Geography

Geography today is fundamental to understanding the world around us and how it is rapidly changing. As a subject, geography makes both a unique and a wider contribution to the curriculum and is therefore a vital component in preparing young people for life in the 21st century.

The department aims to provide a geographical education that:

• Develops knowledge of people and place and how they inter-relate; human and physical environments; people-environment relationships; and causes and consequences of change.

• Develop skills for geographical enquiry.

• Stimulates an interest in and maintains an appreciation of the world around us.

• Develops not only a concern for the world around us, but also a willingness to take positive action.

Distinctive contribution to the curriculum

Geography makes a valuable and distinctive contribution to the curriculum through:

• Place study: allowing young people to study and appreciate their own locality; looking at different places on a variety of scales and understanding how they are linked; and promoting a respect for cultural diversity.Studying human and physical patterns and processes: helping young people to understand the link between human and physical environments.Studying people-environment relationships: developing knowledge of these concepts and issues; encouraging young people to appreciate their own and other environments; and making them aware of environmental issues.Geographical fieldwork and enquiry: allowing firsthand investigation of people in a variety of environments and cultures; teaching young people to collect, analyse and present data as well as developing skills of observation, measuring, recording and evaluation.Working with maps and images: teaching young people how to use and make plans and maps; allows them to travel confidently; highlights important current events; and enables them to interpret visual information.