Geography throughout the school is taught by three specialist teachers. Most lessons are carried out in two centrally-located rooms, both of which are equipped with permanently installed TV, digital projectors/ smart boards plus extensive display boards. A staff work/storage area connects the rooms. Computers within the department are linked to the school’s network. There is a wide range of reference books and geographical equipment available to students.
The department aims to deliver the curriculum in an enthusiastic, dynamic and modern way and staff are encouraged to develop new resources alongside schemes of work. A variety of approaches are used within lessons in order to engage students and develop their geographic knowledge and skills.
In Years 7 to 9 Geography is a compulsory subject. At Key Stage Three, the scheme of work more than satisfies the requirements of the National Curriculum and aims to provide a wide range of factual knowledge and subject-specific skills. In Years 7 and 8 (1½ and 1 hour per week respectively), classes are 32 in size, whilst in Year 9 (1½ hours), they average 25.
At GCSE level, Geography is optional and is normally chosen by 75–80% of students, taught in three or four groups depending on numbers. Classes have two hours per week teaching time and AQA ‘Specification A’ is followed. Physical options include rivers, tectonics, and ice, whilst human options include settlement, globalisation and development. In addition, each candidate carries out a controlled assessment enquiry.
Within the sixth form forty to fifty students tend to select the subject at AS level and AQA ‘Specification A’ is followed. The vast majority of these go on to complete the A level. There are three classes in each of the Lower and Upper Sixth which all three members of the department share, teaching individual units of work. Each sixth form class receives five hours of teaching time per week. The department runs a Geography Society and each year a number of candidates are successful in their applications to read Geography or related subjects at university, and they receive guidance and support from subject staff.
Field study is an important and established feature of geography teaching with field work days in Years 8 and 10. A week-long residential trip is part of the AS course and the department runs a Geographical adventure trip every two years, most recently to Morocco.
In the last couple of years the department has been at the forefront of developing the school’s VLE learning platform and we have a comprehensive site providing support at home for a number of homework tasks (including links to a number of relevant geographic sites), an outline of the programme of study for the information of parents, students and others, and advice on controlled assessment.
J. LongshawHead of Geography