Geography

When a student enters the Geography classroom at Hasmonean, he or she steps into an exciting and stimulating learning environment. The curriculum across all the Key Stages is challenging, interesting, topical and enlightening. The Geography classrooms at both the girls' and boys' sites are hives of activity where learners can grow from strength to strength developing a breadth of skill sets that will be useful to them not only in other subjects, but also in life.

Geography complements many areas of science, commerce and life in general, and is a significant subject at Hasmonean. Students of Geography attain among the highest grades in the school and the lessons create a foundation for future learning in both this and other subjects.

Geography at Hasmonean helps young people make sense of the world. The world's physical and human environments are explored. Geography tackles the big issues - environmental responsibility, our global interdependence, cultural understanding and tolerance, commerce, trade and industry. The world in which we live is likely to change more in the next fifty years than it ever has done before. Geography at Hasmonean explains why, and helps young people prepare for those changes.

Teachers

• Mr J Tutty, Subject Leader, Ext 253
• Mrs A Shirazi
• Mr M Moore
• Mr M Tutty

KS3

Years 7 & 8

Geography is compulsory at Key Stage 3. Years ago, the subject was about knowing about places, especially countries. Today, most of the Geography we do is "thematic". Themes help students learn more about the how and the why, as well as where places are. Skills are important so Year 7 starts with a review of map skills, building on what was learned in primary school. This is followed by Physical Geography units in rivers and flooding, drawing on recent examples such as Boscastle and Bangladesh. We continue with human units of settlement, population and migration. This helps students to understand the reasons behind the actions of people. Skills of empathy are developed, for example, in relation to migration. The study of volcanoes and earthquakes follows on from this to finish the year.

Moving into Year 8, students learn about hurricanes and their impact, global warming and climate change, as well as the issues surrounding poverty and development. We also look at globalisation, focusing on the fashion and sports industries to enable students to connect personally with these significant areas. There is also the opportunity for local fieldwork in Key Stage 3 Geography - an important geographical skill that helps to give students a sense of place and space, two major themes in the National Geography Framework.

The Key Stage 3 course comprises all areas of National Curriculum Geography. Work may start below Level 4 for some in Year 7, but the vast majority obtain Level 6 or above by the end of Key Stage 3.

Students are taught in ability sets, but all learn the same topics at approximately the same time. Assessments occur throughout the school year, in accordance with school policy, and include a mixture of written essays, projects and tests. Following assessments, it is sometimes possible for students to move between the sets. Some students who find Geography extremely difficult work in a more individualised environment in the Supportive Studies Unit or with a teaching assistant in the classroom. Differentiated work is also provided where necessary by the teacher.

KS4

Years 9-11 (GCSE)

All pupils follow the Edexcel specification B Evolving Planet GCSE course. Resources include the Oxford GCSE Geography Edexcel B written by Cameron Dunn, Dave Holmes, Sue Warn, Dan Cowling and Russell Chapman. We also use the Edexcel GCSE Geography B Evolving Planet Student Book written by David Flint, Lindsay Frost, Simon Oakes, Andy Palmer, Michael Witherick, Phil Wood and Nigel Yates.

The course is taught in mixed ability classes and the majority of students are entered for the Higher Level, leading to grades A* to D. Some students may be entered for the Foundation Level, leading to grades C to G.

The course is taught both in the classroom and "in the field". This includes a one day field trip to the local area. The day involves data collection and important fieldwork techniques will be learned. The techniques learned will eventually feed into a two day residential field trip to the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset where pupils will explore various aspects of tourism and coastal landscapes. The data collection from the Dorset trip will be used during the compulsory controlled assessment unit (worth 25% of the overall GCSE).

Post 16

The study of Geography at A Level provides a good basis for developing a deeper awareness and increased knowledge of many current global issues and concerns, such as ecological problems and the mounting evidence that man is having an irreversible effect on our planet. The course emphasises the synthesis between physical and human Geography through a distinctive people-environment approach. Students will learn a wide range of decision-making and problem-solving techniques in the context of managing change.

The course is not limited to study in lessons. There is a strong focus on deveoping fieldwork and research skills which are thoroughly integrated into the course at both A/S and A/2 levels (see Units 2 and 4 below). Trips are planned to the London Olympic sites, Osmington in Dorset and other rural villages. In addition to this, we arrange revision conferences for students at the Institute of Education in London.

Geography is a 4-unit A Level and follows the Edexcel specification. It allows a balance between students' own particular physical, human and/or environmental interests and key geographical topics that provide them with the knowledge, understanding and skills for further study at higher education or for employment. There is no assessment by coursework.

The subject can be taken in combination with either sciences or humanities. The normal entry requirement for the course is GCSE B in Geography, although it is possible to take Geography A Level even if the GCSE was not taken, provided the student is prepared to do some extra reading and preferably have attained GCSE B grades in Mathematics and English. Current students are taking a wide variety of combinations with Geography, including Biology, Chemistry, History, Mathematics, English, Psychology, Business Studies and Modern Languages.

Year 12 (A/S)

A/S level consists of two units that are designed to attract students to Geography as a subject that addresses key ideas and debates in our world today:

1. Unit 1: Global Challenges. This unit covers a range of topics such as Global Hazards, Climate Change and Future Global Challenges. The unit is assessed via a 1½-hour examination.

2. Unit 2: Geographical Investigations. This unit gives students the opportunity to undertake geographical research, including fieldwork. Students will investigate two topics in depth: Crowded Coasts and Rebranding Places. Rebranding Places will include a focus on the issues surrounding preparation for the London Olympics in 2012. The unit is assessed via a 1 hour examination.

Year 13 (A2)

The two A2 units cover a range of important global issues:

1. Unit 3: Contested Planet. In this unit students will consider five key world issues and in the sixth topic discuss possible technological solutions to the problems. The issues are:
   • Energy Security
   • Water conflicts
   • Biodiversity under threat
   • Superpower geographies
   • Bridging the development gap
   • The Technological Fix?

   This unit is assessed via a 2½ hour examination.

2. Unit 4: Geographical Research. This unit will allow students to develop further the investigative skills gained at A/S Level and prepare them for the demands of higher education or employment. Students choose one topic on which to focus from the following six:
   • Tectonic hazards. What are they? What are their impacts on people and the environment? How can we manage them better in the future?
   • Cold Environments. What and where are they? How are they formed? What challenges and opportunities do they provide?
   • Life on the margins. What is the food supply problem? Causes of inequalities in food, the role of desertification and management of food supply.
   • Cultural diversity. Students will investigate the nature and value of culture in Geography, spatial variations, impacts of globalisation and the impact of culture on the environment.
   • Pollution and health. What are health risks? What are the causes and how do health risks link in with pollution? How can we manage the impacts?
   • Rural landscape. How are we consuming the rural landscape? What are the impacts of leisure and tourism on rural landscapes? How can we manage these changes?

   The emphasis in this unit is on students' developing and consolidating their independent learning and research skills. Students' choice of topic will be guided by their teachers' specialist subject knowledge. The unitis assessed via a 1½ hour examination.

Geography and a career

Geography is acceptable for all university courses, and is usually an optional choice in BSc. (Econ) degrees. It can lead towards a wide variety of careers e.g. surveying, town planning, law, resource management, architecture, environmental research and planning, oil exploration, environmental consultancy, Corporate Social Responsibility Officers, GIS, hazard management, conservation, etc. There are also many jobs where the graphical, statistical and analytical skills which you acquire in Geography are highly prized. Successful past students include a Regional Development lecturer at the Hebrew University, a Water Resource Controller for Jerusalem City Council and an epidemiologist at Imperial College School of Medicine. At a recent conference of the Royal Geographical Society, organisations such as British Airways made a point of stressing how highly they valued geographical skills. Units 2 and 4 at A Level are well suited to pupils with an interest in IT and GIS (Geographical Information Systems), and the topics covered play an increasingly important part in everyday life.