Year 7: The focus of Year 7 is the development of map and atlas skills based on the local area. Each student is provided with a free Ordnance Survey map which is used regularly. Studies include the Black Country and Weather and Climate. Regular testing takes place to track student progress.
Year 8: During Year 8 students study contrasting countries including Egypt, USA and Japan. Topics include desert environments, population/migration and earthquakes. A particular focus is Alaska and the development of oil resources in a national park area.
Year 9: New topics have been introduced in Year 9 starting with Global fashion analysing the trade in jeans and trainers. The geography of crime helps students to understand where and why crime occurs and what can be done to reduce the problem. Coastal geography is also studied, developing students’ understanding of physical geography and management of coastlines. Environmental issues are studied through a unit of work on global warming. Students are thus well prepared to follow a GCSE course in Years 10 and 11.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum
At GCSE we follow the OCR syllabus B (Avery Hill) course. Modules studied are:
Water, Landforms and People, Climate the Environment and People, People, Work and Development and People and Place. There is an emphasis on human geography, relevant to the lives of young people. Physical geography includes flooding and flood prevention, coastal erosion and management qand the formation of physical features such as Grand Canyon. Throughout the course the emphasis is on interaction between people and their environment.
Two assessments take place – one based on fieldwork, the other a cross-unit task analysing a contentious issue or hypothesis. Finally there are two examinations, a case study paper and a decision making exercise.
Post 16 opportunities and progression routes for further study
A level geography is available, taught in The High Arcal Post 16 centre in collaboration with Dudley College.
