Geography

KS3 Geography

A three year rolling course including the following modules:

Year 1

  • Restless Earth – volcanoes, earthquakes and plate tectonics
  • The power of the sea and coastal management. Water Aid in less developed countries of the world.
  • Fairtrade and Sustainability.

Year 2

  • A study of Bristol and the local area including a focus on settlements and how Bristol has grown and developed over time.
  • Weather Systems and the Climate Crisis.
  • Development Studies – Contrasting rich and poor countries of the world with a focus on at least one country in Europe and two countries in the wider world.

Year 3

  • Maps and map skills including focus on local, UK, Europe and other continents of the world.
  • Biomes of the world. Physical, environmental and human diversity in an ever changing world.
  • Geography of Crime- Hot spots, planning safer living spaces and preventing international crime.

Key Skills

  • Asking geographical questions.
  • Use of geographical vocabulary to be cemented through discussion, written tasks and assessment.
  • Interpreting a range of primary and secondary sources including maps, aerial photos, diagrams, globes and atlases.
  • Consolidating and extending knowledge of the world’s continents and countries including physical and human features.
  • To gain a sense of place, space, culture and diversity

KS4 Geography

This is a two-year course.

Students sit three exam papers at the end of Year 11.

There is a local fieldwork requirement for Paper 3.

Examination Board: AQA

Students study the following topics:

Year 10

  • The Challenge of Natural Hazards – Tectonics, Extreme Weather, and Climate Change
  • Urban Issues and Challenges -Urban growth in LICs, Change in UK cities, Sustainability
  • The Living World – Ecosystems, Tropical Rainforests, and Hot Deserts
  • Changing Economic World – The Development Gap, Economic change in the UK

Year 11

  • Physical Landscapes in the UK
  • The Challenge of Resource Management – Focus on Energy
  • Fieldwork and Decision-Making Exercise – Students are required to complete two local fieldwork studies, one physical and one human.  The physical fieldwork is a river study at Blaise Castle Estate, and the human fieldwork is a study of either Bristol Harbourside or Temple Quarter to show the changes in land use over time.

Useful Resources:

GCSE Geography Specification

GCSE Past Papers & Marks Schemes

GCSE Bitesize

GCSE Revision Guide

Time for Geography

Seneca Learning