Subjects

Click Here To View The Geography Department's Curriculum Map

Geography Assessment Booklet

CHS Geography Department Intention:

The Geography Department at Chertsey High School aims to contribute effectively to the curriculum coherence as well as satisfy pupils’ curiosity about people and places. Year 7, 8 and 9 follow a key stage 3 traditional scheme of work which allows students to have a greater understanding of geography after their key stage 2 learning experience. Year 10 and 11 follow a scheme of work to allow for the taking of GCSE examination at the end of year 11. Throughout both schemes of work, students should be inspired by challenging and engaging questions; with diverse sources and data; and with more in-depth and detailed descriptions and explanations of contemporary change. It is important that we highlight global dimension of geography and the use of topical exemplars, enhancing pupils’ learning and engaging pupils with the content.

The curriculum for Geography aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Deepen knowledge and understanding of our globe and the natural processes that occur.
• Identify places, be able to describe and explain changes and assess the impacts of humans.
• Have an awareness of the interconnections between people and places in our complex and dynamic world.
• Apply their knowledge and understanding to real places through cases studies and fieldwork.
• Promoting decision making skills that include enquiry and critical thinking, as well as general competences such as originality and creativity.
• Develop cross-curricular links and follow whole school priorities. 

CHS Geography Department Implementation:

Geography is taught in three fifty minute lessons over a two week teaching cycle, this is consistent for year 7, 8 and 9 teaching. Throughout the teaching there is an emphasis on using key questions to embed the learning through progress checks and encouraging students to apply their knowledge. Lessons are structured with clearly defined objectives and expectations regarding achievement relative to their target grades. Throughout the lesson progress is reviewed, with these objectives, to ensure that students are clear about what is required to make progress. Within most lessons time is set aside in the lesson for students to continue to add to their key question. Homework is set with a clear purpose to be engaging and encourage independence of thought and learning. Students are assessed every half term on an end of topic test that assesses what they have learnt and students respond to this work after feedback. However during the topic students are given a key question or piece of work to develop their written work. Summative assessments are undertaken at the end of the unit with a number of different style questions. Students are taught how to prepare for the assessments either by use of revision templates, misconception sheets and checklists together with the expectation of creating revision resources which are to be brought in at the start of an exam to show evidence of preparation. DIRT is a key feature of the exam process and allows students the opportunity to reflect on their exam grading and revisit questions set so that in future misconceptions can be turned into positives. Furthermore through repetition of exams students no longer fear the exam process but have a clear understanding of how to prepare and what is needed to secure marks to ensure that they at least achieve target grade.

The quality of the teaching in the geography department uses a range of innovative resources – especially those links to topical issues – are used regularly and very effectively to explore a wide range of geographical topics at a range of scales and across a variety of places. Pupils’ interest and a sense of wonder are stimulated through differentiated and personalised tasks which aim to help them make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world. Within every activity, students have a ‘GeoChallenge’ to encourage questioning, investigation and critical thinking about issues affecting the world and peoples’ lives, now and in the future.  

The quality of the curriculum in the Geography department at Chertsey High School is important to ensure students develop a curiosity about people and places, and understand the cross-curricular links within Humanities. The key geographical concepts such as place, space, scale, diversity, interdependence and sustainability are clearly embedded in the planning. For example, in year 7 students being to develop their sense of place through a study of different ecosystems and the impact of population change in different areas. Students then learn about the role that weather and climate plays in shaping our lives as well as river and hydrology. Students end the year with studying a topic on maps and various geographic skills. To develop their understanding of case studies, students finish the year with a study of India. In year 8 students develop their sense of place through investigating the various cultures around the world. Students then develop their understanding of physical processes by explored Glaciers and Coastal Environments. In the second half of the year, students learn about Africa and develop their knowledge of place knowledge by studying the geography within this continent. Students then look at energy supply and demand and impact that chosen energy types can have on the environment. Students then have the opportunity to carry out fieldwork to develop skills that lead into KS4. In year 9 students, students start the year by learning the causes and consequences of tectonic activity and other natural hazards, developing a greater understanding of places with case studies. Students then learn about a recent topical geography that interacts with the physical environment – climate change. Students then learn about human geography and focus on development. Following on from this, students look at Geography of Health that is topical.  Students will also investigate various different countries in their final topic where students will have the opportunity to apply their learning and develop their understanding of real places.

The curriculum provides consistently high quality opportunities for pupils to develop and consolidate the key geographical skills of enquiry, graphicacy and geographical communication. Also, as literacy and numeracy are core components of the curriculum, pupils will expand their geographical vocabulary and use it to communicate their geographical ideas through discussion, debate and writing. Pupils will use a wide range of geographical data and use of maps, promoting numeracy, while developing spatial awareness of a variety of places at different scales. With the skills of enquiry and communication, through geography, we encourage students to gain a greater awareness of global debates, issues and current affairs which actively promote discussion, improving resilience, communication and the ability to justify an argument. In the year 7,8 and 9 curriculum, there are ‘decision making’ lessons which encourage students to apply their knowledge and develop critical thinking skills, which are vital skills for the GCSE syllabus.

The contribution of geography to learning and understanding about current and relevant local, national and global issues is crucial in our geography curriculum. Each topic students and asked to answer the question “What if? What now?” to encourage them to understand why they learn geography. Students will also have a “Surrey Link” to encourage them to relate their geography learning to the local area. Pupils will all go on a fieldwork trip, each year, between year 7 and 9. Students will also have an opportunity to go to Iceland to promote the love of learning in the subject and experience real life examples.

The geography department will lead or take part in whole school initiatives such as ‘green hour’, ‘Preventing Global Warming’, ‘Community Clear Ups’ and ‘Duke Of Edinburgh’. Acting as the global community will provide a wide range of enrichment activities to promote pupils’ learning and engagement within the subject and provide students with invaluable transferable knowledge that can be applied outside the classroom.

Rigorous curriculum planning and fortnightly meetings in our Humanities team ensures that geography, alongside the other Humanities, makes an outstanding contribution to pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.

Impact:

Our Geography students should achieve their target grade. Furthermore, students should have excellent knowledge of where places are and what they are link. They should have excellent understanding of the ways in which places and interdependent and interconnected and how human and physical environments are interrelated. Pupils will be able to carry out increasingly complex geographical enquiry, apply questioning skills and reach clear conclusions through decision making lessons (in each topic). Pupils show independence; they are able to think for themselves and take initiative. For example, asking questions, choosing between choice of tasks and working constructively with others. Students can express well-balanced opinions while answering key questions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment. 

Year 7 Geography

Number of lessons a fortnight: 3

Aims of the course:

The course will follow the requirements for the teaching of geography as set out by the Department of Education in its programme of study published in 2013. The scheme of study through our teaching at Chertsey high school aims to “inspire a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people” in a manner which will equip students fully for GCSE examinations but also in the longer term.

The year 7 curriculum will cover the following subject content:

Locational knowledge

Extend their locational knowledge and deepen their spatial awareness of the world’s countries using maps of the world to focus on Africa, Russia, Asia (including China and India) and the Middle East, focusing on their environmental regions, including polar and hot deserts, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities.

Place Knowledge

Understand geographical similarities, differences and links between places through the study of human and physical geography of a region within Africa, and of a region within Asia.

Human and Physical geography

Understand, through the use of detailed place- based exemplars at a variety of scales, the key processes in:

• Physical geography relating to: geological timescales and plate tectonics; rocks, weathering  and soils; weather and climate, including the change in climate from the ice age to the present; and glaciation, hydrology and coasts.
• Human geography relating to: population and urbanisation; international development; economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources.
• Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems.

Geographical skills and fieldwork

• Build on their knowledge of globes, maps and atlases and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the field.
• Interpret ordnance survey maps in the classroom and the field, including using grid references and scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs.
• Use geographical information systems (gis) to view, analyse and interpret places and data.
• Use fieldwork in contrasting locations to collect, analyse and draw conclusions from geographical data, using multiple sources of increasingly complex information.

Aspects of the subject content will be revisited in years 8 and 9 using different case studies and areas and using additional skills to complement those developed in year 7.

Content; Skills / Knowledge:

Autumn term    

Map skills

Ecosystems 

Population

Spring term

Weather and Climate (processes and case studies)

 Rivers and hydrology

Maps, atlases and OS maps

India

Assessment

Within this scheme of study there will be end of subject summative assessments. Students will also be expected to answer ‘key questions’ to develop their understanding and further analyse their knowledge learnt. All work is assessed on a continual basis in the lesson and through the homework set. The homework set is marked both using the grade criteria set for specific tasks but also for effort and quality of work produced in terms of literacy and presentation.

How can parents help?

Geography as a subject in terms of improving students skills sets, can be developed in many ways. The local Library is an excellent starting point for accessing books such as Atlases to develop students understanding of Continents and physical Geography. The National Geographical Society can be accessed online and contains many articles and a fabulous array of inspiring images. BBC Bitesize is an excellent source of subject knowledge particularly for KS3 study in year 7.

Year 8 Geography

Number of Lessons a fortnight: 3

Aims of the Course

The course will follow the requirements for the teaching of Geography as set out by the Department of Education in its programme of study published in 2013. The scheme of study through our teaching at Chertsey High School is intended to further develop on our aim to “inspire a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people”. The purpose of this also is to fully prepare and equip our students with both the skills and focus necessary in preparation for GCSE examinations. In the longer term all that is studied will provide our students with core skills necessary in understanding the core Human and Physical Geography to aid understanding of the world in which we live.

Content / Skills / Knowledge

The Year 8 curriculum will cover the following subject content.

Locational knowledge 

Following on from Year 7 the students will further extend their locational knowledge and their spatial awareness of the world’s countries using maps of the world. This will be a key focus throughout the learning with particular focus on Japan, India, China in the first term. Later in the year a number of countries will again be studied with a focus on the impact of tourism as well as the key physical and human characteristics of the countries.

Place knowledge 

Students will further develop their understanding of geographical similarities, differences and links between places through the study of human and physical geography of a region within Asia and Africa.

Physical geography:

Students will understand further through the use of detailed case studies on various key processes in Glaciation, Hydrology and Coasts. Students will also understand the impacts of differing types of energy on the environment.

Human geography:

Students will understands further the use of detailed case studies on a variety of scales relating to population and energy within a range of countries and continents.

Geographical Skills and Fieldwork:

Students will develop further the core skills developed in Year 7. This year they will dedicate a term to furthering their map and field work skills.

As stated in the aims of the course for year 7 in order to prepare the students for their GCSE examinations subject content will be revisited from year 7 and again in future years using additional skills to further consolidate and deepen students understanding of subjects studied.

Autumn Term

Locational knowledge.

Physical Geography.

Spring Term

People and Environment.

Places; Processes and relationships.

Summer Term

Places; Processes and relationships.

Maps, fieldwork and geographical skills.

Assessment:

Within this scheme of work there will be end of term summative assessments. Students will also be expected to answer ‘key questions’ to develop their understanding and further analyse their knowledge learnt. In addition integrated into all lessons is “interleaving” the process by which prior learning is reinforced. All work is assessed on a continual basis in the lesson and through homework set. The homework set is marked using the grade criteria set for specific tasks but also for effort and the quality of work produced in terms of literacy and presentation.

How can parents help?

As stated for Year 7 students geographical skills can be developed in a number of ways. The use of Atlases and maps is an excellent way of simply broadening students understanding of where we sit relative to others in terms of Geographical awareness and understanding. The National Geographical Society can be accessed online and is excellent for topical subjects that will directly relate to the subjects being taught this year. This use of such articles will also encourage students to develop their independent learning skills.

Year 9 Geography

Number of Lessons a fortnight: 3

Aims of the Course

The course will follow the requirements for the teaching of Geography as set out by the Department of Education in its programme of study published in 2013. The scheme of study through our teaching at Chertsey High School is intended to further develop on our aim to “inspire a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people” with a main focus on:

• Exploration of physical and human processes, and the interactions between them. 
• A further emphasis on topical issues such as Climate Change and War and Conflict that affect our world today.  
• Emphasis on locational and place knowledge in case studies. 

As students prepare for GCSE’s, we are encouraging students to take part in decision-making exercises on topical people – environment issues as well as familiar topics, such as rivers and coasts. During this year, students will learn about physical and human processes and people-environment interactions to consider key contemporary global geographical issues. Students will study our Hazardous Earth – an understanding of the global circulation of the atmosphere and changing climate. Plus two depth studies of an extreme weather hazard (tropical cyclones) and tectonic hazards at contrasting locations. Then students will learn about Development dynamics – an understanding of the scale of global inequality. Plus a depth study of how one emerging country is developing and the consequences for people, environment and the country’s relationship with the wider world. Finally, students will look at Challenges of an urbanising world – an overview of the causes and challenges of rapid urbanisation across the world. Plus one depth study of a megacity in a developing or emerging country.

Content / Skills / Knowledge

The Year 8 curriculum will cover the following subject content.

Locational knowledge 

Following on from Year 8 the students will further extend their locational knowledge and their spatial awareness of the world’s countries using maps of the world. This will be a key focus throughout the learning with particular focus on their final topic which is “Around the World” where students learn about a variety of countries. 

Place knowledge 

Students will further develop their understanding of geographical similarities, differences and links between places through the study of human and physical geography internationally and focusing on key contemporary global geographical issues.

Physical geography:

Students will understand further through the use of detailed case studies on various key processes in earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and tropical storms. Students will understand the causes, impacts and possible strategies to reduce these hazardous events. 

Human geography:

Students will understands further the use of detailed case studies on a variety of scales relating to climate change, development and geography of health within a range of countries and continents.

Content / Skills / Knowledge:

Winter Term - Hazardous Earth

People and Environment.

Spring Term

Development

Places; Processes and Relationships.

Geography of Health

Places; Processes and Relationships.

Summer Term 

Climate Change 

Places; Processes and Relationships.

Around the World

Assessment:

Within this scheme of work there will be end of term summative assessments. These tests will include multiple choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and extended writing questions. Extended writing questions will assess students’ ability to develop extended written arguments and to draw well evidenced and informed conclusions about geographical questions and issues. All work is assessed on a continual basis in the lesson and through homework set. The homework set is marked using the grade criteria set for specific tasks but also for effort and the quality of work produced in terms of literacy and presentation.

How can parents help?

Within this scheme of work there will be end of term summative assessments. These tests will include multiple choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and extended writing questions. Extended writing questions will assess students’ ability to develop extended written arguments and to draw well evidenced and informed conclusions about geographical questions and issues. All work is assessed on a continual basis in the lesson and through homework set. The homework set is marked using the grade criteria set for specific tasks but also for effort and the quality of work produced in terms of literacy and presentation.

Year 10 and 11 Geography

Aims of the Course

Geography is a fantastic GCSE that offers a wide range of topical and relevant issues and skills that can be applied within other subjects. It is also a traditional subject that is widely accepted by colleges and universities. 

The GCSE curriculum in Geography addresses big issues facing the planet and people in it. The specification offers an issues-based approach with content organised by UK and global geography. It also includes a decision-making paper, which allows students to investigate people-environment issues on a global scale. This includes:

Topic 1 – Hazardous Earth

Topic 2 – Development Dynamics

Topic 3 – Challenges of an Urbanising World

Topic 4 – The UK’s evolving physical landscape

Topic 5 – The UK’s evolving human landscape

Topic 6 – Geographical Investigations

Topic 7 – People and the Biosphere

Topic 8 – Forests Under Threat

Topic 9 – Consuming Energy Resources

We following the Edexcel B Syllabus, for information please use the link below. 

Edexcel Geography GCSEs

Content / Skills / Knowledge

There are three parts to your course, called components, each with it’s own exam paper. A break down of these components and the structure of the GCSE Geography course can be found here.

GCSE Geography - 3 Components

Component 1: Global Geographical Issues

In this component you will learn about some of the key geographical issues in today’s world, and the interaction of the physical and human processes which cause them. 

• How does the world’s climate system work, and why is climate change becoming such a hazard?
• What causes extreme weather events and tectonic hazards?
• Why is the world unequal, how can inequality be reduced, and how are some countries managing to develop rapidly?
• Where the world’s fastest growing cities are, and how can they be made a better place to live?

Component 2: UK Geographical Issues

In this component you will investigate key geographical issues in the UK today. You will also investigate two physical and human environments through fieldwork. 

• Why landscapes in some parts of the UK are different from others?
• What causes coasts and river landscapes to change, and how people can manage them to reduce conflicts?
• How and why cities in the UK are changing, and how are they linked with the countryside?

Component 3: People and Environment Issues – Making Geographical Decisions

In this component you will use your knowledge, understanding and skills to interpret geographical sources and make a geographical decision.  

• Why natural resources like food, energy and water are under pressure, and how we can manage this demand without damaging the environment?
• Why rainforests and coniferous forests are so different, and how we can manage the world’s forests sustainably for the future?

Assessment:

Within this scheme of work there will be mid term and end of term summative assessments. These tests will include multiple choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and extended writing questions. Extended writing questions will assess students’ ability to develop extended written arguments and to draw well evidenced and informed conclusions about geographical questions and issues. All work is assessed on a continual basis in the lesson and through homework set. The homework set is marked using the grade criteria set for specific tasks but also for effort and the quality of work produced in terms of literacy and presentation.

How can parents help?

Students geographical skills can be developed in a number of ways. The use of Atlases and maps is an excellent way of simply broadening students understanding of where we sit relative to others in terms of Geographical awareness and understanding. Students can use resources online https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/geography-b-2016.html and resources on the school shared area. The National Geographical Society can be accessed online and is excellent for topical subjects that will directly relate to the subjects being taught this year. 

Regarding textbook resources, students do have the access to the “GCSE 9-1 Geography Edexcel B Book” in school. Please see the following for information on textbooks. 

Geography Textbooks and Revision Resources

Click Here To Download Geography Command Words

Component 1 – Paper 1

Integrated skills:

1. Use and interpretation of climate graphs
2. Use and interpretation of line graphs/bar charts showing climate change
3. Use and interpretation of temperature and sea-level projection graphs to 2100.
4. Use of GIS to track the movement of tropical cyclones
5. Use of weather and storm-surge data to calculate Saffir-Simpson magnitude
6. Use of social media sources, satellite images and socio-economic data to assess impact.
7. Interpret a cross-section of the Earth
8. Use and interpretation of world map showing distribution of plate boundaries and plates
9. Use of Richter Scale to compare magnitude of earthquake events
10. Use of social media sources, satellite images and socio-economic data to assess impact.

Integrated skills:

1. Comparing the relative ranking of countries using single versus composite (indices) development measures
2. Interpreting population pyramid graphs for countries at different levels of development
3. Using income quintiles to analyse global inequality.
4. Using numerical economic data to profile the chosen country
5. Using proportional flow-line maps to visualise trade patterns and flows
6. Using socio-economic data to calculate difference from the mean, for core and periphery regions.

Integrated skills:

1. Use and interpretation of line graphs and calculating of rate of change/annual or decadal​ percentage growth
2. Using satellite images to identify different land use zones in urban areas.
3. Using GIS/satellite images, historic images and maps to investigate spatial growth
4. Using quantitative and qualitative information to judge the scale of variations in quality of life.

Component 2 – Paper 2

Integrated skills:

1. Photograph analysis of common glacial, fluvial and coastal landscapes and features
2. Using simple geological cross-sections to show the relationship between geology and relief
3. Locating key physical features (uplands, lowland basins, rivers) on outline UK maps
4. Recognition of physical and human geography features on 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps.
5. Explore the kinds of questions capable of being investigated through fieldwork
6. Calculation of mean rates of erosion using a multi-year data set
7. Use of BGS Geology maps (paper or online) to link coastal form to geology
8. Recognition of coastal landforms on 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps.
9. Explore the kinds of questions that can be investigated through fieldwork
10. Use of 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps, and GIS, to investigate what is threatened by rapid erosion
11. Use of simple cost-benefit analysis to investigate coastal defence options
12. Use of 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps, and GIS, to investigate the impact of policy decisions.
13. Explore the kinds of questions that can be investigated through fieldwork
14. Use 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps to determine valley cross-section from contour lines
15. Use of BGS Geology maps (paper or online) to link river-long profiles to geology
16. Recognition of river landforms on 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps
17. Drawing simple storm hydrographs using rainfall and discharge data.
18. Explore the kinds of questions that can be investigated through fieldwork
19. Use of simple cost-benefit analysis to investigate river management options
20. Use of 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps, and GIS, to investigate the impact of policy decisions.

Integrated skills:

1. Use and interpretation of UK population pyramids form different time periods
2. Use of census data sets to understand changes to the UK’s population
3. Use of Eurostat to investigate FDI and immigration to the UK.

Integrated skills:

1. Explore the kinds of questions capable of being investigated through fieldwork.
2. Using census data sets to compare areas within inner cities.
3. Use of 1:25000 and 1:50000 OS maps to identify different land use types.
4. Using crime and IMD databases to investigate the extent of inner-city problems.

Component 3 – Paper 3

Integrated skills:

1. Comparing climate graphs for different biomes
2. Use of world maps to show the location of global biomes
3. Use and interpretation of line graphs showing the range of future global population projections, and population in relation to likely available resources.

Integrated skills:

1. Use an interpretation of nutrient cycle diagrams and food webs diagrams
2. Use of GIS to identify the pattern of forest loss.

Integrated skills

1. Use and interpretation of world maps showing the distribution of energy resources
2. Use of oil price and oil production data to graph trends over time.
3. Calculation of carbon and ecological footprints.

Click Here To Download Key Geography Terminology