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Geography |
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Staff within the department |
Mrs A Philipson - NET Director of Humanities Miss J Horsburgh - Teacher of Geography Miss G Steggall - Teacher of Geography Mr D Tucker - Vice Principal |
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Subject overview |
The Geography department is staffed by both physical and human geography specialists. Geography equips students with the knowledge and skills that help them to understand our dynamic planet. |
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Key Stage 3 overview |
During Key Stage 3 Geographers at Thorp Academy are introduced to the skills, knowledge and understanding to help equip them for KS4. Students in Year 7 and in Year 8 have two lessons per week with their Geography teacher. In Year 7, students begin by learning key geographical skills which they will take with them throughout their time at secondary school. Following their skills unit they are exposed to physical geography units covering topics such as climate and climate change, tropical storms, river and coastal environments and ecosystems. In Year 8, students study a range of both human and physical geography units. Topics include tectonics and tectonic hazards, urban environments and the geography of global conflict. Students also study a geographical enquiry where they must use their knowledge to make a decision on a geographical issue and/or question. |
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Key Stage 4 overview |
At Thorp Academy there is a natural progression from KS3 into GCSE. We follow the AQA 9-1 specification. The course is linear and exam based; this means students sit all of their exams at the end of the three year course:
Topics we study include: The Living World, Physical Landscapes in the UK, Challenge of Natural Hazards, Urban Issues and Challenges, The Changing Economic World and The Challenge of Resource Management. Throughout the units of work students are encouraged to make links between each one and to examine the battles between the man-made world and the natural world. Students will learn how to problem solve and how to think critically about contemporary geographical issues. In addition to this, geography students will also take part in two geographical enquiries where they will have two days of local fieldwork across Year 9 and Year 10. |
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Key Stage 5 overview |
A-Level Geography will continue to build on students' human and physical geography knowledge. Topics that students study include: Water and Carbon Cycles, Glacial Systems and Landscapes, Hazards, Changing Places, People and the Environment and Global Systems and Global Governance. Students will understand very quickly how integrated geography is within itself; all units overlap in some way. Students will learn how to recognise, analyse and evaluate these links. Students at A-Level will attend four days of fieldwork throughout their two year course where they will investigate both human and physical geography. Fieldwork at A-Level is different to GCSE in that students work independently. Students work on their own to contextualise and analyse their work to produce an independent investigation with an individual title that demonstrates required fieldwork knowledge, skills and understanding. |
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SUBJECT |
STEPS 1 |
STEPS 2 |
STEPS 3 |
STEPS 4 |
STEPS 5 |
STEPS 6 |
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Year 7 |
Map Skills |
My Local Area |
Weather and Climate |
Tropical Storms |
Coastal Environments |
Ecosystems |
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Year 8 |
Mt Everest |
Tectonic Hazards |
Urbanisation |
India |
Geography of Conflict |
Geographical Enquiry |
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Year 9 |
The Living World |
The Living World |
UK Physical Landscapes |
UK Physical Landscapes |
Challenge of Natural Hazards |
Geographical enquiry (Fieldwork) |
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Year 10 |
Challenge of Natural Hazards |
The Changing Economic World |
The Changing Economic World |
Urban Challenges |
Urban Challenges |
Geographical enquiry (Fieldwork) |
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Year 11 |
Challenge of Resource Management |
Challenge of Resource Management |
Revision |
Revision |
Issue Evaluation |
Study Leave |
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Revision Resources |
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