Key Stage 4
GCSE students follow the AQA course.
​Exam board website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography
Year 10
We begin GCSE with a look at all the dangerous natural hazards that threaten our planet. From the earthquakes and volcanoes that shake our land to the tropical storms and extreme weather events that occur in our atmosphere. As well as, the history of the planet’s climate, and how human-led climate change in recent times is impacting the world as we know it and we will investigate strategies to minimise the risk.
Next, we move onto look at the recent increase in people living in urban areas. Last decade, for the first time in history, over 50% of the global population live in an urban area. The process of urbanisation and the rise of the megacities is changing the shape of our planet and creating many new challenges and opportunities that our geographers will study, with a comparative focus on London and Lagos, Nigeria.
Next up we look at our living world, from the small ecosystems of the UK to the rainforests of South America and the cold environments of the polar and tundra regions we look at the characteristics of these environments and the impacts humans are having on them.
Finally in Year 10, we complete an in-depth study of the physical processes that have shaped the UK both at the coast and in river valleys. Students find out about the unique landforms these processes cause and again link this to the actions of people and look at how we might manage the risks associated with coastal erosion and flooding moving forward.
Year 11
Year 11 starts with a look at how the economic world is changing, both in the UK and further afield. We examine the past, to help us discover more about the future of the development of places. Students will examine the development gap and consider approaches to narrow this divide, before looking at a case study of a Newly Emerging Economy, Nigeria and the opportunities and challenges that growing investment in this nation has created.
The final unit of the GCSE course concerns the key resources of food, energy and water. Initially, we investigate the differences in supply and consumption of these resources on a global scale, before moving on to analyse the supply of these resources in the UK, and the key issues associated with this. We then turn our attention to energy on a global scale and look at reasons why some countries possess energy security and others insecurity, and the impact that this has on the development and quality of life of a nation. Finally, we look at large- and small-scale projects aimed at increasing energy security of countries.
In the final term, we will receive a pre-release document from the exam board that concerns a Geographical issue (in the past this has been on themes including: building a road in the Amazon rainforest and construction of a new reservoir in Oxfordshire), students study the information in class and are then assessed on this knowledge within Paper 3.
Another key element of the Geography course is fieldwork. Currently, students complete 2 investigations in Skegness during their fieldtrip which usually takes place towards the end of Year 10. We complete all elements of the investigation process, creating hypotheses, collecting data, presenting data, drawing conclusions and evaluating the success of the investigation. Again, their fieldwork knowledge will be assessed in Paper 3.
Course structure
- Paper 1: Physical Geography – 1 hour 30 minutes (worth 35%)
- Paper 2: Human Geography – 1 hour 30 minutes (worth 35%)
- Paper 3: Fieldwork and skills – 1 hour 30 minutes (worth 30%)
Course rationale from exam board
This popular course offers:
- Engaging and topical content
- A stimulating blend of traditional and contemporary Geography to suit students of all abilities
- The study of physical and human Geography in discrete, self-contained topic areas
- A focus on physical processes and factors that produce diverse and dynamic landscapes over time.
- Study of this course will give students of all backgrounds the opportunity to develop:
- Communication skills
- Graphical and cartographical skills
- Technological skills including ICT and GIS
- Interpersonal skills through debate and discussion
- Literacy and numeracy skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Entrepreneurial skills and awareness of career possibilities