Students will investigate geography through 10 units across their 2 years in KS3. Each unit will carefully develop and enhance a range of skills that allow then to become effective geographers and learners in general.

Year 7 students commence with a study of the where they will sharpen their knowledge of where places are in the world and begin to understand the essence of geography being everywhere. The following unit deals with map skills, arming the students with the key skills that will enable them to investigate effectively in the coming years. Year 7 continue with How does geology shape the UK  before considering World Development issues to gain an appreciation of the inequalities that exist in the world and an appreciation and empathy that we truly are privileged living in the UK. Another  Human geography unit, looking at the World of work follows before we  conclude with a unit on Rivers where students develop an understanding of the fundamentals of physical geography focusing students upon the natural landscape and mankind’s’ continuous battle against nature.  

In year 8 students  will explore a range of more complex units, commencing with learning about Coasts and continuing with Unstable earth which considers fascinating yet deadly events of earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, further enhancing their understanding of how mankind is intertwined with natural processes. This is followed by the issue of population change when they will explore the causes and effects of a staggering 7 billion people living on our planet before examining the impacts of this on the UK by looking at the important issue of immigration. Weather and climate is the penultimate unit, and students will be expected to understand the factors that influence the weather and how climate change is having a global impact.Their KS3 studies conclude with a unit about ecosystems by looking at how mankind is threatening nature through an extended focus upon the rainforests.

Homework

Homework will be set regularly. Various tasks will be set, but the main focus will be the Knowledge organisers which students will use to learn key content in preparation for testing and exams. In addition the homework may include either follow up work done in class, or to improve students' geographical 'general knowledge'. Students may be expected to use the internet or the library to research a topic, and homework will take many forms from preparing presentation work for assessment to writing articles, investigating ideas or researching places and events.

Assessment

Teacher assessments will be set every term and will test a variety of skills. These will be used to assess progress and help determine the end of Key Stage 3 level of achievement. Students may be given time both in lessons and at home to complete the assessments and deadlines must be met. The assessments involve tests, written or diagrammatic pieces or a combination of all.

This is an issue based, investigative approach, with an emphasis on problem solving and enquiry. Pupils will study Physical geography concerned with physical processes and systems, their dynamic nature and human interaction with them at a range of scales and in a range of places; Human geography which covers human processes, systems and outcomes and how these change both spatially and temporally. They are studied in a range of places, at a variety of scales and must include places in various states of development. Students need to undertake two geographical enquiries, each of which must include the use of primary data, collected as part of a fieldwork exercise. The two enquiries will be carried out in contrasting environments and show an understanding of both physical and human geography.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Unit 1: Living with the physical environment

• The  challenge     of         natural     hazards
• Physical  landscapes  in  the  UK
• The  living    world

Unit 2: Challenges in the    human environment

• Urban  issues  and  challenges
• The changing economic world
• The challenge of resource management

Unit 3 and 4: Geographical applications and skills

• Issue  evaluation
• Fieldwork

ASSESSMENT (GIVE DETAILS OF EACH UNIT AND EXAMS)

 Living with the physical environment

•    Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes   35% of GCSE                   

Challenges in the human environment

•    Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes   35% of GCSE

  Geographical applications                                              

• Written exam: 1 hour  30% of GCSE
• Pre-release resources made available from 15 March in the year of the exam

Question types: multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response, extended prose: Living

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Leisure and Tourism  Transport   Planning  Exploration   Management   Social Work   Insurance   Journalism   Teaching  Police  

Geography students are amongst the most employable because they possess skills that many employers are looking for. Geographers can make a concise report, handle data, ask questions and find answers, make decisions about an issue, analyse material, organise themselves, think creatively and independently.

The following revision guides are particularly useful for GCSE students:
Collins AQA revision guide: 978-0008166274
CGP AQA revision guide: 978-1782946106

http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/geography

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zrw76sg

http://www.geographyalltheway.com/ks3_geography.htm

http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/ks3/index.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/examspecs/zy3ptyc