Geography

GCSE Options -Subjects - Geography

2008

GEOGRAPHY

Reasons to choose Geography:
Reasons 1-3
Reasons 4-6
Reasons 7-8
Course Content:
Content Year 10
Content Year 11

Geography is Going Places!!!

Welcome to Geography. These pages will show you how much fun and important GCSE Geography is. You already have a wide range of knowledge that you have gained from key stage 3. Now you can build upon these experiences and enjoy an academic, relevant and fun subject that is respected by employers as it provides you with the skills that will really aid you in the future.

If you work hard at GCSE Geography, you will do well.

GCSE Options -Subjects - Geography

2008

Here are 8 reasons why GCSE Geography is a must!!

1) Excellent Results!! Excellent Teachers!!

Geography has always produced excellent results at GCSE. Over the last two years we have enjoyed great success. We have also received excellent value added which measures the progress of individual students. No doubt that this is due to two simple factors. Excellent teachers and hardworking students. Together we will make an excellent team.

2) Interesting and relevant topics.

Throughout GCSE Geography we will look at many relevant and interesting topics. Migration into the UK, housing the poor in Brazil, the devastating effects of floods in Europe, the threat of global warming, why some countries are richer than others and the enormous devastation of earthquakes and volcanoes are just a few of the topics we study. So study actual events that are affecting us now - take geography.

3) Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

GCSE geography is assessed by what we called “Staged Assessment”. Unlike other subjects which are assessed by coursework followed by a final exam, Geography is assessed in three ways.

● Coursework which is worth 20% of the course.
● A Decision Making Exercise (DME) which is worth 30%. This is based on a pre-release booklet which you have 3 weeks to study before the exam in January (Year 11).
● One final exam in June which is worth 50%

So unlike other option subjects you gain 50% of your mark before you even get near the final exam.

GCSE Options -Subjects - Geography

2008

4) Fieldtrips

Geography is relevant now. Due to this we must see how it is operating in the field. Geography offers the only residential fieldtrip at Key Stage 4 where we visit North Wales. It’s great to see Geography in the flesh and is great fun too.

5) All abilities are catered for.

If you enjoy Geography you can take it. We have three levels of ability which enables all our students to succeed. So whatever your level you can succeed and do well.

“Teamwork is important”

6) Employers want Geography!!

Most employers want geography. It gives you the skills that are invaluable to the modern workplace.

● Written communication
● Planning and Organisation
● Flexibility
● Problem Solving
● Group work
● Initiative
● Numeracy
● ICT Skills

These are just a few of the skills that geography enhances.

GCSE Options -Subjects - Geography

2008

7) We do the most successful board.

We sit the OCR Syllabus C (Bristol Project) which gains the best results of all the geography courses. Yet again last year it gained the largest A*-C grades of any of the others.

8) You wont become the next Jade Goody or George Bush.

“We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."

George W. Bush (President of the USA)

Geography enhances your general knowledge. Many people cringe when world leaders like George Bush or TV Celebrities like Jade Goody don’t know where basic places are or realize that Eskimos don’t turn into “Ice-i-cubes”. Doing geography enhances your knowledge of the world around us.

GCSE Options -Subjects - Geography

2008

Course Content

Year 10

In Year 10 students study two topics. The first is Population and Settlement. In population we study the main impacts and problems that population has on our planet. By looking at the population explosion which has occurred over the last 100 years we look at how we have adapted to the challenges it presents. From ageing populations in the UK to Single Child Policy in China we look at the issues and solutions that beset an ever growing world. We also look at the contentious issue of Migration and explore peoples views on it. In settlement we look at what is happening in urban areas in the UK and around the world. We see how our own environments are changing and how poorer countries cope with ever growing cities. We also look at the problems of transport and the possible solutions that present themselves.

Will this be future?

How do we control the problem of traffic congestion?

We also look at the physical world. We study rivers and look at why flooding is the number one killer in the world in terms of deaths from natural disasters. We also explore the world of weather and climate and see how the climate has a direct influence on the vegetation of an environment. To illustrate this we look at the tropical rainforest and how they are under threat from human activity. We also look at the possibility of Global Warming and the effects it will bring to the world.

Flooding…..what are the effects?

Global Warming- Is this the future of our planet?

Year 11

In Year 11 we look at Economic Activity and Development. In this topic we see how the World’s biggest companies (Multinationals) control vast areas of the world’s resources and how conditions of work and levels of pay differ throughout the globe. We also look at why some countries are rich while others remain poor and what we can do to help.

Why are different regions of the world poorer than others?	Reebok- Does it contribute or prevent world poverty?

We finally look at Natural Hazards. We study hurricanes, volcanoes, flooding, earthquakes and drought and see how these terrible natural disasters have an effect on our planet and what we can do to stop them.

The fiery volcanoes of Iceland.

The destruction of the Kobe Earthquake 1995