Geography

GCSE Geography at Sirius has two main aims; to make the student’s successful learners and confident individuals. This will be done through a variety of engaging and exciting topics, which will concentrate on the student’s as global citizens with an emphasis on human, physical and environmental topics. Students will have the opportunity to understand more about their world, the challenges it faces and their place within it. The GCSE course will deepen understanding of geographical processes, illuminate the impact of change and of complex people-environment interactions, highlight the dynamic links and interrelationships between places and environments at different scales, and develop students’ competence in using a wide range of geographical investigative skills and approaches.

Students will build on their key stage 3 knowledge to:

• Develop and extend their knowledge of locations, places, environments and processes (at different scales)
• Gain an understanding of the interactions between people and the environment and the changes and interrelationships which occur.
• Develop and extend skills in fieldwork and GIS.
• Apply geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to real world context including fieldwork.

Subject Overview:

Year 10

The Living World

• Ecosystems exist at a range of scales and involve the interaction between biotic and abiotic components. Distinctive characteristics and issues in ecosystems will be studied.

River landscapes in the UK

• A closer look at the distinctive fluvial landforms which result from different physical processes and the management strategies

Urban Issues and Challenges (LIC)

• Living in an urbanised world has its major challenges and students will have the opportunity to look at the challenges cities are faced with due to the ever-growing population. Urban sustainability is also a key concept to be discussed.

Urban Issues and Challenges (HIC)

• Living in an urbanised world has its major challenges and students will have the opportunity to look at the challenges cities are faced with due to the ever-growing population. Urban sustainability is also a key concept to be discussed.

Coastal landscapes in the UK

• A detailed look at the distinctive Holderness Coast and the landforms created through the rock type and physical processes.

Fieldwork/Geographical Applications

• Consolidation of geographical skills.

Year 11

Resource Management

• The changing demand for energy and resources in the UK and globally and how it creates opportunities and challenges for the population. A focus on sustainability.

Changing Economic World

• Global variations in economic development and quality of life is a controversial issue and the strategies, which exist to reduce the gap, is important globally.

Revision

• Revision of key themes identified through student voice and examination analysis.

Why is our Earth so unstable?

• A look at our dynamic earth and how natural hazards pose major risks to people and property.

Pre-Release Material

• Exam board pre-release preparation.

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision and aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves. The geography curriculum at Sirius Academy West is engaging and relevant and every student no matter their starting point are challenged and supported.

Our geography curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills and discreet vocabulary progression also form part of the units of work.

We pride ourselves on quality first teaching with a strong team of geographers who aim to deliver an up to date curriculum where all students can access the content and have the opportunity to succeed.

The world in which we live is likely to change more in the next 50 years than it has ever done before. Geography explains why, and helps to prepare you for those changes. The transferable skills for life-long learning which geography fosters are an asset in the complex world of employment today. Geography is about the future and encourages flexible thinking.

Geography tackles the big issues:

• Environmental responsibility
• Our global interdependence
• Cultural understanding and tolerance
• Commerce, trade and industry.

Geography is highly regarded by employers and it is the only subject that crosses both the arts and sciences and is a huge growth area in the job market. The job market has become increasingly competitive and international. However, the transferable knowledge and skills developed by studying geography are actively sought out by employers allowing graduate geographers to consistently experience lower than average levels of unemployment. Geography graduates are currently less likely to be unemployed than graduates who have studied other degrees.

There are many amazing and exciting jobs related to the study of geography, geographers enter a wide range of career areas and put simply there is no such thing as a geography job, just jobs that geographers do.

Some examples of jobs are:

• Town Planning
• Travel and tourism
• Teaching
• Retail
• Management
• Transport
• Financial services
• Cartographer
• Commercial/residential surveyor
• Environmental consultant
• Geographical information systems officer
• Planning and development surveyor
• Data Quality officer
• Commercial/residential surveyor
• Environmental consultant
• Geographical information systems officer
• Planning and development surveyor

There are many famous people who have studied Geography, the Duke of Cambridge, Mother Teresa and Michael Palin are a few examples. Others include Immanuel Kant, the philosopher; Alexander von Humboldt, the naturalist and explorer; Hugh Dennis, the comedian; and television presenter Chris Tarrant.

Top athletes have also graduated in the subject, including Michael Jordan, the basketball player; Olympic gold medal-winning rowers Sir Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell; and former England rugby player Rob Andrew.

Anita Roddick, the founder of the Body Shop, and David Harvey, the geographer and anthropologist, also hold degrees in the subject.