CHRISTOPHER WHITEHEAD
LANGUAGE COLLEGE AND SIXTH FORM
Welcome to the Geography Department
Mrs D Bate
Teacher of Geography
- d.bate@cwlc.email
Mr C Flanders
Teacher of Geography
Acting Subject Leader for KS5 Geography
- c.flanders@cwlc.email
Mr M Wickham
Teacher of Geography
- m.wickham@cwlc.email
Mrs S Macdonald
Teacher of Geography
- s.macdonald@cwlc.email
Miss K Joyner
- k.joyner@cwlc.email
Miss A Scott
Acting Subject Leader and teacher of PSHE
- a.scott@cwlc.email
Miss E Vizard
- r.clark@cwlc.email
Geography is critical for everyone. It is a key factor in shaping what humanity can and cannot do and therefore, we must understand it. By studying Geography, we can begin to make sense of the complex world we live in and use this knowledge to tackle the problems of the future. The future we are facing has never been more uncertain and Geography never more important. We aim to develop our students into global citizens who are aware of both their place in the world and the impact of their actions on it. We want our students to be able to stand at the top of a mountain and read the landscape or turn on the news and make sense of the global issues they see. Geography encourages open, enquiring minds and develops crucial problem-solving skills; our students’ question both why something is the way it is and also what can be done to improve it.
We are one of the only subjects that has strong links with all 4 stands of the Cognitive Ability Tests (CATs) meaning that our subject supports the development of a wide range of skills.
We also have strong cross-curricular links to many subjects including Maths, English, Science, History, Business Studies and Religious Studies.
Our 7-year journey (see attached) provides students with a broad and balanced education about the future of our planet; this is their inheritance.
Click here to view the CWLC Geography Journey Through the Years
The KS3 curriculum is designed to inspire and stimulate students’ curiosity about the world, whilst also providing them with the knowledge of key human and physical processes as the foundations for future study. At KS3, we focus on broadening students’ understanding of place, as well as developing the key geographical skills needed to be a successful geographer (e.g., numeracy, literacy, graphical, map, decision making). By the end of KS3, our students are able to apply the key concepts of geography to contrasting places around the world.
In Year 7, students will study:
• Our Fantastic and Impossible World: an issues based topic encompassing geographical skills, sustainability and our use and abuse the planet
• Shaping Landscapes
In Year 8, students will study:
• Restless Earth
• Megacities
• Diverse and Dynamic Asia – how is it being transformed?
In Year 9, students will study:
• Russia
• Weather and Climate
• Africa – a continent of contrasts
We follow the Edexcel A specification at GCSE. The KS4 curriculum builds on the foundations of the topics studied at KS3 but provides an increasing level of challenge for students by asking them to apply theoretical understanding, consider issues on a global scale, see the links between different topics and use a greater range of complex skills.
Students look at 3 areas of study over the 2 years:
Paper 1: The Physical Environment
a. The Changing Landscapes of the UK
b. Weather Hazards and Climate Change
c. Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Management
Paper 2: The Human Environment
a. Changing Cities
b. Global Development
c. Resource Management
Paper 3: Geographical Investigations: Fieldwork and UK Challenges
a. Investigating Physical Environments
b. Investigating Human Environments
c. UK Challenges
To prepare for Paper 3, students will undertake 2 days of fieldwork. We visit Carding Mill Valley, Shropshire to complete their rivers investigation and Birmingham City Centre to complete their cities investigation.
The 3 exam papers sat at the end of Year 11 are assessed in the following way:
Paper 1 – The Physical Environment: 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 37.5%
Paper 2 – The Human Environment: 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 37.5%
Paper 3 – Geographical Investigations: Fieldwork and UK Challenges: 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 25%
