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Geography

The Geography Department 

In Geography our students cover a wide range of topics looking at physical, human and environmental units. We encourage students to review and comment on solutions or recommendations and then put forward their own solutions and recommendations.
We believe that Geography needs to be explored both in the classroom through case studies and projects and outside the classroom through day and residential fieldtrips. We have day fieldtrips in years 7, 8, 9 and 13 with residential fieldtrips in both years 10 and 12.

     

 We are very excited to announce that in the Easter Holidays of 2013 we are planning a fieldtrip to Iceland.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we would love you to join us on this adventure.
Iceland is known as the ‘Land of Fire and Ice.’  An astonishing country with spectacular glaciers, volcanic mountains, wild gorges, stunning waterfalls, Europe’s largest wet desert, impressive geysers and a raft of other geothermal features all wrapped up in a centuries-old Norse culture.  In Theme 1 study Iceland and the impacts of Migration and technology. Iceland is covered in AS and A2 geography as part of the hazards and tectonic activity units.
The benefits of residential field trips are becoming increasingly recognised as an important part of learning and development.  The trip will help reinforce classroom learning and bring the text book alive, which in turn will translate into students being inspired in both their course work and exams.

Key stage 3

In year 7 we look at the location of the UK in both Europe and the world.  We study the UK in detail and work extensively with Atlases, the internet and satellite images. Students are set the task of creating their own Globe. All year 7’s are given an OS map of Warwickshire and then study map skills learning 4 and 6 figure grid references, direction, distance, scale, cross sections and map symbols.  Migration issues in the UK are investigated and students are then to create a climate change campaign to promote both the effects climate change and suggestions on what individuals can do to reduce the effects.  We end with a study on extreme weather, with poster presentations.

In year 8 we cover the weather and climate of UK with weather forecasting presentations.  The Leamington Spa flood of 2007 is debated in groups and students decide on the group with the most convincing argument receiving the highest amount of compensation.  Rivers and Coasts are then studied and year 8 ends covering plate tectonics where students are set the task of producing an erupting volcano and a case study class presentation of an erupting volcano.

In year 9 we cover development issues in Africa and study the impacts of tourism, globalisation, HIV and AIDS and Trade on separate countries in the African continent.  Students will create and build their own Shanty town and plan ways to solve the main problems found in these settlements. Tropical rainforests is our next unit and we are working with the Textile department to produce a student designed and produce T-shirt using the images from the tropical rainforests. Rural issues looks at the pressure on our countryside.  We then look at population management with reference to China’s One Child Policy and we finish year 9 with students complete a project on China.

GCSE

The GCSE consists of three themes and two coursework’s covered in both years 10 and 11:
Theme 1: Challenges of Living in a Built Environment (Year 10)
This unit covers the quality of life of people in different parts of the world, the changes to housing provision and services between rural and urban areas and how population movement has affected different areas.
Theme 2: People and the Natural World Interactions (Year 10)
This unit covers how systems and people are affected, the climate change debate and impacts on different ecosystems in the world.  The issues surrounding water supply, surplus and deficit. We investigate river and coastal landforms and management and the challenges yet to be faced.
Theme 3: People Work and Development (Year11)
This unit covers employment and economic activities.  It looks at development and inequalities and investigates the differences between countries.  Asks if International Aid and trade are fair and examines how economic growth has changed environments.
Geographical enquiry fieldwork 15% (Year 10) 
Fieldwork completed on the 3 day residential fieldtrip to Norfolk comparing tourist areas using a variety of field techniques and GIS.
Controlled assessment research 10% (Year 11)
A guest speaker will explain the issues and the different views and students use a variety of source materials to investigate to write your viewpoint on the issues as a newspaper article.

The Exam

Unit 1: Challenges and Interactions in Geography (30%) Written Paper: 1 hour (F/H)    60 marks (60 UMS)
Two compulsory structured questions, one from Theme 1 and one from Theme 2, each containing a choice of case study. Students sit this exam in year 10.
Unit 2: Development and Problem Solving Geography (45%) Written Paper: 2 hours (F/H)  90 marks (90 UMS)
Section A
One compulsory structured question from Theme 3 containing a choice of case study.
Section B
A cross-unit problem solving exercise structured in three parts.
Students sit this examination in year 11.
Unit 3: Geographical Enquiry (25%) Controlled Assessment
50 marks (50 UMS)
An enquiry based on fieldwork (15%) and an Issue based on research (10%)
AS and A2
AS Geography
We cover the Edexcel Geography course and in year 12 you will study
Unit 1: Global Challenge
Topics 1: World at risk
Topic 2: Going Global

Unit 2: Geographical investigations
Topics 2: Crowded coasts
Topic 3: Unequal Spaces
Unit 1 is a 1 hour and 30 minute examination covers both topics 1 and 2 its worth 60% of AS and 30% of A2.  Unit 2 is a 1 hour and 15 minute examination covers topics 2 and 3 and is worth 40% AS and 20% of A2 grade. 
For Unit 2 we will be cover these topics on a 5 day residential to Norfolk at Kingswood’s Overstrand Hall, where we will complete and write up fieldwork and techniques using GIS software and this will help prepare for the Unit 2 examination.  We have included a letter outlining the trip and the costs and its essential all AS students attend this trip.

A2
We cover the Edexcel Geography course and in year 13 you will study
Unit 3: Contested planet
Topics 1: Energy security
Topic 2: Water Conflicts
Topic 3: Biodiversity under Threat
Topic 4: Superpower Geographies
Topic 5: Bridging the Development Gap
Topic 6: The Technological Fix

Unit 4: Geographical Research
You choose one of the following options:
Options 1: Tectonic Activity and Hazards
Option 2: Cold Environments – Landscape and Change
Option 3: Life on the Margins – the Food Supply Problem
Option 4: The World of Cultural Diversity
Option 5: Pollution and Human Health at Risk
Option 6: Consuming the Rural Landscape – Leisure and Tourism

Unit 3 is a 2 hour and 30 minute examination split into 2 section. Section A: a choice of 2 short essay questions from 5. Section B: the synoptic question, one question with 3 parts.  This is worth 60% of A2 and 30% of GCE. 
Unit 4 is a 1 hour and 30 minute examination.  You must answer the one question for the chosen research option. This is worth 40% A2 and 20% of GCE.  This examination is available to you to sit in January.