Courses:
Geography stimulates an interest in people and places and helps to make sense of our dynamically changing world. It explains where places are, how landscapes are formed and how people, economies and environments are all interconnected. Students at all levels are encouraged to develop their investigative skills and to take part in fieldwork activities. 

Key stage 4:

Students at SWR study the AQA GCSE specification.

GCSE Geography encourages you to learn about different people and places around the world. It is a very broad subject and covers a wide range of topics including natural hazards, rivers and coasts, population and urban development. The course is divided into 4 key themes and is assessed by 3 examinations.

What is studied at GCSE?

Living with the physical environment

Section A: The challenge of natural hazards
Section B: The living world
Section C: Physical landscapes in the UK

Challenges in the human environment

Section A: Urban issues and challenges
Section B: The changing economic world
Section C: The challenge of resource management

Geographical applications

Section A: Issue evaluation
Section B: Fieldwork

How will you be assessed?

Paper 1: Living with the physical environment	Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment	Paper 3: Geographical applications
Hazards Ecosystems Rivers and Coasts Cold environments	Urban Issues Economic world Resource management Energy Management	Issue evaluation Fieldwork Geographical Skills
Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes 88 marks (including 3 marks for SPaG and specialist terminology) 35% of GCSE	Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes 88 marks (including 3 marks for SPaG) 35% of GCSE	Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes 76 marks (including 6 marks for SPaG) 30% of GCSE Pre-release resources booklet made available 12 weeks before Paper 3 exam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key stage 5:

Students study the AQA specification. The course is assessed through 2 examinations at the end of year 13 and one geographical investigation.

What is studied at A level?

Component 1: Physical geography

Section A: Water and carbon cycles
Section B: Coastal systems and landscapes
Section C: Hazards

How it's assessed

Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
120 marks
40% of A-level

Component 2: Human geography

Section A: Global systems and global governance
Section B: Changing places
Section C: Population and the environment

How it's assessed

Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
120 marks
40% of A-level

Component 3: Geography fieldwork investigation

Students complete an individual investigation which must include data collected in the field. The individual investigation must be based on a question or issue defined and developed by the student relating to any part of the specification content.

How it's assessed

3,000–4,000 words
60 marks
20% of A-level

 

Resources:
www.rgs.org.uk
www.oxfam.org.uk
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/
www.wateraid.org
www.gapminder.org
www.geography.org.uk/
www.geographypods.com
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/geography
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zkw76sg