In the Lower School, each of the three small classes have two 50-minute Geography lessons per week. The national Key Stage 3 syllabus is largely followed with an additional emphasis on practical geographical skills in preparation for GCSE coursework tasks. The schemes of work aim to bring all pupils up to a common level of understanding and geographical skills, whilst looking to inspire and encourage them to consider the subject as a GCSE option. We follow the Geography key stage 3 Hodder course as well as members of the department adding units they are passionate about into the syllabus, for example ‘rocks and fossils’, ‘making settlements equal for all’ and ‘The future of our planet’.
Due to the popularity of the subject, pupils are divided into mixed ability sets and taught by the same teacher over the two year GCSE course. Studying Geography helps pupils to further increase their knowledge and understanding of local and global current events. Pupils cover a range of topics including the natural environment, population and settlement, economic development and geographical skills and investigations according to the AQA GCSE syllabus.
Units are distributed evenly between Years 10 and 11, followed by a thorough revision programme with a focus on exam technique. Pupils will sit two exams at the end of Year 11. This will be split into unit 1 - Physical geography, unit 2- Human geography and unit 3- geographical applications. Topics will include physical geography, human geography and fieldwork and decision making. There is a compulsory two day coursework trip to Dorset/River Wye, with additional fieldwork being carried out during lesson time.
Pupils wishing to study Geography at A Level are expected to have achieved at least a Level 6 in Geography or a 7 in another Humanities subject or English at GCSE. Developing educated opinions on many of the social, political and environmental challenges that face the world today will help to develop confidence in life beyond school.
Students will cover hydrology and fluvial geomorphology, atmosphere and weather, rocks and weathering, population, migration, settlement, coastal environments, hazardous environments, production, location and change and environmental management across the two years according to the Cambridge International A Level syllabus.
All students will have access to publications, online journals and university level texts and resources.
In the last few years several A Level Geographers have gone on to study the subject at university, either as single or joint honours. Developing educated opinions on many of the social, political and environmental challenges that face the world today helps to build pupils’ confidence in life beyond College, and makes them highly attractive to universities and employers alike.
The BTEC Level 3 Travel and Tourism is being reintroduced for 2022-2023 This course will suit pupils who have an interest in culture, geography, traveling and the world around them. Candidates will require good research and IT skills.
Pupils should expect to study a range of topics, including investigating the travel and tourism sector, the UK as a destination, customer service in travel and tourism and long haul travel destinations. Students also go on several trips during the course. In Year 12, pupils visit Thorpe Park as a UK tourist destination. In Year 13, pupils visit the British Airways cabin crew training center at Heathrow to support their learning about customer service.
The course will be predominantly assessed through assignments set and marked by the staff at the College, but approved and externally assessments will happen as well. The course best suits students who prefer coursework and building the credit for their final grade steadily over a prolonged period of time.