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Geography

We at The Hurst think that rather than read a list of what Geography is or
what Geographers do, try to imagine your life without Geography in it!

First of all, you would not really know where you are or understand the world around you or the issues that affect your life. You would never ask any questions about the physical world around you, such as "why did that happen?" or "how has that been made?"

You would probably never have the ambition to travel throughout the world and experience different cultures or crucially, to make a difference! Here, in the Geography department, we all strive to instil in the students that feeling of ambition and drive to succeed so that they truly know where they are and where they are going.

Key Stage 3

Geography is taught through a series of topics in years’ 7, 8 and 9. Students will study six topics per year, each approximately last half a term.

Geo 7

Geo 8

Geo 9

Key Stage 4

Students follow the AQA course. Students are expected to acquire a range of geographical knowledge and skills throughout their course. Learning is framed around 5 case studies and 18 examples.

Curriculum Structure

Students follow the AQA course. For a full outline of the topics covered download the course outline. Students are expected to acquire a range of geographical knowledge and skills throughout their course. Learning is framed around 5 case studies and 18 examples. Download the case study requirement document for the full list of the case studies and examples required.

Geo 10

Geo 11

Assessment

Assessment is 100% terminal exam. Pupils will take three exam papers at the end of Year 11 to determine their final grade. See the table below for a breakdown of the weightings for each paper.

Physical Geography	35%
Human Geography	35%
Decision making and Fieldwork Skills	30%

To prepare students for their exams, pupils will sit Mock exams. Mock exams will take place in the spring and summer terms of Year 10 and in the spring term of Year 11. In addition to these formal exams, teachers will assess pupils using a range of class tests and homework tasks.

Homework

Around an hour of homework will be set per week, linked to, but not limited to key words, research, case studies and revision.

How can I help my child improve?

There are many ways to support your child’s learning. Firstly, using the curriculum plan you could guide your child to relevant television programmes or literature. Encourage them to take an interest in wider geographical events by watching the news and reading a newspaper. They will find many relevant news articles that will relate to their case studies. You could also purchase a revision guide for them and set targets for them to read chapters.

We would also recommend the following book for additional reading, particularly for those students aiming to achieve grade 8 or 9 as there is a strong link between reading for pleasure and academic performance.

Prisoners of geography Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics