Geography

Introduction to the Team:

Lead Practitioner – Alex Kettle
Vice Principal – Becky Maiden
Teacher of Geography – Sulakshama Biswas

Subject Aims/Intent:

The Geography Curriculum at OSCA is based around our five guiding principles:

Being analytical
Skilled
Globally Minded
Future Thinking
Fostering Curiosity

The curriculum develops a sense of place and helps students make sense of their surroundings and to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the variety of physical and human conditions on the Earth’s surface. The subject extends students’ interest and knowledge beyond their immediate experiences

Analytical

We encourage students to question the information presented to them by identifying trends and anomalies and using this to present their arguments.  Working as a Geographer requires a set of skills that are supported by literacy and numeracy and we aim to support the pupil’s journey through their time at OSCA empowering them to access resources and support to develop their skills and understanding to independently question the world around them.

Skilled

Geography develops major skill areas: Map and fieldwork skills; cross-curricular skills such as ICT, Literacy and Numeracy; as well as an increasing awareness of the world around us and the idea of sustainability. We recognise that literacy and communication cover a variety of skills, including taking and making notes, summarising information, presenting ideas, title writing, persuasive writing and arguments.  It also covers the ‘spoken language’ component of the national curriculum.  Numeracy is also promoted through data analysis and graph drawing through to the use of digital mapping. We use the academy’s educational ethos to; regularly review previous learning, introduce new skills in small steps (with modelled examples) and Re-teaching of material when necessary.

Globally Minded

We want students to become global citizens and show a keen awareness of the geography around them. Geography is everywhere and students at OSCA develop a keen awareness and appreciation of the geography around them. We build the Cultural Capital of our students by helping them to understand the contemporary world around them through regular evaluation of world events and relate this to their Geography Curriculum. Students learn about how political decisions can cause change the local environment and the world around them. They learn about the powerful economic forces around them that are bringing about changes to the way that will affect their future careers. Socially, the students learn about how countries are at different stages of development and how the lives of people living there are very different. Geography also helps to explain the many environmental issues that are changing the world in which these students live and how to make sense of these effects.

Future thinking

We want the students to have thoroughly enjoyed learning about geography, therefore encouraging them to undertake new life experiences now and in the future. Geography develops an understanding of their place in the world as well as an increasing awareness of their impact on their surroundings. This is underpinned by the ideas of sustainability and the impacts of this in the future.

Foster curiosity

We encourage students to ask a large number of questions and teachers regularly check for understanding.

The Geography Curriculum at OSCA seeks to develop a sense of place and helps students make sense of their surroundings and to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the variety of physical and human conditions on the Earth’s surface. The subject extends students’ interest and knowledge beyond their immediate experiences, using images and information to help them interpret about people and concepts that they acquire from media, internet and textbooks. Geography develops major skill areas: Map and fieldwork skills; cross-curricular skills such as ICT, Literacy and Numeracy; as well as an increasing awareness of the world around us and the idea of sustainability. We want students to become global citizens and show a keen awareness of the geography around them. Geography is everywhere and students at OSCA develop a keen awareness and appreciation of the geography around them. 

The curriculum was recently adapted to fit a ‘spiral’ pattern in order to help students build on their knowledge in order to help improve retention of key information.

In Y7 students are introduced to the concept of Geography, some of the key topics that Geographers focus on and what skills Geographers are required to practise. The intention is to introduce key ‘Golden threads’ including climate change, SE Asia, N. Africa, development and place/location. We want to ensure that these threads are entrenched in Y7 and can therefore be built upon throughout KS3.

This is built on in Y8 by taking the same ‘Golden Threads’ previously studied in Y7 and applying them to real world scenarios. For example, students will be introduced to deserts as an ecosystem in the Africa unit in Y7 and in Y8 they will look at the climate of deserts.

This is further consolidated in Y9 through an understanding of how Geographical concepts impact the world we live in today. For example, building on students understanding of deserts, students will then look at desertification and the impact of this.

Assessment:
At OSCA we use a variety of summative assessments across KS3 and KS4 including;

geographical enquiries
extended or shorter focused pieces of writing in a variety of different forms
analysis and interpretation of a variety of maps at different scales as well as other geographical data
text annotation or visual organisers such as thought mapping, storyboards, concept mapping or timelines
oral work such as pupil presentations to the class, contributions to class discussions, drama activities or discussions with teachers
drawing of sketch maps, diagrams, field sketches

Assessment and exams:
The Geography Department using many formative strategies such as questioning (challenging questions, rich questions); feedback, (including formative marking, with opportunities for students to respond and improve their work) effective self- and peer- assessment require teachers and students to understand progress are used throughout the curriculum. We have an emphasis on text marking which guides students through the mark schemes highlighting the assessment objectives. This practice quickly highlights areas of strength, but also identifies clearly areas requiring development.

GSCE Course
Paper 1: Living with the Physical Environment (35% of total grade)

Section A – The challenge of natural hazards – Tectonic Hazards, Weather Hazards and Climate Change.
Section B – The Living World – Ecosystems, Tropical Rainforests and Hot Deserts.
Section C – UK Physical Landscapes – Coasts and Rivers

Paper 2: Living with the Human Environment (35% of total grade)

Section A – Urban Issues and Challenges – The Urban World (Rio de Janeiro), Urban change in the UK (Birmingham), Sustainable urban development (BedZed).
Section B – The Changing Economic World – The Development Gap, India (NEE), The Changing UK Economy.
Section C – The challenge of resource management – Energy, food and water management.

Paper 3: Geographical Applications and Skills (30% of total grade)

Issue evaluation and fieldwork.
Physical Geography fieldwork: River study in Carding Mill Valley.
Human Geography fieldwork: Birmingham Regeneration study.

Homework:
Homework is currently being reviewed and redeveloped and will be updated as soon as it has been finalised

Extra- Curricular, Curriculum experiences:
To complement the delivery of the Geography Curriculum at OSCA, students are invited to take part in school trips in order to further develop their understanding of a particular element of geography. At KS4 students will complete two compulsory fieldwork trips; one a river study in Carding Mill Valley and the second an investigation into the impact of regeneration in Birmingham City Centre.

We have also lead trips for Gifted and Talented KS3 students to the Eden Project and Cheddar Gorge. This residential weekend allowed students to understand adaption and environmental challenges.

For years 9, 10 and 11 we offer three educational visits to the Azores, Iceland and Morocco. These visits allow students to study both physical and human elements of geography as well as be involved in many cultural aspects. The aim of these educational trips is to broaden the scope of curriculum delivery beyond the classroom, allowing students exposure to new challenges and worthwhile experiences.