Staff

• Mr A Austen (Head of Dept)
• Mr G Allmand (Deputy Head)
• Mrs S Parker
• Mrs R Fitzhugh

Aims:

• to deliver a broad and exciting curriculum;
• to provide a sound factual knowledge of the world’s geographical phenomena;
• to develop understanding of the diversity in the world;
• to provide the skills and tools of a Geographer and encourage their appropriate and independent use;
• to provide experience and enjoyment in the field;
• to investigate a range of places across a variety of scales.

Ethos:

The Geography Department seeks to enable students to make sense of their world, and to understand the processes, both human and physical that shape it. Geography is a contemporary and dynamic subject which addresses issues such as ‘Climate change’ ‘Resource depletion’ and ‘Sustainable development’. These issues raise crucial questions about the sort of future society that we wish to create. Therefore it is extremely relevant for today’s school children.

The Geography Department is located in three fully equipped classrooms around the main building. Geography is a compulsory subject at Key Stage 3 and thereafter becomes an option.

Curriculum:

At Key Stage 3 the aim is to provide a broad and exciting foundation for future study. The course is based upon delivering the National Curriculum plus more, equipping our students with the geographical skills to understand better the world we live in. An enquiry approach is adopted based upon use of the Key Geography series of textbooks.

For GCSE the AQA Specification A is followed. Assessment currently involves 40% on a Skills / Physical Geography paper, 35% on a Human Geography exam and 25% Coursework. Fieldwork is integrated into the coursework element and involves an residential field trip to mid-Wales.

At A Level the new AQA specification A is followed, covering a wide range of physical and human topics. The course also involves a residential field course in mid-Wales, preparing for the skills element of the examination. A day visit to Chester is also undertaken, looking at settlement patterns for use as an in-depth case study.

Fieldwork:

Fieldwork remains central to our teaching throughout the College. We have established a range of day trips at Key Stage 3, including studies of tourism in Snowdonia and diversification at Stockley Farm in the Autumn Term. Residential field trips after Easter play a vital role in the preparation of students at both GCSE and AS level, giving the students essential hands on experience of primary data collection. The Department also regularly travels further afield to experience different environments and cultures first hand. Recent destinations have included the Swiss Alps, Sorrento in southern Italy and the south-west of Iceland.