What topics will my child study? 

In Year 7 students work to create their own atlas of the world and will study every region. They will develop their locational and place knowledge as well as using an atlas in every lesson. At the end of the year there is a unit on Ordnance Survey maps that is focused on Cirencester and the surrounding area.

1. Global geographical features
2. Europe
3. Asia
4. Africa
5. North and South America
6. Australasia, the Pacific, the Arctic and the Antarctic
7. Ordnance Survey map skills

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?

Students will be able to locate the 7 continents and 5 oceans. They will know the location of key geographical features and countries.

They will also develop their knowledge of place. They will know key facts about important countries and how they relate to each other.

Learning how to use maps is a key focus and atlases and OS maps are used extensively during the year.

What homework will they get?

In Year 7 Geography homework is based around retrieval. There are a variety of tasks that are used to test locational and place knowledge as well as map skills.

How will they be assessed in Geography?

There is a baseline assessment at the start of the year. This allows the teacher to find out the knowledge and skills that students possess as they start at Kingshill.

Throughout the year there are regular in class recall tests that focus on location, place and process knowledge. Geographical skills, such as map skills, graphical skills, the use of photographs and statistical skills are also tested.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?

• Encourage them to complete homework and repeat it if they score less than 90%.
• The focus in Year 8 is the United Kingdom and being able to relate the work done in class to events happening in the real world (for example, extreme weather) is one of the best ways to help students see the relevance of the subject. Encourage them to watch the news and be aware of current affairs. These will frequently be discussed in class when there is a link to the topics studied.
• Discuss what has been studied in Geography and link it to your experiences. This can be in almost any way, for example places you have visited or relatives that live abroad.

What topics will my child study? 

In Year 8 the students study a range of topics covering environmental, physical and human geography. The geography of the United Kingdom will be the main context for this year but there are opportunities to study the wider world. Students will draw upon the location and place knowledge gained in Year 7 and further improve their geographical skills.

1. Introduction to the United Kingdom
2. Physical landscapes of the United Kingdom
3. People in the United Kingdom
4. Weather and climate in the United Kingdom
5. The living world – ecosystems
6. Work, rest and play in the United Kingdom

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?

Students will have a thorough understanding of the physical and human geography of the United Kingdom. They will also understand the links between these two geographies, for example, how the landscape of the UK affects the distribution of towns and cities. The unit on the living world allows students to place the UK’s ecosystem in a global context and prepares them for the more global perspective in Year 9.

Map skills are important and the students are given regular opportunities to maintain the skills gained in Year 7. In addition students will use data and statistics to provide evidence for conclusions and take part in decision making exercises.

What homework will they get?

In Year 8 Geography homework is based around retrieval. There are a variety of tasks that are used to test the knowledge gained during the year. Some of these retrieval activities will refer back to work covered in Year 7.

How will they be assessed in Geography?

Throughout the year there are regular in class recall tests that focus on location knowledge, place knowledge, knowledge of geographical processes and map skills.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?

• Encourage them to complete homework and repeat it if they score less than 90%.
• Encourage them to watch the news and be aware of current affairs, particularly international events. These will often be discussed in class when there is a link to the places studied.
• Discuss what has been studied in Geography and link it to your experiences. This can be in almost any way, for example places you have visited or relatives that live abroad.

What topics will my child study? 

In Year 9 the students study a range of topics covering environmental, physical and human geography. The perspective in Year 9 is global and some of the biggest issues and challenges facing humanity are studied. Students will draw upon the knowledge gained in Year 7 and 8 and further improve their geographical skills.

1. World cities
2. The physical world: earthquakes and volcanoes
3. The geography of resources
4. Global issues
5. Our unequal world
6. Fantastic places

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?

Students will have a thorough understanding of the major issues facing humanity today and over the coming century. The growth of megacities, the squeeze on the Earth’s resources, climate change are all important challenges. Students will understand the background behind these changes and the links between them. There is also room for students to study some of the most awe-inspiring features of our planet. Volcanoes, ice caps, vast deserts but also incredible human achievements such as our megacities and the improvements in life expectancy that have occurred across the world in the last few decades.

Geographical skills are developed further. With further opportunities for students to use map skills and more complex graphical and statistical skills.

At the end of Year 9 students have the option of studying Geography at GCSE. The knowledge and skills taught throughout Key Stage 3 are integral to the GCSE course but the content in Year 9 is most similar to that taught in Years 10 and 11. We encourage students to reflect on their experience of Year 9 in particular when thinking about their GCSE options.

What homework will they get?

In Year 9 Geography homework is based around retrieval. There are a variety of tasks that are used to test the knowledge gained during the year. Some of these retrieval activities will refer back to work covered in Year 7 and Year 8.

How will they be assessed in Geography?

Throughout the year there are regular in class recall tests that focus on location knowledge, place knowledge, knowledge of geographical processes and map skills.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?

• Encourage them to complete homework and repeat it if they score less than 90%.
• Encourage them to watch the news and be aware of current affairs, particularly international events. These will often be discussed in class when there is a link to the places studied.
• Discuss what has been studied in Geography and link it to your experiences. This can be in almost any way, for example places you have visited or relatives that live abroad.
• The reading list and listening lists below are good ways to encourage particular interests. That might be about a particular country or region or about a topic.
• Social media is full of geography-based accounts but it is also full of misinformation. A few recommendations for interesting accounts
• Twitter - @Amazing_Maps
• Instagram – everythinggeography
• Youtube – @JayForemen (better known as Map Men)

What topics will my child study? 

In Year 10 the students begin the GCSE course. Much will be familiar from Key Stage 3 but there is more depth and there are different examples and case studies. The geographical skills similarly build on what has been studied while introducing more complexity and challenge.

The GCSE is assessed over three examinations at the end of Year 11. The subject content is taught is the same order that it will appear in the examinations. Geographical skills are interleaved through the two years so that all are covered and then practiced repeatedly

In July there is a fieldtrip to Burnham-on-Sea. This is mandatory as it is an examined part of the course.

1. The challenge of natural hazards

Tectonic hazards, weather hazards and climate change

1. The living world

Ecosystems, tropical rainforests and hot deserts

1. Physical landscapes in the UK

UK landscapes, coastal landscapes, river landscapes

1. Urban issues and challenges

The urban world and Rio de Janeiro

1. Fieldwork preparation and field trip to Burnham-on-Sea

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?

By the end of Year 10 the students will have studied all of the subject content for Paper 1 (physical geography) and made a start of Paper 2 (human geography). As well as studying and retrieving factual information students will gain experience in answering longer GCSE questions and improve their exam technique.

At the end of the year the students visit Burnham-on-Sea. They will have an opportunity to create hypotheses and use data collection techniques. These geographical skills will be part of Paper 3.

What homework will they get?

In Year 10 Geography homework is based around retrieval. There are a variety of tasks that are used to test the knowledge gained during the year. Some of these retrieval activities will refer back to work covered at Key Stage 3.

How will they be assessed in Geography?

Throughout the year there are regular in class tests that focus on the knowledge and skills taught during Year 10 and at Key Stage 3.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?

• Encourage them to complete homework and repeat it if they score less than 90%.
• Encourage them to watch the news and be aware of current affairs, particularly international events. These will often be discussed in class when there is a link to the places studied.
• Discuss what has been studied in Geography and link it to your experiences. This can be in almost any way, for example places you have visited or relatives that live abroad.
• The reading list and listening lists below are good ways to encourage particular interests. That might be about a particular country or region or about a topic.
• Social media is full of geography-based accounts but it is also full of misinformation. A few recommendations for interesting accounts
• Twitter - @Amazing_Maps
• Instagram – everythinggeography
• Youtube – @JayForemen (better known as Map Men)

What topics will my child study? 

In Year 11 the students complete the GCSE course. The focus is principally human geography (for Paper 2), retrieval activities to make sure that the Year 10 topics are embedded the further development of students’ geographical skills.

The GCSE is assessed over three examinations at the end of Year 11. The subject content is taught is the same order that it will appear in the examinations. Geographical skills are interleaved through the two years so that all are covered and then practiced repeatedly. Paper 3 contains an issue evaluation activity that is released to the school in March. Students will spend several lessons familiarizing themselves with the content of this booklet ready for the summer examination.

1. Urban issues and challenges

        UK cities and sustainable cities       

1. The changing economic world

The development gap, Nigeria and the UK economy

1. Resource management

        Global resources, UK resources and food as a resource

1. Paper 3 - issue evaluation

What knowledge will they have and what will they be able to do by the end of the year?

Students will be thoroughly prepared for their GCSE examinations in the May and June of Year 11.

What homework will they get?

In Year 11 Geography homework is based around retrieval. There are a variety of tasks that are used to test the knowledge gained during the year. Many of these retrieval activities will refer back to work covered during Year 10 and there will also be activities that draw on knowledge from Key Stage 3.

How will they be assessed in Geography?

Throughout the year there are regular in class tests that focus on the knowledge and skills taught during Years 10 and 11 and at Key Stage 3. There is a mock exam in November that gives students an experience of what the examination will be like.

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?

• Encourage them to complete homework and repeat it if they score less than 90%.
• Encourage them to watch the news and be aware of current affairs, particularly international events. These will often be discussed in class when there is a link to the places studied.
• Discuss what has been studied in Geography and link it to your experiences. This can be in almost any way, for example places you have visited or relatives that live abroad.
• The reading list and listening lists below are good ways to encourage particular interests. That might be about a particular country or region or about a topic.
• Social media is full of geography-based accounts but it is also full of misinformation. A few recommendations for interesting accounts
• Twitter - @Amazing_Maps
• Instagram – everythinggeography
• Youtube – @JayForemen (better known as Map Men)

Wider reading

One of the best ways to maintain and develop ones understanding in Geography is to read around the subject. Below is a selection of books that teachers in the department have read recently that would provide some additional context for the Geography taught at Kingshill.

Nothing on this list is particularly tricky to read but these are books aimed principally at adult readers.

Islands of abandonment by Cal Flyn

This is about places that have been abandoned by human beings. It shows how nature can recover in the absence of people but also makes clear how few wild spaces are left.

Notes from deep time by Helen Gordon

This is a good introduction to Geology and will build on the work done when we studied climate change.

The invention of nature by Andrea Wulf

This a biography of Alexander von Humboldt. He was a geographer, naturalist and explorer. He has more geographical features named after him than anyone else in history.

Wayfinding by Michael Bond

This is a book about navigation. How we learn to find our way and what happens when we lose that ability.

Talking to my daughter about the economy by Yanis Varoufakis

A brief history of economics by Niall Kishtainy

These are both good introductions to economics and really help when thinking about development geography.

My family and other animals by Gerald Durrell

Gerald Durrell was a world-renowned naturalist. He became fascinated by nature when he was a young boy living on Corfu before World War II. It’s funny and charming although the attitudes to nature seem a bit dated now. It will also make you want to go to Corfu.

The frayed Atlantic edge by David Gange

The author kayaked down the west coast of Britain and this book is a record of that journey. He visits some truly remarkable places but there is also an air of disappointment over what we have allowed to happen to our coastline.

The power of Geography by Tim Marshall

Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall

The future of Geography by Tim Marshall

These books are all exploration of how geography influences global politics. Anything by Tim Marshall is worth reading.

Sea people by Christina Thompson

This is a history of the people of the Pacific Ocean, the Polynesians. Amazing navigators and a unique culture. If you’ve seen “Moana” and want to know more this is an excellent place to start.

Entangled life by Merlin Sheldrake

This is a book about fungi and how important they are to sustaining every ecosystem on the planet. It’ll change the way you look at mushrooms forever.

The desert and the sea by Michael Scott Moore

The author was kidnapped by pirates on a trip to Somalia and was held for ransom for almost three years. It’s a thrilling story but the author also makes very clear what happens to a society that all but has collapsed.

The making of the British Isles by Nicholas Crane

This is a great introduction to British geography.

Germs, guns and steel by Jared Diamond

Origins by Lewis Dartnell

Here be dragons by Dennis McCarthy

In these books the history of the world is explained via geography. The first one, “Germs, guns and steel” has been very influential and a lot of books on a similar theme have followed. “The Earth transformed” by Peter Frankopan is the most celebrated recent example.

Adventures in the Anthropocene by Gaia Vince

This book is about the impact that humans have had on the planet – both positive and negative.

H is for hawk by Helen Macdonald

This is a classic of nature writing. The author tries to deal with grief by training a goshawk called Mabel. If you prefer something that is more of a story this might appeal.

The salt path by Raynor Winn

The wild silence by Raynor Winn

The author was made homeless and then walked the South-West Coast Path with her husband. It is a lot more cheerful than it sounds. The second book continues her story and this time the walk is through Iceland.

Mountains of the mind by Robert Macfarlane

Underland by Robert Macfarlane

Macfarlane is among the most influential writers about nature working today. His most recent book is “Underland”, about caves, catacombs and other underground spaces.

Woodston by John Lewis-Stempel

The running hare by John Lewis-Stempel

Lewis Stempel is a farmer is Herefordshire. Most of his books are about his farm and the surrounding area (my favourite is “The running hare”) and he also writes about World War I.

How to read water by Tristan Gooley

How to read a tree by Tristan Gooley

Tristan Gooley writes about natural navigation and his books are full of observations and insights about way finding using only the natural world.

The flow by Amy Jane Beer

The author is a kayaker and academic and this book is about rivers and our connection to them.

Shadowlands by Matthew Green

This book looks at Britain’s lost places. Examples include Wharram Percy, abandoned during the Black Death in the 14^th century, and Dunwich, once a major port that was swallowed by the sea.

The lost rainforests of Britain by Guy Shrubsole

Temperate rainforests are a very rare habitat but much of what is left is located in the west of the British Isles. The author visits the remaining fragments and proposes a way to make them more extensive.

Edgelands by Michael Roberts and Paul Farley

A journey through neglected landscapes in Britain. The romantic view of wild nature is of mountains and lakes but the authors want us to notice the ordinary places (motorway verges, landfill sites, allotments) that are wild and beautiful but in a different way.

Wider listening

Podcasts

Below is a list of podcasts that you can download via itunes or any other podcast app.

They are all broadly related to the GCSE course. Only a few episodes are listed and it is probably a good idea to have a look around for other topics that you find interesting.

80 days: an exploration podcast

The focus of this podcast is looking at the smaller and less well-known countries and cities of the world. There are episodes about Luxembourg, Uruguay and Burkina Faso.

99% invisible

This is a podcast about architecture and design. A lot of the episodes are about cities and how they can be made more liveable. These are a few of the best episodes.

Post-narco urbanism – about how drug gangs have changed the cities of Latin America

Depave paradise – about how paving gardens leads to flooding

Uptown squirrel – about how nature gets into cities

Fire and rain – about architecture designed to withstand natural disasters

The Shipping Forecast – about Britain’s coastal waters

In Our Time

This is the most advanced of these recommended podcasts. The topics are covered in depth and you need a bit of knowledge about the topic for it to make sense (there is a reading list to go with each podcast). However the episodes are always excellent. Here are some superb examples.

The Earth’s core

Catastrophism – about how disasters in Earth’s past have changed the course of history

Malthusianism – about population growth

Antarctica

The city (2 parts) – about the history of cities

Plate tectonics

1816, the year without a summer – about an Icelandic eruption and its impact on global weather

Isn’t that spatial

Quite American but some interesting episodes on unusual geography. Examples include geography of breakfast, the geography of vaccination and the geography of breweries.