Geography

Introduction

Geography is everywhere!

We are keen to encourage geography activism through enquiry learning and fieldwork in KS3. We interrogate topical issues and world events through a moral framework. We see the awe of our Earth everywhere.

Contact details

Please contact the Head of Department for more information. A full teaching staff list can be found under 'About Us' 'Staff and Governance'.

Head of Department: Ms S Moris    Email: S.Moris@ccfplus.com

What your child will be learning (curriculum mapping)

To view the Curriculum Overview document, please click here. 

To view the modules studied each term, please click here. 

Aims and enrichment

Aims

To maintain and stimulate pupils’ interest and curiosity about the world and its people through an ambitious curriculum. To encourage pupils to become thoughtful and inquisitive about the environment in which they live. We aim to challenge pupils to 'think like geographers' whilst developing their locational and place knowledge, understanding of environmental, physical and human geography processes, and fieldwork skills.

Enrichment

External speakers have deepened and broadened understanding of the syllabus.

The Geography department are committed to providing opportunities to enhance learning outside the classroom through fieldwork. For example, Year 7 investigate sustainability their local school environment. Year 8 investigate school ecosystems. Finally Year 9 begin to embed key skills for GCSE by completing fieldwork on the quality of life in the local area. GCSE fieldwork is always hugely popular; every year we take the entire cohort to Walton-on-the-Naze.

The Geography Department runs the popular 'Climate Council'. The Climate Council was founded by students who were keen to make changes to some of the school’s practices in order to help CCF become an official Eco school. The members of the club use this time to come up with projects to reduce our carbon footprint and increase our sustainability as individuals but also as a community. We work with members of the 6th form, governors and local council to create meaningful and long-lasting change such as introducing recycling bins, producing metal water bottles and plans to create a nature garden. All of the projects are imagined, planned and executed by the students with the support of staff when needed. This council will help students to better understand our relationship with the environment and how we can protect our Earth. By exploring these big ideas in a supportive group, students can grow in confidence and develop excellent skills to use when they start applying for jobs (project management, budgeting and presentation skills to name a few).

Key stage 3

At KS3 students are given the opportunity to explore and establish new geographical skills to enable application at KS4. Recent topics such as the Qatar World Cup, conservation in Antarctica and the real Slum Dog are examples of our enriching curriculum. We aim to take students on fieldwork in every year at KS3 in order to build knowledge and understanding and further support classroom learning. 

Year 7

Year 7 Autumn 1: UK and map work

Autumn 2: Antarctica

Spring 1: Physical processes

Spring 2: Weather and climate

Summer 1: Sustainability and fieldwork

Summer 2: Russia

Year 8

Autumn 1: Ecosystems and fieldwork

Autumn 2: Brazil Human geography case study

Spring 1: Middle East

Spring 2: Development S

Summer 1: Coasts

Summer 2: Africa

Year 9

 Autumn 1: Population

Autumn 2: Malawi

Spring 1: Megacities

Spring 2: Hazards

Summer 1: Haiti

Summer 2: Quality of life - fieldwork

Key stage 4

Exam Board: Edexcel

Geography is the subject of our times. It is inherently multi-
disciplinary in a world that increasingly values people who have
the skills needed to work across the physical and social sciences.
The subject encourages ways of seeing and thinking that make
geographers eminently employable.
-From the Guardian Editorial August 2015

Course outline including units/percentage of GCSE

Paper 1 Global Geographical Issues – 37.5%
A combination of structured and longer answers to assess three topics. These
are:

• Hazardous Earth – Atmosphere and Climate, Tectonics.
• Development Dynamics – Inequalities studying the developing world.
• Challenges of an Urbanising World – A detailed study of megacities

Paper 2 UK Geographical Issues – 37.5%

Questions with a skills focus on the UK’s evolving physical and human
landscape. This paper will also assess geographical enquiry through two
fieldwork trips carried out in contrasting locations.

Paper 3 People and the Environment – 25%
This paper will focus on geographical problem solving and decision making.
This will be done through three topics:

• People and the Biosphere
• Forests under Threat
• Energy Supply

What careers and future pathways can this subject lead to?

Geography combines well with both arts and science subjects, therefore it keeps many options open for future study and careers. The subject provides a
foundation for careers in sustainability, urban regeneration, energy supply, environmental consultancy and planning. However, it also provides the
inspiration and theoretical grounding for careers in international development and relations, politics, human rights and the future management of changing
climate and global issues. Geographers are the most employable university graduates after medical students.

A good grade in GCSE Geography shows you have sound analytical skills, which are highly respected by employers and universities.