Geography
The aim of the St Columba’s Geography Department is to develop students’ understanding of the interactions between human and physical geography as well as our globally interconnected society.
This is delivered through a wide range of topics both contemporary and traditional, such as our Key Stage 3 themes of plastic pollution and climate change, map skills and glaciation.
Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that? Michael Palin
Fieldwork is an integral part of Geography and students have the opportunity to visit the London Aquarium, The Crystal, North Devon and they take part in international fieldtrips to locations such as the Azores and Iceland.
The skills students develop through studying Geography are highly transferable to a wide range of careers including the Civil Service and Investment Banking, as well as more specifically subject-based roles such as inspection and surveying for new energy locations, town planning and working within Geographic Information System applications.
Geography: Senior
Course Description
The aim of the St Columba’s Geography Department is to develop students’ understanding of the interactions between human and physical geography as well as our globally interconnected society. This is delivered through a wide range of topics both contemporary and traditional, such as our Key Stage 3 themes of plastic pollution and climate change, map skills and glaciation. At GCSE level, students study for the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE) IGCSE, with its three main strands: population and settlement, the natural environment and economic development. Students also learn crucial fieldwork skills, carrying out a river study in Epping Forest.
Curriculum
In Form 1 students are introduced to the concept of sustainability through a wide range of units from World Geography, Population, Coasts, Map Skills, and the Geography of Sport. We incorporate traditionally geographical skills such as the use of OS maps to more modern skills such as Digimaps and ArcGIS.
Form 2’s theme is global interactions. This is introduced through a variety of aspects across our units of Ecosystems, Africa and a Weather and Climate Project. The project is a structured independent unit where students produce fantastic resources including themes from cloud formation to the climatic spread of diseases.
In Form 3 students focus is on a range of global disasters and development, starting with a unit about Oceans, then studying Geopolitics. After the Christmas holidays we start the IGCSE with a unit on Earthquakes and Volcanoes and then Development. About 40% of the students pick Geography as one of their three GCSE options.
What are the unique selling points of studying this subject at St Columba’s College?
Studying Geography at St Columba’s College presents a unique opportunity for students to engage in both practical live Geography in the field, locally ( Kew Gardens, Urban Regeneration in London, Rivers Investigation in Essex, Coastal Processes in Devon) and internationally (Azores and Iceland) whilst garnering academically rigorous knowledge from a variety of teachers with a wide range of expertise.
Geography at St Columbas College is fully engaged in current thematic and topical issues which affect young people today making the subject’s relevance significantly meaningful. Students studying Geography at St Columbas enjoy its unique position as a robust facilitating subject straddling both the arts and sciences as well as standing confidently in its own right as a robust Russel Group subject.
How are the students assessed
Geography GCSE students have 3 x 50 minute lessons a week in Form 4 and Form 5. We study the Cambridge International IGCSE exam board (CIE 0976), which is examined in three main ways. Paper 1 is the core Geographical Themes, this includes topics such as Population, Migration, Rivers, Coasts, Economic Development, and Industry. Paper 2 is a Skills paper, questions include Map Skills and skill application, interpretation and analysis of geographical information taken from a range of the topics from paper 1. Component 3, is a Coursework, examining downstream changes at nearby Loughton Brook. For this the students travel to Epping Forest for a day of fieldwork and data collection.
For A Level we continue with the Cambridge International Exam board (CIE 9696), complimenting and building on the units studied by the students in KS4. In Lower VI, students have 6 x 50 minutes lessons per week, split evenly between subject specialists. We complete 6 units in Lower VI, Paper 1- the Core Physical Geography and Paper 2- Core Human Geography. Units this year include Settlement Dynamics, Global Migration and Atmosphere and Weather.
In Upper VI 7 x 50-minute lessons per week. We study Paper 3- Advanced Physical Geography and Paper 4- Advanced Human Geography. This includes units such as Environmental Management, Global Interdependence and Coastal Environments. One lesson per week is dedicated to exam practice and improving students essay skills.
Home Learning
In Form 1 & 2, homework is set once every two weeks, and in Form 3 once a week, following the schools homework rota. It always develops students understanding of the unit we are studying, and has a variety of styles including structured research using the internet or videos; creativity is encouraged and students produce excellent work which promotes both challenge and independence.
In KS4 students have two homeworks a week, one homework will be a retrieval practice and interleaving task. This varies from map skills, core geographic skills, exam questions etc…
In KS5 students have one set homework a week which encourages extra reading and developing students knowledge of the core content. one homework a week is retrieval practice where we interleave the course units with exam questions.
How can parents/guardians support their child’s learning?
Parents tend to enjoy supporting Geography’s home learning as there are a wide variety of simple sources within the home which can support the parent to support their child. This is enhanced with the very topical nature of the themes taught in Geography so that topics such as climate change, natural disasters and migration can be accessed with modest resources. We encourage parents to assist their child to enhance their broader reading with subscriptions to students journals, use of school provided dedicated websites and learning hubs as well as providing enriched learning environments with the simple reading of quality newspapers. Encouraging the focused use of the bank of resources held on their devices also assists. Parents have access to directed websites such as Seneca Learning and GCSE pod as well as technical GIS and map related platforms together with video based documentary sources.
