Welcome to Woodfields Academy Astrea Academy Trust
Subject Leader: Mrs A Bowskill
Welcome to the Geography department, we are a small team made up of enthusiastic, dedicated members of staff who strive towards creating a positive learning environment to ensure students reach their full potential. High standards are promoted throughout the department and we support students becoming confident Geographers.
In Geography, students are encouraged to ask questions, challenge themselves and become learners who are confident in their ability and knowledge base. The team work together on making lessons engaging, challenging and relevant to the modern world.
Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 follow a varied curriculum; which will be delivered over four lessons per fortnight, and those students who opt to take Geography for GCSE receive five hours of lessons per fortnight.
In addition to the high quality lessons, the Geography department also ensure that students are given an opportunity to learn outside the classroom. Students will undertake a trip to the Peak District to conduct a rivers study, and a trip to Sheffield to conduct the Human fieldwork element.
Geography Staff
- Subject Leader – A Bowskill
- Teacher of Geography– H Slingsby
- Teacher of Geography – S Atkinson
- Teacher of Geography – B Hall
Geography Curriculum Map 2019-20
Key Stage 3
The topics explored at KS3 introduce students to a wide range of geographical issues to broaden their understanding of the world in which they live. This will allow them to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to access the GCSE course in Key Stage 4.
Human and Physical topics covered at KS3: Exploring Africa, Ethical Geography, Ecosystems, Mega Cities, Locational knowledge, Coasts, Oceans, Techtronic Hazards, Glaciation and Global Challenge, population and Rivers.
Key Stage 4
At Key Stage 4 students study for the AQA GCSE Geography and this delivered over a 2-year period. Students will take 3 exams for the completion of the subject, assessing a range of topics, at the end of Year 11.
- Paper 1: Living with the physical environment (1hr 30min 35% of the final mark)
- Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment (1hr 30min 35% of the final mark)
- Paper 3: Geographical applications (1hr 15min 30% of the final mark)
Students will firstly be introduced to Unit 1 Living with the Physical Environment, within this unit students will explore various aspects of the physical environment, for example; natural hazards, the living world and the physical environment coats and rivers.
Students will then move on to the unit Challenges in the Human Environment, students will study urban issues and challenges, and the changing economic world. Students will have the opportunity in Year 10 to conduct both their human and physical fieldwork investigations.
Year 11 consists of covering the final topic of resource management, students will then spend their time preparing for the pre- release element of the course for paper 3 and preparing for the final examination period.
Students will develop many skills through the study of Geography; critical thinking, communication and analytical skills. Throughout the course students will be given the opportunity to complete a variety of fieldwork enquiries this will enable students to look at two contrasting environments, considering the human and physical interactions between them.