The geography curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time at Oakwood Park and beyond.  Global and local issues are taught using contemporary case-studies to encourage students to take an interest in the world.  Students will be challenged in lessons, and independent learning tasks, and these will provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world in which they live today and understand future challenges.  The students learning experience will allow them to confidently make informed judgements and develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it.

Year 7 students study the Geography of the UK which allows students to understand the area in which they live:

• The Geography of the UK – students study a variety of physical and human topics including climate, population distribution, economic activities and energy production.
• The Geography of Kent – students take a closer look at the county studying the physical landscape, natural hazards and contemporary issues affecting the county such as migration.
• Map skills – students learn how to read Ordnance Survey maps, for example giving grid references, analysing relief and measuring distances.
• An investigation into a local village – students attend a fieldtrip to Burham to investigate the land-use and characteristics of the area using fieldwork techniques. They subsequently produce a project based upon their findings plus additional research.

Year 8 students study a variety of global issues:

• Water resource management – students study the importance of water as a resource, reasons why water consumption varies globally, the problems associated with water supply and investigate water management strategies.
• Globalisation – students study how places are becoming increasingly linked through trade, politics and global decision making. They will look at case-studies such as Nike in China, deindustrialisation in Detroit, migration from Syria and the problem of plastic pollution.
• Glaciation – students will study the processes and landforms found in a glaciated landscape. They will also investigate how glaciated landscapes affect the human population.

Year 9 students look at contemporary issues that the world is facing today:

• Tectonic activities – students investigate the causes and distribution of earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunami. They will look at the benefits and drawbacks of tectonic hazards and how they can be managed.  Students produce an independent investigation of two tectonic hazards.
• Population and migration – students investigate reasons for migration, the benefits and drawback of migration and different country’s migration policies.
• Climate change – students investigate the natural and enhanced greenhouse effect, looking at the impacts of climate change and what can be done to manage this global issue.

Exam Board: Edexcel A

Year 10

Students study topics from the three units: The Physical Environment; The Human Environment and Geographical Investigations:

• The changing landscapes of the UK including coastal landscapes and processes and river landscapes and processes – students investigate the physical geography of the UK including river and coastal landforms.
• An investigation of the downstream changes on the River Tillingbourne – students attend a fieldtrip to collect data from the River Tillingbourne and produce an individual report.
• Changing Cities – students study the characteristics of two contrasting cities; Birmingham and Sao Paulo.
• Resource Management – students investigate the different types of resources including an in-depth study of energy resources.
• Weather hazards and climate change – students investigate the UK’s weather, changes in climate over time, tropical storms and drought.

Year 11

Students study topics from the three units: The Physical Environment; The Human Environment and Geographical Investigations:

• Ecosystems, biodiversity and management – students investigate the characteristics of two contrasting ecosystems, deciduous woodlands and tropical rainforests.
• Global development – students look at the reasons for the contrasting levels of development globally and undertake an in-depth investigation of India.
• An investigation into the changes to central/inner urban area of Maidstone. Students attend a fieldtrip to collect data from Maidstone and produce an individual report.
• UK challenges – students investigate the main challenges facing the UK including climate change, population growth and increasing pressures on the natural environment.

Geographical skills are also an important component of the GCSE and these will be incorporated into lesson.  By the end of the GCSE students are able to analyse, draw and interpret: photographs, map extracts, sketch map, diagrams, graphs, tables of data, satellite images and use GIS.

Exam Board: Edexcel

Year 12

Area of study 1: Dynamic Landscapes

• Tectonic Processes and Hazards – students study the reasons why some locations are more at risk than others from tectonic hazards, examples of recent hazard events and how tectonic hazards can be managed.
• Landscape Systems, Processes and Change – students study the reasons why coastal landscapes differ, how coastal erosion and sea level rise alter coastlines and how they can be managed.

 

Area of study 2: Dynamic Places

• Globalisation – students investigate the causes and impacts of globalisation as well as the studying the consequences of globalisation for global development.
• Regenerating Places – students investigate the reasons why places vary in their characteristics and evaluate the success of regeneration strategies in both rural and urban areas.

 

Year 13

Area of study 3: Physical Systems and Sustainability

• The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity – students investigate the hydrological cycle, it’s influence on the human and physical environment, and why water insecurity is a global issue.
• The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security – students investigate the carbon cycle and its influence on the physical and human environment.

 

Area of study 4: Human Systems and Geopolitics

• Superpowers – students investigate how superpower countries have changed over time and the impact they have on the human and physical environment.
• Migration, Identity and Sovereignty – students investigate the impacts of globalisation on international migration, how nation states are evolving in a globalised world, the impacts of global organisations in managing global issues and the threats to national sovereignty.

 

Students will attend four on-day fieldtrips and undertake an individual piece of coursework based upon their fieldwork.  This NEA (non-examined assessment) is worth 20% of the entire A Level.