Geography Skills Continuum

SKILL / Year 7 / Year 8 / Year 9 / Year 10 / Year 11 / Year 12 / Year 13
Knowledge and understanding of places. / You can recognise the physical and human features of places and recognise the importance of where they are in the world. / You can describe the physical and human features of places, recognising the importance of where they are in the world in a wider context. / You can explain the physical and human features of places in context in the wider world and in a range of locations. / You can describe and begin to analyse physical and human characteristics of places in a range of locations, contexts and scales. / You can make links in your knowledge and understanding of the geography of the UK and the wider world. You use these links to analyse the physical and human characteristics of places at a wide range of locations, contexts and scales. / You can make links in your knowledge and understanding of the geography of the UK and the wider world. You can use these links to analyse the physical and human characteristics of places, drawing on your knowledge of a wide range of locations, contexts and scales. / You can use your knowledge and understanding of the geography of the UK and the wider world to analyse the physical and human characteristics of places. You can explain and predict change in the characteristics of places over time by drawing on a detailed knowledge of a wide range of locations, contexts and scales. You can explain complex interactions within and between physical and human processes and show how these interactions help change places and environments.
Geographical pattern / You can recognise and describe simple geographical patterns. / You can describe and begin to explain geographical patterns. / You can identify and explain geographical patterns at a range of scales. / You can identify and analyse geographical patterns that result from interactions at a range of scales. / You can describe and analyse geographical patterns that result from these interactions at a range of scales and the changes that result. / You can analyse and explain complex geographical patterns between human and physical aspects of geography. / You can Identify and analyse numerous connections and patterns between the different aspects of geography and offer explanation as to the cause.
Environmental change and sustainability / You understand that people can both improve and damage the environment. / You understand some ways that human activities cause environments to change. You can demonstrate an awareness of sustainable development. / You recognise how conflicting demands on the environment may arise and describe and compare sustainable and other approaches to managing environments. / You understand that many factors influence the decisions made about sustainable and other approaches to developing places and environments, and use this understanding to explain the resulting changes. / You analyse different approaches to developing places and environments sustainably and explain the causes and consequences of environmental change. You understand how the interaction between people and environments can result in complex and unintended changes. / You analyse different approaches to developing places and environments sustainably and explain the causes and consequences of environmental change. You understand how the interaction between people and environments can result in complex and unintended changes and know a range of ways to manage this over time. / You analyse different approaches to developing places and environments sustainably and explain the causes and consequences of environmental change. You understand how the interaction between people and environments can result in complex and unintended changes and know a range of ways to manage this over time. You understand why people may have different views towards this.
Skills and Enquiry / You can suggest suitable geographical questions, and use a range of geographical skills to help you investigate places and environments. / You can begin to suggest relevant geographical questions.
You can use appropriate investigation methods and use ways of presenting information. / You draw on your knowledge and understanding. You suggest relevant geographical questions and issues and appropriate sequences of investigation. You select a range of skills and sources of evidence and use them effectively in your investigations. You identify potential bias in sources. You present findings in a coherent way using appropriate methods and vocabulary and reach conclusions which are consistent with the evidence. / With growing independence, you draw on your knowledge and understanding to identify geographical questions and issues and establish your own sequence of investigation. You select and use accurately a wide range of skills. You evaluate sources of evidence critically, detect and respond to bias, present well-argued summaries of your investigations, use accurate geographical vocabulary and begin to reach substantiated conclusions. / Drawing on your knowledge and understanding, you show independence in identifying appropriate geographical questions and issues, and in using an effective sequence of investigation. You select a wide range of skills and use them effectively and accurately. You evaluate sources of evidence critically before using them in your investigations. You present full and coherently argued summaries of your investigations and reach substantiated conclusions. / You draw selectively on geographical ideas and theories, and use accurately a wide range of appropriate skills and sources of evidence. You carry out geographical investigations independently at different scales. You evaluate sources of evidence critically and present coherent arguments and effective, accurate and well-substantiated conclusions. / You draw selectively on geographical ideas and theories, and use accurately a wide range of appropriate skills and sources of evidence. You carry out geographical investigations independently at different scales. You evaluate sources of evidence critically and present coherent arguments and effective, accurate and well-substantiated conclusions. You critically reflect on and evaluate the potential and limitations of approaches and methods used both in and outside the classroom.