Geography
The Geography Department seeks to enable students to make sense of their world, and to understand the processes, both human and physical that shape it. These issues raise crucial questions about the sort of future society that we wish to create. Therefore it is extremely relevant for today’s school children.
Geography is a popular subject within the school. Take up at KS4 is strong and students of all abilities achieve well, as a result take up post 16 is also very strong. We follow the AQA syllabus A both at GCSE and A Level. GCSE RE short course (edexcell) and BTEC Travel and Tourism are also offered as KS4 options.
In Key Stage 3 students are taught both in ability and mixed sets and follow the National Curriculum.
From September 2009 the RE department will be managed alongside Geography. The combined department consists of four full time, well qualified subject specialists who work together as a supportive team using a variety of approaches to ensure that the subject is taught in a lively and interesting way. This often involves learning taking place out of the classroom. This is presently done through fieldtrips, however from September 2009 teaching and learning will often take place using our outdoor learning environment.
Previous fieldtrips have included A level river studies in the Lake District and North Yorkshire; A Level land slide hazard mapping at Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire; residential GCSE field work looking at glaciation and tourism in the English Lake District and KS3 Residential outward bound trip to the Lake District.
The geography department has always contributed to the enrichment activities offered to our Kingsmeadow students. These include offering the Duke of Edinburgh Award to KS4 and KS5 students. From September 2009, the geography department will run a Rural Enterprise Club for year 7 students. This club will make use of the outdoor learning environment to produce and market our own home grown produce and crafts.
