During your time at The Market Weighton School, you will learn about different countries, their societies, economies, cultures and environment. You will also learn and develop a wide range of numeracy and literacy skills such as your communication and teamwork skills or working on group projects. You’ll also develop research and analysis skills including in IT, fieldwork, which means you will be able to collect and look for patterns in data. Geography is all about looking at how we affect our environment and how our environment affects us. The subject is typically divided into two main areas; Physical Geography that deals with climate, atmosphere, soil, streams, landforms, and oceans and Human Geography people, cultures, migration and the built environment.
KS3 Information:
In year 7, topics include volcanoes and earthquakes, rivers, coasts, population and skills. Places of study include the Holderness Coast and India. Lessons are delivered via 1.5 hours per week.
In year 8, topics are more global, investigating China, world ecosystems, development, tourism and energy. Lessons are delivered by 1.5 teaching hours a week.
Assessment is usually at the end of each topic, with closed passage questions, heads to tails, source information, skills questions and more open ended discussion questions. These will fulfil can do criteria, which will be for all year 7 pupils in the first instance (2016/7), then rolled out to year 8 in 2017/8/
Current Year 10 KS4 Information:
AQA GCSE specification A (9030)
This specification highlights the critical importance of geography for understanding the world and for stimulating an interest in places. It will inspire students to become global citizens by exploring their place in the world, their values and responsibilities to other people and to the environment. The refreshed content focuses on current issues designed to inspire and motivate students to study GCSE Geography.
A modern and engaging approach covers key ideas and debates such as climate change, globalisation, economic progress, urban regeneration and management of world resources. The main focus of Specification A is an understanding of physical processes and factors that produce diverse and dynamic landscapes that change over time. This includes the interdependence of physical environments and the interaction between people and the environment as well as an understanding of the need for sustainable management of both physical and human environments. Students will learn to appreciate the differences and similarities between people, places and cultures leading to an improved understanding of societies and economies. Controlled assessment will encourage questioning, investigation and critical thinking about issues affecting the world and people’s lives. Students will use varied resources including maps and visual media as well as complex technologies such as GIS and remote sensing, to obtain, present and analyse information. Students will develop essential skills such as problem solving, decision making, synthesising ideas, identifying issues and communicating findings through the undertaking of a fieldwork investigation, individually and as part of a team. Specification A has strong links with other subjects, including citizenship and ICT, and areas of the curriculum such as science which focus on sustainability and the global dimension.
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-a-9030
New GCSE: Exam Board AQA
AQA GCSE specification A (8035) KS4 Information: At GCSE, there are three exams in year 11. Physical geography, human geography and coursework. A brief overview of each is given below. Lessons are delivered three times a week.
Physical Geography is a branch of earth science, which looks at the natural elements of the world, including the atmosphere, land and oceans. Physical geographers study things like climate, soil, how the earth was formed and how it is changing over time.
Human Geography is a social science that studies how humans interact with the planet and covers things like population growth, migration, how urban and rural settlements develop, how we work with animals and even how our economies are effected by the environment we live in.
Coursework will be examined, testing your geographical skills and understanding of unfamiliar situations/issues.
Extra Curricular Activites:
Two day trips will be run. The first is to an urban environment, developing a hypothesis to test, collecting primary data and secondary data back in class time. Skills to present, analyse and evaluate collected data can then be practised in preparation for the exam. The second trip is to a physical environment, usually the Holderness Coast, or to the River Derwent using the Cranedale Centre for support, depending on pupil preferences. Again, pupils will work on skills for their “Coursework” style component.
Useful Links:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035
Next steps
Employers love the mix of technical and social skills people get from studying geography, which they see as very transferable, i.e. useful for a whole range of jobs. According to the Royal Geographical Society, Geography graduates have some of the highest rates of graduate employment.
Geography is great for any kind of career that involves the environment, planning, or collecting and interpreting data. Popular careers for people with geography qualifications include: town or transport planning, surveying, conservation, sustainability, waste and water management, environmental planning, tourism, and weather forecasting. The army, police, government, research organisations, law and business world also love the practical research skills that geographers develop.