Geography

Curriculum Intent

Our intention is to underline and promote the vitally important role that Geography plays in understanding how the world works in an increasingly globalised society and economy.

Key Stage 3 Geography at DSTC is a springboard, not just towards further study at GCSE and A level, but also to aid our students in their journey to becoming well-rounded adults who can contribute positively to their local and global community.

In addition to the National Curriculum aims, our ambitious curriculum for Geography at DSTC is designed:

To empower students to become beacons of change they wish to see in the world; to be more sustainable
To inspire students to feel empowered and understand their interconnectedness with females worldwide; to address gender inequality
So they become active citizens of the future and curious about global issues; to have informed choices.

Complementary Subjects:

History
Biology
RE/ICE
Physics
English
Maths
Art

KS3

KS4

KS5

KS3

The Key Stage 3 curriculum at DSTC is designed to give all students a broad base of geographical knowledge about the world we live in and how it works. It encompasses the processes within the natural and physical world and how they are connected.

Students arrive at DSTC from a range of primary schools with differing experiences of Geography both in content and skills, so we do not assume they know everything from the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum. Many students arrive at DSTC with some map skills knowledge, so this is enhanced in the first few weeks in Year 7. Locational knowledge is very varied and often only linked to Year 6 residential opportunities, so a wide number of places are studied throughout the Key Stage 3 scheme of work. Skills are integrated within the curriculum plan and spiralled throughout so that students have the opportunity to build on and develop higher order skills such as choropleth mapping, data analysis and graphical work.

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 7	Map Skills	Biomes	UK Geography	Tectonics	Volcanoes	Earthquakes
Year 8	Rivers	Flooding	Africa	Weather	Climate Change	Earth’s resources
Year 9	Development	Coasts	Middle East	Russia	Global Issues	China’s rise

Key Stage 3 Geography provides an engaging and diverse set of topics for study. It is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the world from a local to global perspective. Every class has the opportunity to undertake geographical fieldwork and understand the links between people and the planet. The curriculum continuously builds upon prior knowledge to allow progression over time.

Throughout Key Stage 3, there is a blended offer of human, physical and environmental science highlighting the integrated nature of Geography and Science.

Further Reading/Resources:

https://world-geography-games.com/
BBC Bitesize https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zrw76sg
Royal Geographical Society https://www.rgs.org/schools/resources-for-schools?filter=environmental-interactions-and-management-4372

KS4

The Key Stage 4 curriculum includes the following three GCSE papers:

Paper 1 – The Natural World. This includes 4 topics: global hazards, changing climate, distinctive landscape, sustaining ecosystems.

Paper 2 – People & society. This includes 4 topics: urban futures, dynamic development, UK in the 21st century, resource reliance.

Paper 3 – Geographical Exploration. This draws on students’ knowledge and understanding, incorporating their geographical skills: Cartographic, Graphical, Numerical/Statistical

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Year 10

Weather Hazards

Tectonic Hazards

Dynamic Development

Urban Futures

Urban Fieldwork Changing Climate

Changing Climate

Year 11

Distinctive Landscapes

Rural Fieldwork

UK in the 21st Century

Sustaining Ecosystems

Resource Reliance

Exams

Revision

Exams

Revision

Further Reading/Resources:

Further Reading/Resources:
OCR B Online textbook kerboodle.com
Online learning keywords https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/
Online Geography games https://world-geography-games.com/

KS5

The Key Stage 5 curriculum builds on their prior knowledge from Key Stage 4. The curriculum is designed to encourage and garner a sense of place and a love for learning about the world. Our A level geographers are taken to the Jurassic coastline to learn fieldwork and research methods which compliment any of the social and physical sciences too.

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Year 12

Coastal Landscapes

Changing spaces, Making Places

Human Rights

Earth's Life Support Systems

Trip to Dorset