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Geography 

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Aims and Purpose:

 

KS3 Geography

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The National Curriculum states that Geography T&L should cover a range of topics, skills and experiences:

Knowledge of the location of globally significant places and defining key physical and human characteristics of these.

Geographical processes that give rise to physical and human features, and the interdependence of these

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  Students should embark on fieldwork to collect, analyse and communicate a range of data, as well as interpreting geographical sources/information such as diagrams, maps, aerial photographs and GIS.

Students should be able to develop the communication of geographical information in a range of ways - maps, numerical, quantitative skills and extended writing. 

Throughout KS3, Geography students will acquire an all-rounded education which will inspire them to be inquisitive and ask questions about the world around them. This will include knowledge of globally significant places around the world - location, physical and human characteristics as well as interdependence of these places. Students will go on a journey to be able to analyse information on key ideas, as well as synthesise evaluative approaches into these key issues. Students will also be able to make links with cross-curricular concepts, particularly mathematical skills in order to fully gauge global issues and concepts. 

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KS4 Geography

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From AQA: “Students will travel the world from their classroom, exploring case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), higher income countries (HICs), newly emerging economies (NEEs) and lower income countries (LICs). Topics of study include climate change, poverty, deprivation, global shifts in economic power and the challenge of sustainable resource use. Students are also encouraged to understand their role in society, by considering different viewpoints, values and attitudes”

Students at GCSE Geography build directly on their learning and knowledge acquisition of KS3. The two stages of education enable students to create ‘building blocks’ for a greater understanding of the world around them. The choice of AQA Geography is based around the variety that is offered, as well as breadth of study. The concept is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to go onto student A-level Geography; but should they choose not to, to have a solid Geographical education that they can take with them throughout their lives.

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Big Ideas and Future You's

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Big Ideas lessons are delivered at appropriate intervals for each year group and class, at the teachers discretion within that unit of study. Big ideas, where possible, link to future you’s and the curriculum being delivered, with the aim to enrich students minds and open up their understanding to geographical enquiry. It is our aim to deliver a wide range of future you’s to enable students to be exposed to a rich and diverse curriculum, inspiring them to perhaps take Geography beyond KS3 and KS3, but also to enable them to realise the importance and purpose of the subject.

Link to the current 2021-22 Big Ideas and Future You's

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Academic Literacy

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Academic Literacy is embedded systematically through KS3 and KS4. to enable students to build on their expert terminology in an eloquent way. Sometimes, key terms are taught specifically, where appropriate and where deemed necessary by the individual teacher for the specific needs of that class / groups of students. Throughout KS3 and into GCSE, our departmental aim is to build written and oracy skills to enable students to progress from low order to high order vocabulary and communication. This, in essence, follows Bloom's Taxonomy, where students' skills are developed to approach their writing and oral work to progress from describing-explaining-suggesting-analysing-assessing-evaluating. We aim for students to also develop their skills in being able to write and debate from different perspectives, for example ‘On the one hand… On the other hand… Someone else may think differently because...

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Revision & Review

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At Key Stage 3, students are equipped with a Knowledge Organiser on the unit of study. Tasks relating to this Knowledge Organiser are set as Revision and Review tasks, for example, learning key concepts, definitions or completing tasks from specified websites such as BBC Bitesize. 

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At Key Stage 4, students are equipped with a revision guide specific to AQA and tasks are set using this revision guide.