Geography

Geography

Head of Department: Mrs F Garland

Second in Department: Miss L Dabbs

Geography Teachers: Mrs R Lanchester and Mrs L McNeill


Department Aims
Our Geography department aims to foster students' interest, awe and wonder in the world around them. We want students to see Geography as a relevant, important and interesting subject. We aim to deepen students’ sense of environmental stewardship, moral values and awareness of their responsibility to one another as members of our local, national & global communities. We aim to develop students understanding into the direction that Geography can take them within their future career paths, combining that with their spiritual development to compel them to take action to build a better world for all.

The SJP Geography department we would like all our students to enjoy their lessons and thrive within their learning. We strive to develop students who are: resilient, principled, reflective, critical thinkers, knowledgeable, inquisitive, confident, empathetic, responsible  and team players.

Please click here to see our curriculum road map poster outlining all the topics currently taught from Years 7 through to Year 13 – SJP Geography Curriculum Road Map

 

Key Stage Three (Years 7-9)
We have designed a concept and enquiry lead curriculum, to enable students to develop fundamental understanding of Geographical concepts, that they will hopefully build on between different topics. We have aimed to embed the teaching of Geographical skills throughout the topics, as well as provide a career spotlight in each topic and a reflection activity linking each topic to our Catholic Social Teaching Principles. In each year group there will be an opportunity to take part in a fieldwork enquiry and a decision-making exercise (DME). Assessments are designed to be similar in style to GCSE to enable students to begin understanding the language of assessments and therefore, making progress with these skills too.

Please click here to see a break down of the topics and skills taught across each year of key stage three – Key Stage Three Curriculum Map

 

Key Stage Four (Years 10 and 11)
We have chosen to study the fantastic, enquiry led OCR B GCSE Geography specification ‘Geography for Enquiring Minds’, splitting Geography into both human and physical topics throughout the two years. There are three exam papers at the end of Year 11, one human geography, one physical geography and one decision making. Geographical skills (maps, graphs, numeracy) are assessed across all exam papers and will be taught alongside relevant content. Fieldwork is a compulsory aspect of GCSE Geography and students are expected to take part in two trips, one physical geography trip and one human geography trip. As compulsory curriculum trips, these trips are currently planned as local, low-cost day trips so they are accessible for all students. The fieldwork enquiry is not written up as coursework, (there is no coursework) it is examined in the

two human and physical geography exam papers. GCSE Geography is very popular at SJP and this is a demonstration of how much students have enjoyed the subject at Key Stage Three. Please click here to access the OCR B GCSE Geography specification to read more about the course - GCSE - Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1) - J384

 

Key Stage Five (Years 12 and 13)
We have chosen to study the OCR A-Level course. This feeds on beautifully from the OCR B GCSE course, therefore really enabling students to achieve well on this course. As with the GCSE, there are three exam papers; a human geography paper, a physical geography paper and a geographical debates paper, all of which have a mixture of short answer questions and longer essays. A-Level Geography has some prescribed topics (coasts, changing places, earths life support systems and global connections), however there is more optionality of topic choice, therefore we have been able to select topics such as global migration, human rights, geography of disease and global hazards as our chosen optional topics. A-Level Geography also has a Non-Examined Assessment (NEA), which is an independent fieldwork investigation worth 20% of the final A-Level grade. To support the NEA process, there is a requirement that A-Level Geography students complete 4 days of fieldwork. We currently visit the brilliant Geography Fieldwork Academy in Southwold, in the summer term of Year 12 to help support our students with their Independent Fieldwork Investigation.

Please click here to access the OCR A-Level Geography specification to read more about the course - AS and A Level - Geography - H081, H481

Please click here to access the Geography Fieldwork Academy website to read more about the fieldwork and NEA support they offer - Geography Fieldwork Academy

 

Fieldtrips and enrichment trips
Fieldwork is a fundamental part of being a Geographer, hence there is one fieldwork topic in most year groups. We are always looking to develop further opportunities to learn outside the classroom and our fieldwork provision is constantly evolving. Below is a list of our current fieldwork opportunities:

Year 7 – School based fieldwork (human geography)

Year 8 – School based fieldwork (physical geography)

Year 9 – Homework fieldwork – the local impacts of globalisation in Chelmsford

Year 10 – Physical Geography fieldwork at Walton-on-the-Naze, Human Geography fieldwork in Chelmsford

Year 12 – Stratford fieldwork (1 day) and Southwold Fieldwork (3 days)

Fieldwork is part of the required curriculum in Geography, hence trips are local to keep the costs down and be inclusive for all students.

We are really excited to be in the process of planning a non-compulsory enrichment trip to Iceland for GCSE and A-Level Geography students. This will support their learning in a range of Geography topics (coasts, rivers, geology, plate tectonics/volcanoes/earthquakes, tourism, energy production etc…), as well as instil a sense of

awe and wonder in our world by visiting such an amazing place, so different from where we live. It is also a fantastic experience to help students grow in their personal and social development.


Supporting your child in Geography

The best way to support your child in Geography is to nurture an inquisitive mind and stimulate an interest in the world around them. Discuss current news events with them (local and global).

When on day trips/holidays, use maps to help them develop their sense of place. Question why things are the way they are and how the impacts of different phenomena upon people and places.

Purchase them a map of the UK and a world map for their bedroom wall. Mark on important places known to them and other places they have links/connections/ interests in. You can purchase these often at budget supermarkets, high street retailers such as Waterstones and online.

It is important to help your child become organised with their school equipment and books. Regularly checking Satchel One with them to help them organise their time with completing their homework and revision is also extremely helpful.

Providing your child with a well-stocked pencil case is helpful in Geography, as things such as a ruler, colour pencils and a calculator are often needed when teaching Geographical skills.

Below is a list of useful websites that you can look at with your child to help with homework/revision/extension on knowledge:

St John Payne Catholic School
Patching Hall Lane
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 4BS

For general enquiries please contact the main school office.

Tel: (01245) 256030
Email: office@sjp.essex.sch.uk

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