Geography
BackHead of Department: Mr T Ash
Teachers: Mrs L Brooker, Mrs L Buckland (maternity leave), Mr S Carr, Ms Z Piper, Mrs J Thomson, Mr M Tindall
Geography is studied by all students in Years 7–9, after which it becomes an option. Geography is one of the most popular choices at both GCSE and A Level in the school. Our aim is to provide a varied diet of exciting and relevant topics that enthuse and inspire the students. Fieldwork is an integral part of the subject and we run a range of excursions that include day trips, residentials and visits abroad, including a very popular trip to Iceland. We also integrate practical work into our lessons and homework and these have been well received by the students. We enjoy a continuing record of exam success where motivation and commitment will be rewarded. [Updated 2024/25]
Co-curricular activities
- GCSE field trips, A Level residential trip and day trips.
- Year 10/11 residential trip to Iceland.
Years 7, 8 and 9
GCSE: Years 10 and 11
Year 10
- Weather and climate hazards: Tectonic hazards, tropical storms, extreme weather in the UK and climate change.
- Living world: Ecosystems, tropical rainforests, hot deserts and cold environments.
- Urban issues and challenges: Population change and urban growth.
- Physical landscapes of the UK: Coastal, river and glacial landscapes.
Year 11
- Changing economic world: Global variations in economic development, the effect of economic changes on employment patterns and regional growth in the UK.
- Challenge of resource management: Issues relating to the growing demand for food, water and energy.
Assessment/examination
The course runs over two years with terminal exams at the end of Year 11.
- Unit 1, Living with the physical environment – written exam of 1 hour 30 minutes consisting of 88 marks representing 35% of the GCSE.
- Unit 2, Challenges in the human environment – written exam of 1 hour 30 minutes consisting of 88 marks, representing 35% of the GCSE.
- Unit 3, Geographical applications – written exam of 1 hour 15 minutes consisting of 76 marks representing 30% of the GCSE.
There will be at least two field trips during the course. These will form the basis of two geographical enquiries that support the content in the physical and human units above. This will be tested within the exam structure and does not require coursework.
Exam board: AQA
A Level: Years 12 and 13
Entry requirement: A grade 6 in GCSE Geography or Geology is an advantage; however, many students have studied the subject successfully with little previous knowledge. Many of the units build on knowledge from other subject areas such as science, business studies and history. There are also topics that are not covered as part of the GCSE course followed by our students. Provided that you are willing to work hard there is no reason why you should not consider taking Geography.
This contemporary course is designed to engage with the relationships of human populations to each other over space and time and their relationship with their physical environment at a variety of scales from the local to the global.
The subject content follows an issues and impacts approach. It is designed to allow progression through the course and beyond to link with the demands of higher level study.
Concepts covered at GCSE may be revisited but not repeated.
Please be aware that the residential fieldwork trip is an integral part of the course and is an opportunity to cover the necessary data collection for the coursework component, therefore there is a monetary commitment to taking this course.
Assessment/examination
Students follow a rigorous programme of exam practice and feedback in Year 12. There are no external exams in Year 12 but there are mock examinations.
- Paper 1: Physical geography, written exam lasting 2 hours 15 minutes, consisting of 105 marks representing 30% of the A Level.
- Paper 2: Human geography, written exam lasting 2 hours 15 minutes, consisting of 105 marks representing 30% of the A Level.
- Paper 3: Synoptic Investigation based on a resource booklet containing information about a geographical issue. Written exam lasting 2 hours 15 minutes, consisting of 70 marks representing 20% of the A Level.
- Fieldwork investigation: to be 3,000–4,000 words in length consisting of 70 marks representing 20% of the A Level. It will be marked by teachers and moderated by Edexcel.
Exam board: Edexcel
Careers Education
- The A Level course content incorporates examples of careers in all of its components, from river management to urban planning. The human interaction with the world around us is central to Geography and raises awareness of the possibilities and consequences of living on our planet.
- Field work trips bring students in touch with people at work in the tourist industry in Brighton and the South Bank, business in Docklands. They also study the work of people involved in coast and river management in Somerset.
- The wide variety of skills taught in Geography equips students with transferrable skills that are relevant to many careers.