over the topic. The assessments have been designed to take into account all learning styles and to ensure all students can make progress, no matter what their strengths / talents are.

Each half term students will be asked to complete a personal reflection of their learning.  The aim of this is for students to be able to identify areas of strength and pride within their bookwork, as well as focusing on areas that will help them become better learners.

In the Summer Term, each student will sit a formal, internal exam which will consist of all elements taught throughout the course. Appropriate preparation in the form of revision should be taken seriously with sufficient planning and organisation to ensure each student fulfils their potential.

Key Stage 4 

GCSE Geographers at Park High follow the Eduqas B specification. It is the specification that we feel leads on best from our KS3 curriculum offer, whilst also offering our learners the opportunity to be well-rounded Geographers. The course outline can be found below:

GCSE Overview 2023 

Year 10

All students attend a compulsory field course to the Isle of Purbeck in June, they will complete an Applied Fieldwork Enquiry exam in May/June of 2024 based on it (worth 30%).  Dates to be confirmed for 2023, however it is likely to be Friday 16th June through Monday 19th or Friday 23rd of June through Monday 26th June. Please See Field Trip Information

The other final examination (worth 70%) consists of two different styles of examination papers and will be sat in May / June.

KS4 Assessment:

Home-learning will be set on a regular basis such as finding an article related to Geography for the single lessons and learning key terms. Other home-learning tasks will be set as appropriate and may take up to an hour, as at GCSE. If home-learning is not completed or to an unacceptable standard then students must expect an immediate sanction and subsequent monitoring.

Wider reading is always useful either from the websites offered, the text book, magazines such as Wide World or New Scientitst or as directed by their classroom teacher.

Early In the Summer Term, each student will sit a formal, internal exam which will consist of all elements taught throughout the course, the format of tests will replicate the GCSE layout. Appropriate preparation in the form of revision should be taken seriously with sufficient planning and organisation to ensure each student fulfils their potential.

Over the summer holiday period at the end of Year 10 learners will be expected to complete some summer bridging work, a report style assessment based on the compulsory field-course attended in June/July. This write-up will support the learners in their revision for Section A of the Paper 3 examination, The Applied Fieldwork Enquiry.

Year 11

Year 11 continues to develop the skills of critical thinking, data interpretation and extended writing that we have been working on in Year 10. This is of course in addition to the new content we need to cover this year. We started Theme 2 after Easter in Year 10 and this year we need to complete this Theme, as well as Theme 3.  Your son/daughter has a yellow piece of paper stuck in the front of their Geography book with more specific details on the content to be covered.

The Applied Fieldwork Enquiry write-ups should have been completed by your son/daughter over the summer period and this will form the basis of revision for their final examination.

This year it is important for learners to start their revision of Theme 1 and the beginning of Theme 2 straight away in September. Revision technique guidance and resources can be found on Sharepoint, Geography, Year 11.

KS4 Assessment:

 

Home-learning will be set on a regular basis such as finding an article related to Geography for the single lessons and learning key terms. Other home-learning tasks will be set as appropriate and may take up to an hour, as at GCSE. If home-learning is not completed students must expect an immediate sanction and subsequent monitoring.

Wider reading is always useful either from the websites offered, the text-book, magazines found in the school library or the online portal, or as directed by their classroom teacher.

 

At the beginning of the summer team, after the Easter holidays, each student will sit two formal, internal exams.  The first will be representative of a Component 1 paper- but will focus on what has been learnt thus far.  The second will be a Problem Solving Geography paper.  Preparation in the form of revision should be taken seriously with sufficient planning and organisation to ensure each student fulfils their potential.

Geography 

Component 1: Investigating Geographical Issues

Three structured data response questions with some extended answers

Question 1 will assess aspects of Theme 1, Changing Places—Changing Economies. Question 2 will assess aspects of Theme 2, Changing Environments.

Question 3 will assess aspects of Theme 3, Environmental Challenges.

Written Examination: 1 hour 45 minutes 40% of qualification

Component 2: Problem Solving Geography

This component will assess content from across the themes using a variety of structured data response questions.

Written Examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 30% of qualification

Component 3: Applied Fieldwork Enquiry

A written examination in three parts using a variety of structured data response questions some of which will require extended responses.

Written Examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 30% of qualification

Examination Board :

Eduqas

Course Specification:

Eduqas 601/8153/9 

Qualification obtained:

GCSE Geography

Additional Information 

Useful Reading Material

WJEC Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography B (Wjec Eduqas B Gcse) by Alan Brown, Bob Digby, Val Davis, Andy Leeder

Geographical skills and fieldwork for WJEC GCSE Geography

WJEC Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography A and B Revision guide

Enrichment

Compulsory field-course will take place over the course of a four-day residential course to the 14th - 17th of June based at the PGL Centre Osmington Bay.