How we Support and Develop Your Child

Lessons have a range of different activities to cater for the wide range of learning styles. Students receive writing frames and sentence starters for more challenging tasks and are shown exemplar models of work. Homework will often extend the work that students have completed in class, or it may provide a foundation for a forthcoming lesson. Questions or Now Tasks will be written in students’ books to encourage them to think a little deeper. We aim to ensure that all students are simultaneously supported and challenged.

How we Assess Your Child's Progress

Students are encouraged to engage with their own learning through Threshold progress trackers. Formative assessment (through teacher, peer or self-assessment) is recorded and reflected on at regular points throughout each unit. At least once a term, students will undertake a summative assessment with each skill being monitored against the threshold descriptors. In addition, students will be tested on their spelling of geographical terminology.

Year 7

Overview

Geography stimulates an interest in, and a sense of wonder about places. It helps our students to make sense of a complex and ever changing world. It explains where places are, how places and landscapes are formed, how populations and their physical environment interact, and how a diverse range of economies, cultures and environments are interconnected. In year 7, we aim to build on the sense of place taught at key stage 2 and instil in students a wonder of the world.

Skills Developed

Students will build on their knowledge of globes, maps and atlases and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom. In year 7, there is a focus on interpreting Ordnance Survey maps, including using grid references and scale. These skills will be applied in topics throughout the year.

Topics Covered

Download the Geography Year 7 Curriculum Overview

• What skills do I need as a Geographer?
• How has the UK economy changed?
• What creates the UK’s weather?
• How does a river change from it source to the sea?
• What is happening to the world's population?
• Why is Planet Earth amazing?

Year 8

Overview

In year 8, we aim to encourage the students to investigate places at a range of different scales and particularly consider how our actions as individuals and consumers can have global impacts.

Skills Developed

Students will build on their knowledge of the world from year 7. In year 8, there is a greater focus on identifying the impacts of human actions at a range of different scales. Students will study challenging articles and investigate some contentious issues. Students are encouraged to develop their own opinions and conclusions based on the range of evidence.

Topics Covered

Download the Geography Year 8 Curriculum Overview

• How does geology influence the coast?
• Why are some countries poor whilst others are rich?
• Why are natural resources valuable?
• Will Russia become a superpower?
• Should we be concerned about changes in the Arctic?
• Why are our oceans important?

Year 9

Overview

Students should become aware of increasingly complex geographical systems in the world around them. They should develop greater competence in using geographical knowledge, approaches and concepts [such as models and theories] and geographical skills in analysing and interpreting different data sources. In this way, pupils will continue to enrich their locational knowledge and spatial and environmental understanding.

Topics Covered

Download the Geography Year 9 Curriculum Overview

• Will India become highly developed?
• What is happening to global biodiversity?
• Are tectonic hazards the biggest threat to humanity?
• What is the future for the Middle East?
• Who benefits from globalisation?
• Why does Geography lead to conflict?

Subject Leader: Mr B Salter
Email: salterb@lytchett.org.uk

Years 10 and 11

"Geography is a subject which holds the key to our future" (Michael Palin)

What is the content of the course?

The world in which we live is likely to change more in the next 50 years than it has ever done before.

Geography explains why this is and helps to prepare you for those changes. Geography tackles the big issues facing us and the course reflects that.

• Global issues are studied in the topics Hazardous Earth, Development Dynamics and Challenges of an Urbanising World.
• UK issues are studied when we study the UK’s changing physical landscape and the UK’s changing human landscape.
• Our impact on the natural world is studied in the Paper 3 topics of People and the Biosphere, Forests under threat and Energy resources.

"Geography is a subject which holds the key to our future" (Michael Palin)

What is the content of the course?

The world in which we live is likely to change more in the next 50 years than it has ever done before.

Geography explains why this is and helps to prepare you for those changes. Geography tackles the big issues facing us and the course reflects that.

• Global issues are studied in the topics Hazardous Earth, Development Dynamics and Challenges of an Urbanising World.
• UK issues are studied when we study the UK’s changing physical landscape and the UK’s changing human landscape.
• Our impact on the natural world is studied in the Paper 3 topics of People and the Biosphere, Forests under threat and Energy resources

Download the Geography Year 10 Curriculum Overview

Download the Geography Year 11 Curriculum Overview

How will the course be assessed?

The course is assessed in three terminal exams.  There is no coursework.

• Component 1: Global Geographical Issues (37.5%) [Topics: Hazardous Earth; Development; Urbanising world]
• Component 2: UK Geographical Issues (37.5%) [Topics: UK’s changing physical landscape; UK’s changing human landscape]
• Component 3: Making Geographical Decisions (37.5%) [Topics: the biosphere; Forests under threat; Energy]

What will the course be like?

Geography involves investigative work, report writing, role play, drawing and annotating diagrams and discussion work.  Students will be expected to undertake a minimum of two days fieldwork. Fieldwork is a compulsory part of the course.  There is a small voluntary charge for the trips and there is some financial assistance available for Pupil Premium students.

Are there any special course requirements?

To be a successful geographer, first and foremost, you need to have an interest in our world.  You will be expected to keep up to date with current affairs and generally have an enquiring mind. There are data manipulation elements to the course as well as literacy.

What will I be able to do by the end of the course?

By the end of the course you will have:

• learnt new skills and techniques including those of map work and fieldwork
• learnt to justify decisions you make about the world;
• developed a sense of place and become more aware of your place in the world

• developed an appreciation of the environment and the way in which people and their environments interact.

How Geography will help you in the future?

Statistics show that Geography graduates are very employable.  This is because they possess the skills that employers look for.  In part this is because the subject is a combination of the facts of science and the understanding of the arts. Geography is a subject that will open a vast number of doors in terms of careers, and consequently can take you into a wide variety of areas, both globally, and in terms of a career.  Here are some examples:

Planner Market Researcher  Housing Officer  Estate Agent  GIS Specialist  Chartered Surveyor  Remote Sensing Analyst  Cartographer  Crime Analyst  Transport Manager  Location Analyst  Retailer  Regional Development Officer  Travel Agent  Tourism Officer  Media Researcher  Environmental Consultant  Estate Manager  Forestry Ranger  Conservation Officer  Pollution Analyst  Weather Presenter  Disaster Manager  Flood Protection Officer  Water Supply Coordinator  Risk Assessor  Hydrologist  Coastal Manager  Geologist  Civil Engineer  Soil Conservationist  Aid Worker  Diplomat  Refugee Advisor  Charity Coordinator  Teacher  Marketing Manager  Accountant  Lawyer  Town Planner  Social Worker  Armed Forces  Banking  Administration  Mining  Quarrying  Hotel and Leisure Management  Grounds person  Farmer  Film making  Archivist  Publishing  Journalism  Nature Conservation  Air Crew  Courier  Air traffic control