Subject: Geography
Head of Department: Mrs K Skeffington
Qualification: GCSE
Examination Board: WJEC
Course Content:
Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore the physical properties and the earth’s surface and the human societies spread across it. What can be more important for our future? GCSE Geography supports learners to: • become independent, balanced and sympathetic geographers with a detailed understanding of spatial relationships and the changing world • appreciate the complex, pluralistic and diverse nature of societies and their interactions with diverse and dynamic physical landscapes.
How will you learn:
- Understand and investigate physical and human landscapes, and a context for the causes and consequences of physical and human inter-relationships and interdependence which characterise our modern world
- question, use and analyse maps, images, and geographical information systems
- formulate research questions, and to collect, manipulate and present data so they can evaluate and think critically about problems and issues
- learn outdoors, through fieldwork and the outdoor classroom, and to experience and reflect on the wonder of the natural world in a variety of physical, human and historical environments.
How you will be assessed:
Unit 1: Our Physical and Human World Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 30% of qualification. You will study: drainage basins and rivers, changing coastlines, migration and settlement change.
Unit 2: Developing Fieldwork Skills Non-examination assessment based on a fieldwork visit: 7 hours (not including the time it takes to undertake the fieldwork) 25% of qualification.
Unit 3: Our Dynamic and Diverse World Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 30% of qualification. You will study: the geography of inequality, weather, wild weather, continual climate change and managing global cities.
Unit 4: Sustainable Solutions Non-examination assessment: 6 hours (3 hours for research and 3 hours to respond to tasks) a decision-making exercise based on a resource provided by the WJEC. 15% of qualification.
Additional information / skills:
Geography is always in the news. You will develop skills to interpret, analyse and evaluate information to make decisions about issues and problems that affect people and the environment; make a concise report; handle data; think scientifically by collecting and recording evidence from a range of sources including fieldwork; ask questions and find answers; make decisions about an issue; analyse material; manage themselves; solve problems.
Job ideas:
Geography graduates are among the most employable, possibly because they possess the transferable skills employers are looking for. This may be because the subject is a combination of the facts of science and the understanding of the arts. Career destinations include Environment Agency, emergency planning, meteorologist, teaching or lecturing, work in the financial and retail sector, other professions including media.
For further information see: Mrs K Skeffington OR Mr J Roberts
Why should I choose this subject?
Creative Arts and Culture
Humanities & Languages