Geography
‘Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future’ —Michael Palin
The Geography Department at Lord Wandsworth College aims to engage students in contemporary and stimulating Geography through independent, reflective and active learning.
Geography is a relevant and constantly changing subject and we support students to explore, understand and develop their own justified views on a wide range of topical issues such as Climate Change, Migration and Globalisation. We hope that, through Geography, students will gain a more in depth understanding of the key issues facing our population and planet.
Lessons are designed to be varied, engaging and challenging, ensuring that each student can reach their full potential. Students are provided with opportunities to develop their empathy skills and are encouraged to become curious and confident individuals. Students also improve their communication and presentation skills through a range of individual, paired and group projects. Teachers are highly supportive and students are encouraged to reflect on their work and identify strengths and areas for development.
Throughout the school, students are guided to track their own progress and set themselves challenging targets based on specific feedback. The department promotes direct experience of Geography within current affairs and fieldwork is becoming an increasingly integral part of the curriculum in all key stages.
Geography is recognised by Oxford, Cambridge and other leading universities as a challenging academic discipline and is listed by the Russell Group “Informed Choices” guide as a facilitating subject, preferred by admissions tutors for its contribution to preparation for university study. Accepted by universities as an entrance qualification for both Science and Arts courses, as well as for vocational courses such as: Law, Medicine and Veterinary Science. Skills and knowledge are useful in careers such as financial services, computing, planning and environment consultancy and teaching.
Course Information
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Junior
Geography is a marvel.
The aim of the department is to excite the passion of the subject through awe and wonder. Extreme E-Sports was presented to the school by a parent and the department used this as vehicle to investigate differing biomes following the competitions were held. We continually review how we can deliver traditional geography subjects in a way that makes students curious, want to engage and above all able to identify and empathise.
Another unit is Amazing Geography where students are introduced to the broader themes of geography such as migration and development through active, exploratory and reflective learning. It is here we introduce specific and broader skills required at both GCSE and A-Level enabling students to be confident in later key stages and to enable deeper learning to take place.
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GCSE
Cambridge Assessment International Examination
Specification 0976
We follow the Cambridge International Examination specification, which gives pupils the chance to learn about a broad range of geographical topics and develop key geographical skills. Geography is a popular and successful subject at Lord Wandsworth College and many pupils also go on to take it at A level. The course is divided into three different examination papers.
Paper 1: The Human and Physical Environment Paper and forms 45% of GCSE with a 1 hour 45 minute written exam. This paper examines issues related to the people living on our planet and the environment and is split into three components each comprised of several units. Students are asked to select one unit from each theme in the exam.
Theme 1: Population and Settlement
Theme 2: The Natural Environment
Theme 3: Economic Development
Paper 2: Skills Paper and forms 27.5% of GCSE with a 1 hour 30 minute written exam. This paper investigates map skills along with skills of application, interpretation and analysis of geographical information such as topographical maps, graphs and photographs.
Paper 4: Alternative to Coursework Paper and forms 27.5% of GCSE with a 1 hour 30 minute written examination. This is a written paper rather than a classical piece of coursework. Students still experience a field trip to West Wittering and more locally to a river to undertake practical measurements to support the paper.
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A Level
Cambridge Assessment International Examination
Specification 9696
We follow the Cambridge International Examination specification, building on the content delivered at GCSE enabling an in-depth examination of fundamental issues facing our society. This is a popular subject at A-Level and the teaching is split, with a different teacher, focusing on the Human and Physical spheres of geography.
Lower Sixth study the human elements of population, migration and settlement dynamics and the physical elements of hydrology and fluvial geomorphology, atmosphere and weather, and rocks
and weathering. Upper Sixth study the human options of global interdependence and economic transition and physical options of hazardous and coastal environments.
Each of the four exams are 1 hour and 45 minutes long and contribute equally to 25% of the overall grade. While here is no NEA for this course there is a residential field trip to Somerset at the end of the first year of the course.
Geography is a marvel.
The aim of the department is to excite the passion of the subject through awe and wonder. Extreme E-Sports was presented to the school by a parent and the department used this as vehicle to investigate differing biomes following the competitions were held. We continually review how we can deliver traditional geography subjects in a way that makes students curious, want to engage and above all able to identify and empathise.
Another unit is Amazing Geography where students are introduced to the broader themes of geography such as migration and development through active, exploratory and reflective learning. It is here we introduce specific and broader skills required at both GCSE and A-Level enabling students to be confident in later key stages and to enable deeper learning to take place.
Cambridge Assessment International Examination Specification 0976
We follow the Cambridge International Examination specification, which gives pupils the chance to learn about a broad range of geographical topics and develop key geographical skills. Geography is a popular and successful subject at Lord Wandsworth College and many pupils also go on to take it at A level. The course is divided into three different examination papers.
Paper 1: The Human and Physical Environment Paper and forms 45% of GCSE with a 1 hour 45 minute written exam. This paper examines issues related to the people living on our planet and the environment and is split into three components each comprised of several units. Students are asked to select one unit from each theme in the exam.
Theme 1: Population and Settlement
Theme 2: The Natural Environment
Theme 3: Economic Development
Paper 2: Skills Paper and forms 27.5% of GCSE with a 1 hour 30 minute written exam. This paper investigates map skills along with skills of application, interpretation and analysis of geographical information such as topographical maps, graphs and photographs.
Paper 4: Alternative to Coursework Paper and forms 27.5% of GCSE with a 1 hour 30 minute written examination. This is a written paper rather than a classical piece of coursework. Students still experience a field trip to West Wittering and more locally to a river to undertake practical measurements to support the paper.
Cambridge Assessment International Examination Specification 9696
We follow the Cambridge International Examination specification, building on the content delivered at GCSE enabling an in-depth examination of fundamental issues facing our society. This is a popular subject at A-Level and the teaching is split, with a different teacher, focusing on the Human and Physical spheres of geography.
Lower Sixth study the human elements of population, migration and settlement dynamics and the physical elements of hydrology and fluvial geomorphology, atmosphere and weather, and rocks and weathering. Upper Sixth study the human options of global interdependence and economic transition and physical options of hazardous and coastal environments.
Each of the four exams are 1 hour and 45 minutes long and contribute equally to 25% of the overall grade. While here is no NEA for this course there is a residential field trip to Somerset at the end of the first year of the course.