Geography

Geography at Clare Mount

Aim

The Geography department aims to promote, encourage and develop an interest and enthusiasm for the study of Geography. We seek to develop students as geographers in three key areas:

• Geographical knowledge and understanding: Develop their knowledge and understanding of the characteristics, processes and challenges found in different physical and human environments at a variety of scales and locations
• Geographical skills: Students will learn a range of skills to critically analyse different geographical issues and challenges to draw reasoned conclusions
• Geographical resourcefulness: Our students will become able to confidently draw upon their knowledge, understanding and skills as well as use their initiative and creativity in pursuit of solutions to the various geographical challenges they will study.

Key stage 3

Year 7 Geography at Clare Mount will encourage pupils to question and wonder at the world around them. Pupils will complete a range of units created with the aim of developing and improving their geographical skills, knowledge of places and understanding of processes. Initially they will be studying our planet, how it was formed, what makes it unique and how humans interact with it. They will then build on the map skills by using a variety of maps and advancing their knowledge of how to use them. We will also be undertaking the study of places drawn from a number of areas of the world including the UK and Europe.

Year 8 students will study the Arctic biome, natural hazards and the UK.

Year 9  will focus on  Development and Globalisation, Rivers and Coasts the when pupils will have a fieldwork opportunity to visit Hilbre Island to investigate local coastal erosion. 

Geography GCSE

We study the AQA Specification at GCSE.  The course develops a wide range of geographical skills and builds a good base of knowledge and understanding across a number of different areas.

Students will study a range of topics, some physical and some human, but all with some interaction and interconnection. Physical topics include rivers, weather hazards and ecosystems and their management. Human topics include global development and resource management. There will be two major field work opportunities, one focusing on a physical area of study, the other on a human area of study which will feature as part of the final examinations. Physical Geography field work is carried out around the Jurassic Coast in Dorset including Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. The Human Geography field work in Albert Dock Liverpool. There is no coursework

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Study of this course will give students of all backgrounds the opportunity to develop:

• engaging and topical content
• a stimulating blend of traditional and contemporary Geography to suit students of all abilities
• the study of physical and human Geography
• a focus on physical processes and factors that produce diverse and dynamic landscapes over time.
• communication skills
• graphical and cartographical skills
• technological skills including ICT and GIS
• interpersonal skills through debate and discussion
• literacy and numeracy skills
• problem-solving skills