Geography

Intent

At MEPA Academy we aim to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments.

Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

We aim to develop our students to:

Have an interest in the subject
Work with creativity and excellence
Have a safe platform for all students to explore and develop their skills
Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
Be competent in the geographical skills needed to collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

At Key Stage 3, Geography is delivered through Humanities. Pupils should consolidate and extend their knowledge of the world’s major countries and their physical and human features. They should understand how geographical processes interact to create distinctive human and physical landscapes that change over time.

In doing so, they should become aware of increasingly complex geographical systems in the world around them. They should develop greater competence in using geographical knowledge, approaches and concepts [such as models and theories] and geographical skills in analysing and interpreting different data sources.

Implementation

Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension. The curriculum is a progressive model. Subject and cross subject sequencing intends to develop schemata making subsequent learning possible.

Impact

In 2023, 100% of students received a grade 7 or above pass in GCSE Geography followed by 100% Grade 4 or above in 2024. Geography will help students understand the complexity and diversity of our world and the interrelationships between places and environments. Geography is a subject that provides students with knowledge and transferable skills that can spark your passion for the world. By the end of Key Stage 3 all students should have a good knowledge of where places are and what they are like. By the end of Key Stage 4 they will all have a good understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.

After GCSE students will be able to deal with complex geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills and use effective analytical and presentational techniques. Also, they will have the ability to reach clear conclusions and develop reasoned arguments to explain findings from their own fieldwork investigations.

We hope all students will have a passion for and commitment to the subject, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there. Students should have the ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment.

Examination

Paper 1: Living with the physical environment
Exam - 1 hour 30 minutes, 35% of course

Section A: The challenge of natural hazards
Students will identify what a natural hazard is, what types there are and the factors affecting hazard risk.
Section B: The living world
Students will learn how ecosystems exist at a range of scales and involve the interaction between biotic and abiotic components.
Section C: Physical landscapes in the UK
Students will gain an overview of the location of major upland/lowland areas and river systems

Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment
Exam - 1 hour 30 minutes, 35% of course

Section A: Urban issues and challenges
Students will analyse how urban growth creates opportunities and challenges for Low Income Countries and Newly Emerging Economies.
Section B: The changing economic world
Students will learn how there are global variations in economic development and quality of life.
Section C: The challenge of resource management
Students will understand how food, water and energy are fundamental to human development and their significance on economic and social well-being.

Paper 3: Geographical applications
Exam - 1 hour 15 minutes, 30% of course

Section A: Issue evaluation
Students will be issued with a resource booklet 12 weeks before the exam to enable them to work through the resources and become familiar with the material. This original resource booklet cannot be taken into the exam – a fresh copy will be given in the exam.
Section B: Fieldwork
Students will complete fieldwork in contrasting environments, eg. urban and coastal, and at least one will consider the interaction between human and physical geography. Fieldwork will be assessed in two ways in Paper 3. There will be questions based on unfamiliar fieldwork (using material from a resource booklet), and questions from the students’ own fieldwork. Students will need to demonstrate that they can: (1) Select a suitable question for geographical enquiry; (2) Select, measure and record data appropriate to the chosen enquiry; (3) Select appropriate ways of processing and presenting fieldwork data; (4) Describe, analyse and explain fieldwork data; (5) Reach conclusions; (6) Evaluate their geographical enquiry

How are students supported in Geography?

Students at MEPA Academy are supported through a range of reasonable adjustments personalised to the student. The reasonable adjustments include but are not exhaustive to: providing templates for graph, tables, grids to students, use of Pencil grips/Easy Writer pens and pencils, scribing for students, providing extra time, use of writing slope, effective and appropriate seating, directed questions, use of Rest/calm/movement breaks. Teachers use a range of reasonable adjustments for each student to maximise their opportunities to learn.

Extra Curricular and Enrichment

To Read

Malala Yousafzai (2013) ‘I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban’
David Attenborough (2009) ‘Life Stories’
Robert M Sapolsky (2002) ‘A Primate’s Memoir: Love, Death and Baboons in East Africa’
Alastair Bonnett (2014) ‘Unrult Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities and Other Inscrutable Geographies’
Khaled Hosseini (2013) ‘The Kite Runner’
Stay up-to-date and aware of current news events related to topics studied
BBC Bitesize (KS3 and GCSE)
BBC News
Ordnance Survey MapZone
National Geographic
Discovering Antartica
Porini
Farm Africa

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Awareness and Learning

Global knowledge, globalisation, migration, environmental protection, tourism and development, urban challenges globally and in London, the changing economic world globally and in the UK, global resource management and food resources.

Careers Related Learning

Careers education is entwined with the topics that we cover in Geography in all Key Stages. For each topic in each year suggested careers linked to that knowledge and / or skill is highlighted and discussions are facilitated by staff to discuss the real life application of this understanding and how it links to possible future careers.

From environmental consultancies to planning departments, geography can lead you into a variety of careers.

Geography opens up careers in a range of fields, including those in the education, commerce, industry, transport, tourism and public sectors. You’ll also have many transferable skills, attracting employers from the business, law and finance sectors.

Employers include: the Armed Forces, charities, the Civil Service, environmental consultancies, environmental protection agencies, information systems organisations, local government, Ministry of Defence, police service, private companies, utility companies.

Career ideas: architecture, business analyst, cartographer, data analyst, environmental consultant, Geographical Information Systems Officer, marketing, education, social researcher, town planner, construction manager, landscape architect, nature conservation, palaeontologist, meteorologist, political risk analyst, sustainability consultant, transport/logistics planner.