Curriculum Intent

Our aim is to provide a Geography curriculum that challenges and engages learners. Geography has a unique role in helping students to become active global citizens and we cover a range of topics that are shaping our world today. Whether or not students choose to continue Geography to KS4, they will finish the KS3 course with secure knowledge of key geographical processes and patterns and able to explain key geographical phenomena surrounding them.

Curriculum sequence

	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
Year 7	Zombies   Learning key mapping and geographical skills whilst trying to solve a zombie crisis!	Populations   Students are given an opportunity to investigate key issues relating to global population growth and change.	Sustainability   This unit focuses on climate change and how different global resources can be manged sustainably.
	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
	Weather   Students investigate key weather processes and the impacts of extreme weather.	Coasts   Students explore key physical processes that shape the coastline as well as how these can be managed.	Hazards   Students are introduced to plate tectonics theory and explore a series of natural hazard events.

 

	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
	Development   This topic explores global patterns of development and why these exist as well as what can be done to reduce the development gap.	Globalisation   As the world becomes increasingly interconnected how does this shape the way we live in the world? Covering case studies from many parts of the world investigating the impacts of globalisation	Global ecosystems   What are the characteristics of key world ecosystems why are they like that? With a focus on rainforests we explore ecosystem processes and human interactions with them
	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Year 8	Urban   With now more than half the earth’s population living in cities we explore the challenges and opportunities this poses.	Rivers   Students investigate key fluvial process as well as exploring flooding causes and impacts.	Resources   How does resource distribution and consumption vary around the world? This topic explores how global resources are spread globally and the impacts of this.

 

National curriculum links

Our Key Stage 3 Geography curriculum is ambitious and matches the breadth of study detailed in the national curriculum. Students are exposed to important geographical theories and ideas equipping them with the knowledge and skills to understand the world around them.

Meeting the needs of SEND and Pupil Premium students 

In line with whole-school priorities, Geography teachers place SEND and Pupil Premium students at the centre of our lesson planning.  Key to ensuring this is high quality teaching: we direct questions to disadvantaged students, check their understanding regularly and provide frequent feedback using our CAR feedback system (CAR sheets will be present in students’ books). Students are given opportunities, in lesson time, to act on their feedback.

In Geography we promote the progress of SEND and Pupil Premium students by:

• Providing key word sheets for every topic with definitions
• Regular opportunities for retrieval are offered using our starter tasks
• Assessment preparation lessons are planned into each topic for students to retrieve knowledge
• Writing frames are provided in assessments to aid access
• Students are given tiered assessment questions so that they can attempt work that is right for them in their current position in their Geography curriculum journey
• Seating plans are used and adapted to place learners in the most optimum position for them in the classroom

Retention 

Retrieval practice is embedded into lessons and students complete silent starters incorporating retrieval quizzing.  All through Key stage 3 students are supported with revision skills and revision lessons are integrated into units of work.

Homework

In Key stage 3 students receive one piece of homework every fortnight or a large piece of revision homework to replace this.

Assessment 

Students are assessed using formal assessments for every topic area. These are tiered questions that students complete in exam style conditions. Students are provided with a CAR feedback sheet using a star and wish system. Students then improve their work using a green pen as part of a feedback lesson.

CAR tasks also form part of formative assessment throughout the units and students are given the opportunity to peer and self-assess work throughout the Key Stage 3 Geography curriculum. 

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

Course outline

The course is divided into 3 key sections, each of which is examined in at the end of Year 11.

Unit 1 – Living with the Physical Environment. (35% of the GCSE)

This unit explores the influences of and challenges as a result of the Physical Environment, we will cover:

• The Challenge of Natural Hazards – Volcanoes & Earthquakes, Tropical Storms, Climate Change and a review of how the weather of the UK is becoming more extreme.
• The Living World – How some the world’s different ecosystems (Tropical Rainforests & Hot Deserts) have been created, how plants, animals and people have adapted to and use their environments.
• The Physical Landscape of the UK – how the shape of the UK has been created by water – exploring in detail the work of the rivers and seas on the landscape.

Unit 2 – The Challenge of the Human Environment (35% of the GCSE)

This unit explores how humans have created the built world around us, exploring the benefits, challenges and issues this has led to, including:

• Urban issues and challenges – with over half the world living in cities and towns we examine the challenges and opportunities this can create.
• The changing economic world – how has industry grown? How do countries develop over time? What does the future hold and what does this mean for future generations?
• The challenge of resource management – with over 7 billion people on the planet, how do we manage our precious resources?

Unit 3 – Geographical applications (30% of the GCSE)

This unit includes the requirement to participate in 2 separate field-trips to investigate parts of our course – we currently visit Bristol (in Year 9) and Swanage (in Year 10).

         

Assessment and Progression

Examination Board:  

AQA

Grading system:

1-9 (9 is highest)

Assessment:

3 final examinations

Paper 1 – Living with the Physical Environment. 1hr 30 minutes

Paper 2 – The Challenge of the Human Environment.

1hr 30 minutes

Paper 3 – Geographical applications.

1hr 15 minutes

Exam questions are a mix of multiple-choice, short and long answers.

Progression to Post-16:

A-Level Geography.

Future career links:

Cartography

Town planning

Civil Engineering

Business Analyst

Energy Management.

 

Contact:

Ms Loosley

aloosley@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk