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Geography
BackIntent
To use our passion for our subject to inspire the next generation of ‘geographers’ to make a positive impact upon the world we live in. We see our role as not only to give students the tools to be successful with exams and learning new skills, but through our knowledge rich curriculum give students the knowledge and desire to make a lasting and purposeful impact on the world around us.
Geography is a unique subject that adds understanding to how the world works both in a physical sense and a human sense. Our KS3 and KS4 curriculum are mapped to the national curriculum to create an ambitious curriculum for all and is specifically designed to combine knowledge with a love of learning. One that encourages students to take moral, social and environmental responsibility for our planet, starting with our local community! The transferable skills and values that our students will learn will give them the perfect foundation to become that global citizen.
Eco-schools: Sustainability - Oulton Academy
Implementation
From the outset the implementation of the geography curriculum is to make our intent a reality for all students. Our pupil entitlement extends beyond the ‘written’ curriculum and includes educational visits, extracurricular activities and curriculum enrichment experiences.
The curriculum is delivered by passionate and experienced teachers who are well resourced and who benefit from the latest CPD in terms of both subject specific materials as well as latest pedagogy Embedding Formative Assessment - SSAT (ssatuk.co.uk). All teachers have access to an appropriate professional body:
Embedding Formative Assessment - SSAT - More Information
Each component in the geography curriculum are designed to link coherently and cumulatively in a sequenced manner building on prior learning necessary to help learners develop long term knowledge and skills.
Through our ‘Big Picture’ focus we ensure students can make real-world career connections to the content they study in depth and in every lesson.
Across each year group geographers build on their prior knowledge through iterative starters (Memory Geoggers) and stretch themselves independently during Gold zone which is a key part of all lessons.
Curriculum Implementation - Oulton Academy.
Students and geography teachers model best practice through regular 'Live Model Marking' which helps establish key GCSE skills throughout their Oulton Academy 5-year journey. Progress is tracked through regular low stakes testing, 40 mark/40 minute tests in Autumn, Spring and Summer and a literacy focus ‘Big Write each half term which supports the academy’s literacy drive GROW With Oulton - Oulton Academy. All of which are used to enhance each child’s curriculum experience and support the academy’s over reaching intent for all.
KS3
In year 7 and Year 8, they follow the national curriculum which we intertwine with topical, engaging and thought-provoking content from both a local and global perspective. We give our students the relevant skills needed to broaden their horizons and to inspire a thirst for knowledge within our subject.
Through our Learning Outside the Classroom agenda we integrate fieldwork so students are then able to add local and national context to the topics we encounter.
Learning Outside the Classroom agendaIn the year 9 curriculum we revisit some of the broader national curriculum issues in even greater detail but allow students to explore other topics we have developed ourselves; such is the passion for Geography within our team. The geographies of nowhere scheme of learning explores the micronations that exist around the world and shines a light on places dreaming of independence such as Catalonia.
KS4
Year 10 and Year 11 focuse on the depth of knowledge needed to master the GCSE course. We strive to keep our lessons engaging, interesting and inspiring while ensuring that the exam specification is adhered to. Students will use the foundations set from the KS3 curriculum to kick on and start to really analyse the world we live in, but with an AQA exam specification lens.
Newcastle University and the University of Leeds complete several workshops with our GCSE students across the two years helping reinforce exam content such as Geographical Information Systems but also raising aspirations of HaSS careers and pathways for life after school.
Put simply we, and the Eco-Schools International Education programme, feel our curriculum is ambitious for all and our geographers and leave us as better global citizens, with an abundance of transferable skills and a deeper care and understanding of local and global environments.
Geographical Information System
HaSS careers and pathways for life after school
Review and evaluate
The geography department are themselves life long learners and so are reflective on all our practises, we are proactive in investigating best practise and sharing this learning and understanding across our network of schools.
Further Information
If you require more detailed information, please email the Head of Department. Mr Thornton:
Year 7
What will I be studying?
Half Term 1
Zombie Map Skills- students use their newly developed skills to out run an apocalypse!
Half Term 2
Oceans- students explore the shallows and the deep and look at how we use the oceans.
Half Term 3
Urban UK/Hot Deserts- students look at what has shaped our UK towns and cities before studying what life is like in desert environments.
Half Term 4
Global Fashion- students analyse the impacts of fast fashion on the environment and people involved in the factories.
Half Term 5
Glaciation- students take a look back in time at how glaciers bulldozered their way through our landscapes.
Half Term 6
Weather and climate- students learn about how to measure the weather before completing an outdoor fieldwork project.
Career Links
Financial services, planning, working in the environment, environmental law, environmental engineering, travel and tourism, international charities, retail, international relations, GIS, management, environmental health technician, transport, GIS officer, environmental adviser, sales recruitment consultant, GIS technician/ analyst, data quality officer, politician, emergency services, disaster relief, NGOs, advertising, student recruitment, urban planning, architecture, hazard resistant architecture, Ecotourism, Voluntourism.
How will I be assessed?
Students complete Autumn, Spring and Summer Summative assessments that are 40 marks and take 40 minutes. Each assessment uses our ‘memory geogger’ starters as inspiration and each assessment builds up upon the last. Questions start with more basic command words such as State and describe and build in difficulty throughout the year, culminating in Justify and Discuss style questions.
Students also complete 1 ‘Big Write’ extended piece of writing per half term which links to their current topic.
Within each lesson students complete a ‘Demonstrate/Gold zone’ and then the teacher assesses how well that task has been completed before giving each student a relevant ‘Connect’ task in the next lesson based upon their answer.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
Year 8
What will I be studying?
Half Term 1
Horn of Africa- students look at the misconceptions associated with Africa and learn about the opportunities within the Horn of Africa region.
Half Term 2
Middle East- students debunk the myths associated with the region and start to learn about the real middle east.
Half Term 3
China/ India/Russia- students take a virtual trip around China and its phenomenal landscapes before studying the development of India from commonwealth member to NEE before finally exploring the vast country of Russia.
Half Term 4
Tectonic Hazards- students study how tectonic hazards shape our world and how we can manage the risks associated with them.
Half Term 5
Changing UK- students explore how the UK’s demographic and character has changed over time.
Half Term 6
DMEs/Fieldwork-students are tasked with choosing the correct course of action in various scenario-based lessons before completing a flora and fauna fieldwork project around the school.
Career Links
Financial services, planning, working in the environment, environmental law, environmental engineering, travel and tourism, international charities, retail, international relations, GIS, management, environmental health technician, transport, GIS officer, environmental adviser, sales recruitment consultant, GIS technician/ analyst, data quality officer, politician, emergency services, disaster relief, NGOs, advertising, student recruitment, urban planning, architecture, hazard resistant architecture, Ecotourism, Voluntourism.
How will I be assessed?
Students complete Autumn, Spring and Summer Summative assessments that are 40 marks and take 40 minutes. Each assessment uses our ‘memory geogger’ starters as inspiration and each assessment builds up upon the last. Questions start with more basic command words such as State and describe and build in difficulty throughout the year, culminating in Justify and Discuss style questions.
Students also complete 1 ‘Big Write’ extended piece of writing per half term which links to their current topic.
Within each lesson students complete a ‘Demonstrate/Gold zone’ and then the teacher assesses how well that task has been completed before giving each student a relevant ‘Connect’ task in the next lesson based upon their answer.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
Year 9
What will I be studying?
Half Term 1
Hollywood Geography- students explore remote locations and assess the geography in various fictional worlds.
Half Term 2
Bridging the Gap- students study the disparity in wealth around the world and the day-to-day impacts this has on development.
Half Term 3
Do we have enough?- students look at how quickly we are burning through our finite resources and assess the ways this should be addressed.
Half Term 4
Brazil- students explore this former Portuguese colony and its journey to an NEE
Half Term 5
The Living Environment- students take a trip around tropical rainforest regions before studying the desertification process.
Half Term 6
Physical Landscapes- students look at the volcanic regions, coastal landforms and river features in detail.
Career Links
Financial services, planning, working in the environment, environmental law, environmental engineering, travel and tourism, international charities, retail, international relations, GIS, management, environmental health technician, transport, GIS officer, environmental adviser, sales recruitment consultant, GIS technician/ analyst, data quality officer, politician, emergency services, disaster relief, NGOs, advertising, student recruitment, urban planning, architecture, hazard resistant architecture, Ecotourism, Voluntourism.
How will I be assessed?
Students complete Autumn, Spring and Summer Summative assessments that are 40 marks and take 40 minutes. Each assessment uses our ‘memory geogger’ starters as inspiration and each assessment builds up upon the last. Questions start with more basic command words such as State and describe and build in difficulty throughout the year, culminating in Justify and Discuss style questions.
Students also complete 1 ‘Big Write’ extended piece of writing per half term which links to their current topic.
Within each lesson students complete a ‘Demonstrate/Gold zone’ and then the teacher assesses how well that task has been completed before giving each student a relevant ‘Connect’ task in the next lesson based upon their answer.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
KS4 - GCSE Geography
AQA GCSE Geography
What will I be studying?
Paper 1:
- Challenge of Natural Hazards
- Living World
- Rivers
- Coasts
Paper 2:
- Urban Issues and challenges
- Economic World
- Challenge of Resource Management
Paper3:
- Pre-release
- Unseen Fieldwork
- Fieldwork
Career Links
Financial services, planning, working in the environment, environmental law, environmental engineering, travel and tourism, international charities, retail, international relations, GIS, management, environmental health technician, transport, GIS officer, environmental adviser, sales recruitment consultant, GIS technician/ analyst, data quality officer, politician, emergency services, disaster relief, NGOs, advertising, student recruitment, urban planning, architecture, hazard resistant architecture, Ecotourism, Voluntourism.
How will I be assessed?
Each lesson starts with a ‘memory geogger’ which allows the teacher to assess where each student may have gaps in their learning and address them accordingly.
Within each lesson students complete a ‘Demonstrate/Gold zone’ and then the teacher assesses how well that task has been completed before giving each student a relevant ‘Connect’ task in the next lesson based upon their answer. For Y10 and Y11 this is mostly an exam question that has been modelled and scaffolded by their classroom teacher using Live Model Marking.
Students complete PPEs ( exams/mocks) throughout their GCSE course with Y10 sitting 2 practice Geography exams in the summer term and Y11 sitting all 3 exam papers at Christmas and another set in March. We are then able to QLA the answers and work out bespoke intervention for each student as well as give students practice in sitting all 3 Geography papers ( human, physical and skills/fieldwork). After each topic has been completed students will also be given a shorter exam based upon that topic within lessons.
Students also complete 1 ‘Big Write’ extended piece of writing per half term which links to their current topic.
Which examination board am I following?
AQA Geography
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
