‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.’ – Psalm 19:1
Our Vision and Intent
Geography is about making connections between people and the environment in which they live so it is important that we make the connection between the classroom and the outside world by looking at current events, through discussing the big issues of our time and by asking those difficult challenging questions.
It is through making those connections that we make learning interesting, engaging and inspiring enough to trigger students fascination about the world in which they live. The big idea that encompasses this is the idea of Global Citizenship: that we as good Catholics and good Human Beings have a duty of care to look after each other and God’s planet in which we live; that we are all interdependent. Throughout all the different units of work that we study is the key idea of sustainability and how our actions are good for the environment and good for society.
The Geography course at Brownedge St Mary's has been designed to engage and inspire students in order to trigger the students fascination and curiosity about the world and its people that will hopefully remain with them for the rest of their lives. Our aim is to enable students to this by:
- allowing students make connections between people and the natural environment
- allowing them to understand the interdependence between people and the natural environment
- gathering a deeper understanding of the physical and human processes that create world in which they live and how they are interdependent.
- applying their knowledge and understanding to real and current events.
- allowing students to develop new geographical skills to help to analyse and interpret data which will become increasingly complex year on year.
- allowing students have a clear understanding of the idea of sustainability and global citizenship
- developing students as critical thinkers and good problem solvers.
- developing our students understanding about the diversity of worlds people places , resources and natural environments
- developing their curiosity by getting them to ask good questions about the human and physical environment in which we will all live.
- engaging students in big topical issues and current events through using geography in the news.
- challenging students to discuss and debate the big issues of the day to show them they have a voice.
- linking students learning from across a range of different subjects through cross curricular themes with English , Science, RS and L4L to further make connections and increase relevance.
- helping students understand that the world is dynamic and changing so we all have to adapt to the challenge that presents.
- providing lots of opportunities to learn beyond the classroom after school and on trips in which students can gain a greater experience of the wider world.
Geography Curriculum Plans
Literacy (including subject vital vocab)
Geography requires its own vocabulary with lots of tier 3 specialist terminology such as Hydraulic Action, Biodiversity, Convectional Rainfall, Destructive plate boundary, environmental impacts etc. This is vital for pupils to know and understand if progress is to be made. Then there is also a need to be able to articulate fully our ideas using Tier 2 Vocabulary such as assess, because, compare, describe, evaluate etc. so good literacy skills are vital to be a good geographer. As such on each GCSE geography exam, 6 out 88 marks are awarded for SPAG which represents 7 % of the total mark of each paper.
Click here for our Subject Vital Vocab
Careers and progression
Geography is a very highly regarded academic qualification that has the flexibility to keep lots of doors of opportunity open in terms of future careers. Studying geography develops your analytical and communication skills as well as your ability to evaluate data, all strengths that are in demand in the modern jobs market. Its broad flexibility gives you have a broad range of career paths open to you from very specific geography related careers such as environmental planning, mining engineers, town planning, architecture, civil service, travel and tourism, international trade and digital mapping using GIS which is now becoming so much important in every business sector. To more broadly related such as lawyers, solicitors, police officers, doctors and nurses, politics and civil service, armed services, managing directors and CEO’s. Geography students tend to be open-minded, curious and interested in the world around them, qualities which are very attractive to employers and may be an advantage if you are working for any large international organisation.
Extra curricular/ Enrichment
Highlights include Miss Lane’s geography task master club , geography field trips to Lake District, Hothersall Lodge field study centre, Salford Quays media city and International trip such as to 2018 Iceland to be held biannually.
