Geography
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Geography
Geography at All Hallows is taught to all pupils up to Y9 and is a popular option choice at GCSE.
Staffing
We have three full time members of staff and one part time member of staff who deliver the Geography curriculum.
- Mr M Walker (Head of Department)
- Mrs A Burke (Teacher of Geography)
- Mrs A Cooper (Teacher of Geography/Assistant Headteacher)
Accommodation
Geography is taught in two rooms, each with an interactive whiteboard. A computer room is also used on a regular basis.
All pupils follow a structured curriculum at Key Stage 3 in two periods per week for Years 7 to 9. If chosen as a GCSE (Y10 and 11) the option it is taught in three periods a week.
Pupils will develop their communication skills through group work and team exercises, as well as developing investigative skills through a variety of field trips.
In Year 7 pupils will study:
- Our place in the world
- Hydrology
- Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanoes
- Primary economic activities: Cliff’s Farm Enquiry
In Year 8 pupils will study:
- Europe and Asia map skills
- Geology
- Coastal processes
- African LIC: Kenya
- Preston CBD Enquiry
In Year 9 pupils will study:
- World Map, Latitude and Longitude
- Weather, Climate and Ecosystems
- China
- Glaciation
- Energy Resources
General Information
The AQA Specification is followed.
Geography is taught by specialist teachers in three 50 minute lessons per week.
The department is well-resourced with excellent access to ICT facilities.
Qualification Achieved
The qualification will be graded on a nine-point scale – where 9 is the best grade.
Unit/Papers
Paper 1 – Living with the Physical Environment 35% (1 hour 30 minute exam)
● Tectonic Hazards
● Weather and Climate
● Rivers and Coasts
● Ecosystems and Tropical Rainforests and Hot Deserts
Paper 2 – Challenges in the Human Environment 35% (1 hour 30 minute exam)
● Urban Issues and Challenges
● Changing Economic World
● Resource Management with a focus on water
Paper 3 – Geographical Application 30% (1 hour 15 minute exam)
● Issue evaluation – a decision making exercise based on a pre-release resource booklet issued 12 weeks before the exam
● Fieldwork – two local fieldwork studies that investigate a human topic and a physical topic. The methods and processes used in the completion of fieldwork will be assessed in this written
examination
Geographical skills will be examined throughout each of the three papers.
We are proud of Geography’s inclusion within the English Baccalaureate and its importance in the holistic development of students. This exciting and relevant course studies the subject in a balance framework of physical and human themes and investigates the link between them.
Extra-curricular Activities and visits
The department runs a variety of fieldtrips and visits to enhance pupil’s learning.
Y7: Cliffs Farm, Mawdesely. To investigate if Cliff’s farm is a traditional working farm. Pupils spend half the day completing their geography fieldwork, then the other half of the day on the Rock & River activities at the farm.
Y8: Preston city centre. To investigate the changes in Preston city centre over time. Pupils spend a morning at various sites around Preston, completing Environmental Quality surveys and questionnaires to produce their own data for their investigation.
Y10: Fieldtrip in summer term for their GCSE investigation. In the past this has included investigating the sustainability of Buckshaw Village, researching the effectiveness of flood defences along the River Wyre, identifying reasons for flooding in Keswick and looking at changes along the course of the River Calder.
Y11: Biennially, pupils have the opportunity to take part in the highly popular USA West coast fieldtrip.
