Geography
Geography at Salvatorian
‘ The study of geography is more than memorising places on a map. It’s about undersatndinng the complexity of our world’ Barack Obama
The teaching and learning of Geography aims to develop knowledge, skills, concepts, values, and attitudes through an approach that sees Geography as an integral part of the whole school curriculum. Geography offers a unique importance in equipping pupils with key attributes needed for Key Stage 4 and beyond.
Geography seeks to develop a sense of place and helps students make sense of their surroundings and to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the variety of physical and human conditions on the Earth’s surface. The subject extends students’ interest and knowledge beyond their immediate experiences, using images and information to help them interpret people and concepts that they acquire from media, the internet, and textbooks. Geography develops major skill areas: Map and fieldwork skills; cross-curricular skills such as ICT, Literacy, and Numeracy; as well as an increasing awareness of the world around us and the idea of sustainability. We want students to become global citizens and show a keen awareness of the geography around them. Geography is everywhere and students develop a keen awareness and appreciation of the geography around them.
At KS3 students study skills in geography through topics that are relevant and modern in today’s ever-changing world. At KS4/5 we study Geography because it is a multi-faceted discipline that combines the analysis of social questions, environmental issues, and modern real-world solutions. Geographers investigate interactions between the human and physical environments such as the causes and impacts of climate change. We equip learners with empathy for other cultures through the study of real-world examples. Using practical fieldwork and research skills, we investigate problems on a variety of scales from local to global.
Our Staff
Mrs E Brown – Head of Department
Ms C O’Neil – Teacher of Geography
Key Stage Three
At KS3 students will have two lessons a week. At KS3, Geography is about understanding the world we live in. It helps to provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Students are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it.
The geography curriculum at Salvatorian College enables students to develop knowledge and skills that are transferrable to other curriculum areas. When teaching geography, our intent is to inspire curiosity and fascination about the world and people within it; to promote the students’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources, and natural and human environments, together with an understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. We have created a curriculum that encompasses the basics to underpin the foundations of being an excellent geographer, with a plethora of fascinating, creative, and up-to-date topics such as global superpowers, influencing the environment, and the Middle East Amongst these we have classic topics such as a river, coasts, and glaciation.
Key Stage Four
Students refine the skills and concepts developed at KS4. The AQA curriculum enables a variety of teaching and learning approaches. This exciting and relevant course studies geography in a balanced framework of physical and human themes and investigates the link between them.
Students will travel the world from their classroom, exploring case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), higher-income countries (HICs), newly emerging economies (NEEs), and lower-income countries (LICs). Topics of study include climate change, poverty, deprivation, global shifts in economic power, and the challenge of sustainable resource use. Students are also encouraged to understand their role in society, by considering different viewpoints, values, and attitudes. students are encouraged to use integrated geographical skills, including appropriate mathematics and statistics, to explore geographical questions and issues.
Key Stage Five
Students will be following the Edexcel specification. Geography challenges opinions, broadens the mind, and sharpens key skills. Few subjects can boast the same breadth and contemporary relevance. Over two years, A Level geographers will study a range of topics and develop a way of thinking that will enable them to make the kind of informed and critical decisions demanded of 21st-century citizens. An essential outcome of learning Geography is to be able to apply geographical knowledge and conceptual understanding to new settings: that is, to be able to ‘think like a geographer’. Thinking geographically is a uniquely powerful way of seeing the world and making connections between the human and physical environment.
In physical geography, students will learn about the processes shaping our planet and the landforms within dynamic landscapes that result. They will examine Earth’s life support systems – how water and carbon are cycled through the land, oceans, and atmosphere – in the context of tropical rainforests and the Arctic tundra. In complete contrast, in human geography, students will explore the relationships and connections between people, the economy, and society and how these contribute to creating places. They will look at global systems, including those that regulate and order trade, financial transactions, and migration, which produce uneven geographies of winners and losers. The human course also examines spatial patterns of human rights issues and the geography of gender inequality.
In the second year of the course, the students use their knowledge to unpick the debates surrounding contemporary challenges facing the world today such as climate change, natural hazards, management of the oceans, and the future of food.
Links to Future Pathways
As a degree subject, geography is highly respected by employers. Geography graduates have one of the highest rates of graduate employment, pursuing a wide range of career paths. It’s often said that there is no such thing as a geography job; rather there are multiple jobs that geographers do
Careers directly linked to geography
Careers where a geography degree would be considered useful
Wider skills
- Communication – Written communication, oral communication & interpersonal skills
- Research – Research design, research methods & ethical considerations
- Organisation – Prioritising, planning, time management & adaptability
- Numeracy & Technology – Numeracy, data handling, statistical analysis & digital capability
- Intellectual & Independent Thinking – Critical thinking, innovation, problem-solving & developing reasoned arguments
- Global Awareness – Global awareness, sustainability & inclusivity