Geography

Geography GCSE AQA 8035

Explore and learn how today’s world is shaped. Understand the challenges we face in the future. Studying Geography gives you the opportunity to travel the world via the classroom, learning about both the physical and human environment. You will understand how Geography impacts your life every day and you will discover the key opportunities and challenges facing the world.

Is Geography the right subject for me at GCSE? What am I good at? What really interests me?

In order to answer these difficult questions, think about what you really enjoy about studying. Think also about what your privileges and responsibilities are as a globally-minded citizen. Do I want a job in which I work as a team with colleagues around the world to inspire and inform others to live sustainably? Do I prefer to learn through investigating and doing things for myself, not just listening and reading? Do I want to do some of my classwork remotely from mountain ranges, river valleys and seaside resorts around France and abroad?

Do I want to make practical use of my Maths, Science, and ICT skills? You will learn to create, analyse and scrutinise maps using ‘Big Data’ and my own field data using the latest in GIS (Geographical Information Systems) software.

What will I Study? Living with the Physical Environment

Discover the challenges of natural hazards and the living world. Analyse physical landscapes and evaluate how humans interact with them. You will learn about tectonic, geomorphological, biological and meteorological processes and features in different environments. It provides you with the knowledge about the need for management strategies governed by sustainability and consideration of the direct and indirect effects of human interaction with the Earth and the atmosphere.

SPECIFICATION

Challenges in the Human Environment

Human processes, systems and outcomes change both spatially and temporally. You will develop an understanding of the factors that produce a diverse variety of human environments; the dynamic nature of these environments; the need for sustainable management; and the areas of current and future challenge and opportunity for these environments. If you are interested talk to your Geography teacher or anyone in the Geography department to find out what they are planning for you. Or ask pupils in Years 10 and 11 how much they enjoy Geography.

The study of Geography is more than just memorising places on a map. It is about understanding the complexity of our world; appreciating the diversity of cultures that exist across continents. And in the end, it is about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together. – Barack Obama Sep 6, 2012

How will I be assessed?

You will have three written exams:

Paper 1 (Physical Geography): 1hr 30m (35% of your final GCSE grade) Paper 2 (Human Geography): 1hr 30m (35% of your final GCSE grade)

Paper 3 (Issue Evaluation, Fieldwork, Geographical

Skills): 1hr 15m (30% of your final GCSE grade).

EXAM PAPER

Students must be able to attend two compulsory fieldwork enquiries. The costs of these trips are not included in the school fees. *The course may adapt to changes caused by COVID 19.

How will GCSE Geography fit in with my other subjects?

If you want to become a doctor, you will need to have studied Chemistry, Biology and Physics beforehand. Most engineers need Maths and Physics. If you want to become a lawyer, essay-based subjects like English or History will be particularly helpful. However, you may find that you do not like one of the sciences but you still want to be a doctor, or you might not like Maths and still want to be an engineer. Or maybe you do not know what career you want yet. If you prefer to keep your options open and maximise your chances

BSP FIELDTRIPS Key Stage 4 Guide

at A-level and later at a world-leading university, Geography is a ‘facilitating subject’. This means your career path stays the same while you gain practical economic, social and environmental skills which you would not otherwise gain in a more theory-based academic path.

What transferable and employable skills will I learn?

Alongside the subject content, you will also learn: - how to recognise the different sides in debates and make decisions based on sound argument - how to undertake a fieldwork enquiry developing transferable skills in research, data collection, analysis and evaluation. - written/verbal communication skills, including report writing and data presentation. - work independently and within a team, considering different ideas and coming to an agreed consensus - to develop and use a wide range of maps from atlas to Ordnance Survey to maps in association with photographs - numerical, statistical and GIS skills.

GEOGRAPHY CAREERS

Where will GCSE Geography take me?

You will examine the Earth’s natural resources and the increasing battles between the man-made and natural world. It opens up opportunities to apply your expertise as an environmental consultant, an economic growth and government analyst, or a social activist supporting integration of refugees in European host countries. This knowledge, paired with your essential curiosity, will give you the sought-after transferable skills for success in further education and the workplace. If you have any questions, please see your BSP Geography teachers; Mrs Tomlinson, Mr Kiernan and Mr Morrison.