Geography

Course summary

Each topic contains three or four enquiry questions, which encourage active learning in a relevant sequence, and allows students to investigate the content with a critically evaluative approach. This specification contains three synoptic themes. These are overarching themes designed to help students make links between different geographical themes, ideas and concepts. The synoptic themes incorporate specialist geographical concepts, namely: causality, systems, feedback, inequality, identity, globalisation, interdependence, mitigation and adaption, sustainability, risk, resilience and thresholds. Weaving these themes throughout Paper 1 & Paper 2 allows for students to approach Paper 3 appropriately. The final paper is a synoptic investigation that will link explicitly and/or implicitly to the synoptic themes, whilst incorporating key concepts. Students are initially taught Paper 1 modules for 5 lessons over a fortnight and Paper 2 modules for 5 lessons over a fortnight in order to differentiate between physical and human components. Students undertake end of topic assessments to identify areas of weakness and address misconceptions. Lessons are planned with several AfL opportunities integrated within them to monitor student progress. Literacy and numeracy foci have been embedded into each topic to ensure students are able to make and surpass expected progress in line with their target grades.