Geography | Priestlands School

Share
Add to Favourites
Twitter

Head of Department: Mr P Wagstaff

We aim to develop our students to have an interest in the world around us an appreciation of the natural environment and to take some responsibility for our geographical futures including the sustainability of the planet they are to inherit.

Pupils at Key Stage 3 (Years 7 and 8) will study a variety of topics that include physical, human and environmental geography. The geography department prides itself on the wide variety of teaching and learning styles that will engage all students. The key topics studied include:

Our Place- My Space
Gangsters Paradise? Crime in the community
Seaside Sensations
Jambo Africa
Summer Holiday
The Geography of My Stuff
The Italian Job
Blame it on the Weatherman
Risky World
If You Go down in the Woods
The Geography of Sport
Natural Wonders

ASSESSMENT

Each unit of work has a teacher assessed Learning Landmark where pupils will be awarded a National Curriculum Level and given targets on how to improve their level in order to reach their personal target. Mark schemes are shared with pupils and work is modelled to enable all students to achieve their best.

HOMEWORK

Pupils at KS 3 are given a variety of project-based work over a number of weeks that enhances the main theme being taught and encourages creativity and independence. Work has included “My Favourite place in a box”; Plan, Prepare, Protect against earthquakes; creature feature; Crime prevention in our community. Pupils are given the freedom to present their work in a wide variety of formats from role play, to movie making and modelling to posters and leaflets.

Year 9

Pupils are given the opportunity in Year 8 to opt for Geography, and they complete a foundation course for GCSE studying a variety of themes and practicing the skills that will be needed at GCSE. Topics include:

The Geography of Conflict
Enter the Dragon – the Rise and Rise of China
Issues in Geography – the geography of disease, human trafficking, the energy crisis
The Geographical Investigation

GCSE Geography begins in the Summer Term of Year 9.

Assessment is through a variety of means – including Learning Landmarks similar to those in Year 7 and 8 and a move toward GCSE tasks marked using the exam board criteria.

Homework develops again from the project based Key Stage 3 Home Studies to weekly set homework often involving independent research and analysis.