Geography

In an ever changing world, the aim of the geography department is to bring an understanding and sense of place to where we, and others, live. Through the study of links and interactions, we attempt to bring together the physical and human worlds. We hope to enthuse and engage students in independent study and in taking notice of what is happening in our world and why.

Lower School

Geography is part of the core curriculum up to and including the Third Form. In the Lower School the National Curriculum is broadly followed with an emphasis on appropriate skills drawn from both the physical and human world. Topics such as:  the geography of football; crime; coasts; poverty and world development; living with hazards; map work; rivers and flooding are studied.  

IGCSE

Usually 70-80 boys opt to continue to study the subject to IGCSE level. The syllabus followed is the Cambridge IGCSE (0460), which allows the boys to develop an awareness of contrasting physical and human environments, and an understanding of how people interact with each other and their environments. Key to this is the awareness of the contrasting opportunities and constraints presented to different communities and cultures around the world by these different environments.

There is no coursework component to this course. Final assessment combines a traditional written examination (45%) with a geographical skills paper (27.5%) and an alternative to coursework paper (27.5%), which is specifically designed to test enquiry skills.

A-Level

The modular AQA syllabus is studied at A-Level. Written for a modern world, where an understanding of how humanity interacts not only with its surroundings, but also with itself, the specification follows on from the IGCSE. Emphasis is placed upon independent thinking and learning. Students are encouraged to question what is happening in our ever ‘shrinking’ world and how humanity is affecting its very existence.

The syllabus is comprised of four units examining the natural and human environments, and the interaction between them. Currently, there is no coursework at either AS or A2; however, a residential field trip takes place during the Junior Sixth year.

Our focus on issues based courses allows pupils to develop their own individual thoughts and beliefs, whilst also developing key skills and knowledge. The department very much values fieldwork, and each year trips are undertaken for all Key Stages. The department also has a rolling programme of major foreign expeditions. Recent adventures have included Namibia, Iceland, Peru and Morocco. The next expedition will see us visiting Cuba in October 2012.

The Sixth Form geography students run the department's Geographical Society - GeogSoc. Every year speakers are invited in to School to address the students and regular visits are made to the Royal Geographical Society's Monday lectures. GeogSoc enters a team of Junior School geographers into the Geographical Association's WorldWise Quiz.