Geography

Staffing In Geography
Geography is taught by five teachers; these include Ms Lowe, Mr Hewlett Ms Nnaemeka, Ms Kelly and Mr Bowes. 


Aims Of The Department
Our vision is that pupils develop an awareness and fascination for the human, physical and environmental issues that surround them in both the local area and the wider world.  To achieve this vision we will:

·         Provide a geography curriculum that is modern and relevant to our pupils.
·         Develop pupil’s independence and confidence through geographical enquiry.
·         Ensure that all pupils are able to access the curriculum and make good progress.
·         Develop pupils’ geographical skills to ensure future success.
·         Provide a range of opportunities for out of class learning through fieldwork and educational visits.
·         Promote geography as a vehicle for becoming a well educated global citizen.

In line with the whole school’s development plan, we have three main aims for the present academic year.  These are to increase the percentage of pupils achieving A*-C GCSE grades, whilst reducing the attainment gap between groups of pupils, to develop the quality of teaching so that all teaching is graded as good or better, and to increase department input into Diversity Day. 

One of our key objectives is to make learning and teaching the focus of all that we do, so that we can increase progress and attainment in both key stages.  In our department, teachers make good use of prior data, which is used to set targets and shape teaching and learning.  We have focused on differentiating materials to meet the needs of all learners, and to support Year 7 in particular as they embark on the transition from primary to secondary school. 

We are confident that pupils are aware of targets and how to achieve them.  We are currently focusing on pupils’ understanding of the skills and key processes they need to develop in order to support further progress.

At each key stage, pupils in Geography take part in fieldwork and educational visits as part of their studies. In Key Stage 4 a residential visit takes place to support the fieldwork requirement of the controlled assessment.

Pupils are given the opportunity to explore their own rights and responsibilities in a number of the units of work; for example in the Year 9 unit on ‘Crime’, when pupils examine where crime occurs and how the environment and people interact to create crime or reduce it.  In the Year 8 unit entitled ‘Can The Earth Cope?’, pupils examine the environmental pressures of resource over exploitation and also how they can make a difference, and in the GCSE unit entitled ‘You as a Global Citizen- the impact of our decisions’, pupils examine the impact of consumerism on different societies and on our own.

Fieldwork visits are central to a number of units of work in both key stages. Year 10 pupils visit the 2012 Olympic viewing gallery and carryout fieldwork in Stratford as part of their controlled assessment and the ‘Similarities and Differences’ unit of work.  This unit of work encourages pupils to explore their own role in the changes in their locality and possible impacts on their futures.
Year 8 visit London Zoo to support their work on the Tropical Rainforest ecosystem. Year 10 pupils take part in a residential visit to Castleton in Derbyshire. We are proud that Cumberland School’s pupils conduct themselves responsibly on all visits.

Our curriculum is designed to prepare pupils for the world of work.  ‘Personal Learning and Thinking Skills’ are identified in all our Key Stage 3 schemes of work.   Pupils are regularly provided with a range of opportunities to work in teams and independently.
Throughout the curriculum, pupils are encouraged to develop enquiry skills, ICT skills, and data handling; all essential for the modern workplace.

In Year 9 pupils examine the place of Geography in the work place by looking at the application of geographical skills and understanding in different careers in a unit entitled ‘Going Places’.

The Geography Curriculum
The Geography Curriculum in Year 7
In Year 7 pupils study Geography for 1 hour a week for two terms and 2 hours a week for one term. They study five units of work.
  • Making connections
  • Journeys
  • Rainforest ecosystems
  • Into Africa
  • Farming
The current Year 7 will complete Key Stage 3 at the end of Year 8.

The Geography Curriculum in Year 8
In Year 8 pupils study Geography for 2 hours a week and undertake six units of work. 

  • Rainforest ecosystems.
  • Weather and climate.
  • Food disasters.
  • Europe.
  • Into Africa.
  • The rise of China.

The Geography Curriculum in Year 9
In Year 9 pupils study Geography for 2 hours a week and undertake seven units of work. 
  • Crime and the local community.
  • Earthquakes and volcanoes.
  • Going places -Choosing Geography at GCSE.
  • Global fashion.
  • Sustainable lifestyles.
  • Geography in the news.
  • Local action, global affects.

The Geography Curriculum in Year 10
In Year 10 pupils study Geography for 2 or 3* hours a week and undertake two units of work.  Pupils follow GCSE Geography OCR Specification A.
  • Extreme environments- deserts and mountains.
  • Similarities and differences- a study of our local area and Mumbai.

The Geography Curriculum in Year 11
In Year 11 pupils study Geography for 2 or 3* hours a week and undertake two units of work. 
  • You as a Global Citizen - the impact of our decisions (controlled assessment).
  • Issues in our fast changing world.

Assessment For Learning
Our team mark children’s work regularly, providing them with an indication of the level each child is working at, with diagnostic comments and targets to work towards.

An easy to follow “traffic light” system of marking is used to highlight to pupils areas that need to be improved.  Pupils regularly carry out peer and self-assessment tasks to further inform their progress. Pupils and teachers set targets that are reviewed termly.

Attainment In Our Department
Results at end of Key Stage 3 (Level 5+)
 
2009
2010
2011
Level 5+
65%
72%
83%


Results at end of Key Stage 4 (A*-C)
 
2009
2010
2011
GCSE
43%
26.5%
43%


* In alternate years in Key Stage 4 pupils study Geography for either 2 hours in Year 10 and 3 hours in Year 11, or 3 hours in Year 10 and 2 hours in Year 11.