Geography Curriculum Overview
Aim
Here at Southmoor Academy, we aim to securely equip all of our students for life beyond school as successful, confident, responsible and respectful citizens. We believe that education provides the key to social mobility and our curriculum is designed to build strong foundations in the knowledge, understanding and skills which lead to academic and personal success. We want our students to enjoy the challenges that learning offers.
Our aims are underpinned by a culture of high aspirations. Through developing positive relationships, we work towards every individual having a strong belief in their own abilities so that they work hard, build resilience and achieve their very best.
Intent
The curriculum includes formal teaching through subject areas, assemblies and extracurricular activities. We regularly review content to ensure we continue to meet our curriculum aims. The Geography curriculum is planned to enable all students to develop knowledge and skills in the following areas:
- Broadening their understanding of different places in the dynamic, interconnected world we live in
- Knowing how the physical landscape is shaped by different processes
- Appreciating the interconnections between humans and different environments
- Being able to analyse and interpret data from a range of sources
- Communicating using precise, geographical conventions
- Building and applying their geographical knowledge and skills to conduct well planned Geographical Investigations
Throughout our programmes of study, every attempt is made to make explicit links to careers and the world of work. In addition to subject specific links, we aim to explicitly reinforce the skills and aptitudes which support employers say are important in the workplace;
- Resilience (Aiming High, Staying Positive, Learning from Mistakes)
- Collaboration (Teamwork Leadership Communication)
- Creativity (Originality, Problem Solving, Independent Study)
The British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect of those with different faiths and beliefs are taught explicitly and reinforced in the way in which the school operates.
Sequence and structure
Our curriculum is split in to Key Stage 3 (years 7, 8 and 9) and Key Stage 4 (years 10 and 11). Our longer school day and generous allocation of curriculum time ensures a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to ensure success at KS4, whilst those students who do not continue to study Geography at KS4 have acquired breadth of knowledge and skill.
Year 7 KS3 Curriculum
Click here to view the Year 7 curriculum intent for 2022-2023.
We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.
Year 8 KS3 Curriculum
Click here to view the Year 8 curriculum intent for 2022-2023.
We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.
Year 9 KS3 Curriculum
Click here to view the Year 9 curriculum intent for 2022-2023.
We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.
Year 10 KS4 Curriculum
At GCSE (Key Stage 4), students follow AQA’s geography specification in an order that compliments and builds upon foundation knowledge from key stage 3. This is an exciting and relevant course that studies geography in a balanced framework of physical and human themes and investigates the link between them.
Students will travel the world, exploring case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), higher income countries (HICs), newly emerging economies (NEEs) and lower income countries (LICs). Topics of study include climate change, poverty, deprivation, global shifts in economic power and the challenge of sustainable resource use.
Our Year 10 Key Stage 4 Curriculum
KS4 Half Term 1 Half Term 2 Half Term 3 Half Term 4 Half Term 5 Half Term 6 Year 10
The Living World Ecosystems
Tropical Rainforests
The Living World Cold Environments (polar and tundra)
Urban Issues and Challenges
Urbanisation
Rio de Janeiro
Urban Issues and Challenges Rio de Janeiro
Newcastle upon Tyne
Physical Landscapes in the UK Coastal Landscapes
Physical Landscapes in the UK River Landscapes
Geographical Applications (paper 3)
Fieldwork (prep)
Fieldwork Coastal Landscapes (South Shields)
Urban Issues
(Newcastle upon Tyne)
Data Analysis and Interpretation
We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.
Year 11 KS4 Curriculum
At GCSE (Key Stage 4), students follow AQA’s geography specification in an order that compliments and builds upon foundation knowledge from key stage 3. This is an exciting and relevant course that studies geography in a balanced framework of physical and human themes and investigates the link between them.
Students will travel the world, exploring case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), higher income countries (HICs), newly emerging economies (NEEs) and lower income countries (LICs). Topics of study include climate change, poverty, deprivation, global shifts in economic power and the challenge of sustainable resource use.
Our Year 11 Key Stage 4 Curriculum
KS4 Half Term 1 Half Term 2 Half Term 3 Half Term 4 Half Term 5 Half Term 6 Year 11
Changing Economic World Development Gap
Closing the Gap
Newly Emerging Economy: Nigeria
Changing Economic World UK Economy
Challenge of Natural Hazards
Plate Tectonics
Challenge of Natural Hazards Tectonic Hazards
Weather Hazards
Climate Change
Challenge of Resource Management Food, Water and Energy in the UK
Global Food Management
Geographical Applications (paper 3) Geographical Issue (pre-release)
Revision and Exam Technique
Exams We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.
KS5 Curriculum
Our Key Stage 5 Curriculum:
Click here to view the KS4 curriculum intent for 2022-2023.
We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.
How does our Curriculum cater for students with SEND?
In Geography, there is the potential for using a wide range of learning approaches in the subject to increase the possibility of matching different learning needs. At Southmoor, we think it is important to avoid presenting students with SEND with an oversimplified and dull geography. As with all students, they deserve a rich geography curriculum and therefore, we plan exciting geography in the same way we do for all students. We aim to engage students with SEND in the geography content of lessons and, wherever possible, link it to their personal experience to make it more meaningful for them. We understand that visual resources are often more accessible for students with SEND and they may be able to achieve more verbally than in written form, so strive to involve them fully in discussions, drama and role plays. We take particular care when we are teaching controversial topics or those with complex geographies. We understand that some may find it difficult to cope with higher level conceptual understanding and, because of this, may be in danger of reinforcing stereotypes or prejudices they hold rather than challenging them. We will avoid using unnecessarily complex teacher language. Finally, we will not set our expectations too low for these students. It is wrong to give them tasks that do not stimulate their interest, rather they must be selected carefully to avoid any potential barriers without confining what we ask of them to the mundane.
To ensure we have consistently inclusive geography lessons, our monitoring and evaluation focuses on the following key areas:
- Learning environment (e.g. sound and light, seating, resources etc.)
- Multi-sensory approaches, including ICT (e.g. visual timetables to aid organisation, screen filters etc.)
- Working with additional adults (e.g. consulting students, planning support etc.)
- Managing peer relationships (e.g. grouping students, managing group work, developing responsibility etc.)
- Adult-student communication (e.g. teacher’s communication, visual aids etc.)
- Formative assessment (how to improve their work) (e.g. clear learning objectives, retrieval of prior knowledge, effective feedback etc.)
- Motivation (e.g. well-structured lessons, relevant and motivating tasks etc.)
- Memory and consolidation (e.g. regular recapping, reducing strain on working memory, consolidating learning etc.)
How does our curriculum cater for disadvantaged students and those from minority groups?
As a school serving an area with high levels of deprivation, we work tirelessly to raise the attainment for all students and to close any gaps that exist due to social contexts. The deliberate allocation of funding and resources has ensured that attainment gaps are closing in our drive to ensure that all pupils are equally successful when they leave the Academy. More specifically within the teaching of Geography, we;
- Provide targeted support for underperforming pupils
- Use data to identify gaps and underperforming pupils.
- Discuss strategies and implement these in order to address pupils needs
- Ensure homework is accessible and where needed resources and support are provided outside of lesson time.
- Provide revision materials to pupils to reduce financial burdens on families.
How do we make sure that our curriculum is implemented effectively?
The Geography curriculum leader is responsible for designing the Geography curriculum and monitoring implementation.
The subject leader’s monitoring is validated by senior leaders.
Staff have regular access to professional development/training to ensure that curriculum requirements are met.
Effective assessment informs staff about areas in which interventions are required. These interventions are delivered during curriculum time to enhance pupils’ capacity to access the full curriculum.
Curriculum resources are selected carefully and reviewed regularly.
Assessments are designed thoughtfully to assess student progress and also to shape future learning.
Assessments are checked for reliability within departments and across the Trust.
Members of the department mark for the AQA exam board and provide CPD to the rest of the department to improve reliability of data.
Gap analysis spreadsheets are used to identify areas of development for pupils and the Geography department. Analysis of topics, concepts, skills and case studies is used to ensure pupils have a comprehensive coverage of a curriculum which is both coherent and rigorous. The curriculum at KS3 and KS4 is presented in a sequence which allows pupils to move from simple, familiar, local concepts to more complex, unfamiliar, global ones. The curriculum offers a range of topics to help build skills and knowledge at KS3 to provide a foundation to build upon at KS4. A change to cold environments and Glaciation topics at KS4 will allow pupils to study a broader range of topics, as river and desert environments are covered within the KS3 curriculum.
Implemented within the Geography curriculum are links to future careers. Within lessons we aim to build employability skills to enable pupils to transfer these when leaving school and looking for employment and future careers. We teach teamwork and the importance of clear communication, map and mathematical skills, the use of GPS and effective research skills. As part of the whole school careers program, pupils are expected to implement the skills acquired during lessons to plan their own journey to an interview in London and abroad. Class based discussion around the employment opportunities associated with Geography are held at both KS3 and KS4 level, linking both careers and voluntary work to gain experience, to the natural disasters’ units taught in year 8 and at GCSE.
How do we make sure our curriculum is having the desired impact?
- Examination results analysis and evaluation, reported to the senior leaders and the local governing body to ensure challenge
- Termly assessments-analysis and evaluation meetings
- Lesson observations
- Learning walks
- Book scrutiny
- Regular feedback from Teaching Staff during department meetings
- Regular feedback from Middle Leaders during curriculum meetings
- Pupil surveys
- Parental feedback
- External reviews and evaluations
