Geography

Geography Curriculum Narrative  

‘[we need a] greater understanding of the natural world, the way it works and what is needs if it is to continue to survive’ David Attenborough 

Our Earth is a complex planet, which is constantly changing and evolving in response to human and physical processes. We aim to develop students’ knowledge of our planet and encourage them to become curious about the world around them and what impact we all have on it. Throughout their time at Harris Greenwich, students will explore our planet through the key principles of Geography: human and physical processes, climate, location, development and sustainability.  Throughout Geography we will encourage our students to become critical thinkers. They will gain tools to be able to analyse facts and make logical connections between different fields of Geography. This will encourage students to develop a questioning attitude and use their knowledge to make informed judgements on a range of local and global issues, such as climate change, issues within urban environments and sustainability.   

 

Key Stage 3 

The Key Stage 3 Geography curriculum has been designed based on location, where topics are taught in relation to distinct environments and then within a variety of places of our planet. This is to ensure everything can be drawn together into a cohesive whole. We are aware that in the modern age, media and popular culture has a direct impact on our view of place in the world, so our curriculum aims to provide students with knowledge that will prevent our students having a one-dimensional view of a location.  

 
Year 7 

Students start their geographical journey by developing locational knowledge, to make sense of the world in which they live.  These maps are crucial as they allow students to begin to understand places, patterns and physical differences in environments. The polar environment of Antarctica is our first topic. This remote region has wondered Geographers for years and is out of reach for many. Students will explore the physical wonders of this land, as well as how human processes are now more than ever negatively impacting the southernmost continent.  

In Term 2, students will learn about the Northeast African nation of Sudan. Students explore this contrasting environment through the use of photograph analysis, global lines of latitude and climate graphs. Sudan will introduce students to the key concepts of development and resource management, as well as a focus on how both human and physical processes can change the landscape of a country.  

To look at an area of contrasting development, students will finish their study by exploring the most populous country in the world; China. As China is emerging as a global economy, it is imperative students are aware of the industries within China, as well as how physical processes such as tectonic activity, could alter the future of the next superpower.  Throughout the course of KS3, students will also learn how China is now one of the world’s major trading partners, overtaking the USA and exerting its influence on typically Western landscapes.  

 

Year 8 

In Year 8, students have time to study in detail how physical processes have shaped the landscape of the UK over tens of thousands of years. For a small island nation, the UK is a perfect country to study in relation to coastal, river and glaciated landscapes and how these factors have influenced settlements and growth of urban environments overtime. Due to the breadth of the topic, students will have multiple opportunities to develop their map skills, with specific focus on grid references, contour lines and scale on Ordnance Survey Maps. Within the topic of the UK, students will not develop a London-centric view, instead they will explore the Scottish Highlands, the impact of deindustrialisation within South Wales and the future of renewable energy along the Sefton Coast. Students will also develop their analytical skills through exploring the possible future of the UK, considering the changes in its industrial and political policies.  

In contrast to the UK, pupils will learn about one of the most biodiverse locations on Earth and also the largest country in South America; Brazil. Throughout this topic, students will be encouraged to compare the geography of Brazil to that of the UK. Like China, Brazil is one of the main developing nations and even though their wealth was gained in a different way, students will decipher how this also produced socio-economic challenges, as well as opportunities. An example of this is through the estimated one quarter of Brazil’s population who live within favelas, a form of informal settlement. Students will also explore aspects of sustainability and physical processes by being able to explain how plants, animals and indigenous tribes have adapted to living in this ecological paradise.  

 

Year 9 

Year 9 begins with a focus on the Middle East. The Middle East is often portrayed in recent history as a region of contested borders, separated by geography and religion, where oil is its most valuable commodity and war is rife. But by the end of this unit, students will be able to describe how and why there has been a shift from traditional lifestyles around the Persian Gulf, to modern day settlements and how the West has influenced typical Arabian life. Students will explore and critically analyse the impacts of having vast reserves of oil and gas and enquire if the Middle East will fall to the natural resource curse, or if it will be able to develop tertiary industries, such as tourism and host world-renowned events.   

In Term 2, students will learn about an area which has, and continues to, experience rapid economic development; the USA. As the world’s only superpower and an area of cultural familiarity, our topic of the USA intends to expose students to the global influence of the USA, its agricultural and technology industries and distinctive physical landscape, as well as socio-economic issues that do not always reach the news.  Building upon their foundational knowledge of tectonic hazards, students will also learn about supervolcanoes and analyse the impacts an eruption would have spatially.  

The final topic at KS3 is fieldwork. Fieldwork is an essential aspect of geographical study. It requires that students undertake learning outside of the classroom and develop an understanding of the interaction between physical and human geography. Students begin their fieldwork enquiry by developing the ability to describe different forms of data, methods and risks with undertaking fieldwork. Students will have a range of opportunities to collect appropriate data, before justifying their selected presentation technique and analysing their findings. The study of fieldwork gives students the opportunity to extend their geographical understanding by relating their learning to real experiences.  

 

Key Stage 4   

‘In different parts of the planet, different geographical features are among the dominant factors in determining what people can and cannot do’ Tim Marshall  

For students who want to continue to develop their understanding and aid their curiosity of the world around them, GCSE Geography will support this by building on their core knowledge and skills gained in KS3. The two-year course will expose students to real issues and the human and physical forces which shape and change our fascinating world. 

In Year 10, students will build upon their foundational geographical knowledge by focusing on Paper 1 topics of ‘Living with the Physical Environment’. This knowledge will become concrete, with typical use of geographical skills before applying those skills to other circumstances, areas and concepts in Year 11. In Year 11, students will continue to develop their understanding of the world through Paper 2 topics, which focus on ‘Challenges in the Human Environment’. Some of the knowledge covered in Year 11 is abstract and this will allow students to become inquisitive and to develop their critical thinking skills beyond their case studies.  

The purpose of paper three is to provide students with an opportunity to show their breadth of understanding of geography as a discipline. Students will be able to draw together knowledge, understanding and skills and apply this to a range of scenarios. This will allow students to not only make well-reasoned arguments about the issues faced today, but to embark on two successful fieldwork opportunities to physical and human environments.   

 

Year 10 

In Year 10, students will learn about ‘Living with the Physical Environment’. This unit begins by understanding the physical processes that create some of the world’s most dangerous hazards and allows for a discussion over the impacts they have on a range of scales and locations. The course continues to examine a range of fragile environments, which were interdependent ecosystems that are now heavily influenced by the presence and actions of humans. Physical landscapes in the UK are re-visited, building upon the foundational knowledge gained in KS3.  

Throughout this year, global issues such as: climate change, sustainable management of rainforests and desertification will be covered. This will allow students to make decisions on how to sustainably manage landscapes for future generations. In addition, geographical skills are used to locate, describe and compare contrasting environments.  

 

Year 11 

In Year 11, students tackle aspects of current human geography, with a large focus on local and international urban change. Around 200 years ago, only 1 in 30 people lived in urban areas. Today, more than half of the world’s population – almost 4 billion people – live in towns and cities. By the end of the century, more people could be living in urban spaces than are alive today. Our urban landscape is constantly changing, but these spaces that are illuminated for 24 hours a day, provide us with new challenges and opportunities to explore and solve. 

This unit begins by exploring global urban trends, through the lenses of two contrasting, yet developing cities of London in England and Lagos in Nigeria. Students will uncover how even areas that are continents apart, do still experience similar urban issues and are open to an array of opportunities due to their growth and international links. We then move on to look at the ever-changing socio-economic development of the world. This global change brings great improvement to quality of life, but also exposes countries who are struggling to close the gap caused by uneven development. Students will develop their critical analysis skills by learning ways in which to tackle development issues by revisiting West Africa’s most powerful nation – Nigeria – and then the disparities found within the UK.  

 

Paper 1 Topics: 

1. The Challenge of Natural Hazard 

2. The Living World 

3. Physical Landscapes in the UK (Rivers and Coasts)  

Paper 2 Topics: 

1. Urban Issues and Challenges 

2. Changing Economic World 

3. The Challenge of Resource Management (Water) 

Paper 3 Topics: 

1. Unseen Fieldwork 

2. Fieldwork (Physical and Human) 

3. Issue Evaluation  

 

Key Stage 5 

‘Now more than ever, we need to connect the dots between climate, poverty, energy, food and water. These issues cannot be addressed in isolation’ Ban Ki-moon 

A-Level Geography presents students with the opportunity to build on knowledge and skills acquired in KS3 and KS4. They will be provided with tools to explore new issues and develop greater awareness of the influences on environments. The content covered in KS5 has been sequenced cognitively to build up understanding of core knowledge, statistics skills and analysis to allow for synoptic links to be interleaved and to promote greater progression towards final exams.  

The overarching aim of A-Level Geography is for students to develop a secure knowledge of locations, places, processes and environments, at all geographical scales from local to global. Throughout their course of study, they will be able to analyse the interactions between people and the environment and then explain how these underpin the key issues facing the world today, as well as how geographical issues affect them as students.  

Our students will express understanding of the following key core concepts of causality, systems, equilibrium, feedback, inequality, representation, identity, globalisation, interdependence, sustainability, risk, resilience and mitigation and adaptation. Through a selection of core and elective units, our powerful and broad curriculum will equip students with the ability to analyse the ways in which values, attitudes and circumstances have an impact on the relationships between people and the environment. 

Students will conduct their own individual piece of fieldwork, so they can generate knowledge about the real world. This study will be important to the wider geographical world as it not only allows students to research an area of Geography that is fascinating to them, it also provides an opportunity for students to become skilled at planning, undertaking and evaluating fieldwork in appropriate situations. In addition to this, the A-Level course has been designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to undertake a variety of career opportunities post Sixth Form. For example, students could undertake a degree in a geographical field of their choosing. This could be a BSc in Physical Geography, or an undergraduate study based in Environmental Science, Urban Planning or Quantity Surveying, as the content learnt, and skills developed are transferable to a variety of sectors and areas of industry. On the other hand, A-Level Geography lends itself to careers within the police force or local councils, such as within the planning and development sectors, or to become a geographical information systems officer.  

 

Year 12 

1. Global Systems and Governance 

2. Water and Carbon Cycles 

3. Changing Places 

4. Contemporary Urban Environments 

 
 

Year 13 

1. Hazards 

2. Coastal Systems  

3. Geography Fieldwork Investigation (NEA)