Geography
Geography is about the world in which we live and on which we depend. It seeks to explain how landscapes, people, places and the fragile environment are all interwoven. Geography aims to foster a curiosity, awareness and understanding of our changing world.
The Geography Department is situated on the top floor of the Clapham Building. It occupies three classrooms, an office and a departmental library, all of which are equipped with PCs linked to the internet. Each classroom has audio-visual aids (television with dvd/video players, overhead projector, digital projector) and blackout. The departmental library contains a large selection of books for pupil reference and borrowing, a good selection of journals, higher education information, digital TV (with Freeview and a dvd recorder) and computer terminals.
Year 7 onwards
The Key Stage 3 course follows a thematic approach within a concentric geographical coverage of: The United Kingdom (Year 7); Europe (Year 8) and The World (Year 9).
At GCSE pupils follow AQA Syllabus A. Physical geography options (such as glaciation, coasts and tectonic activity) are studied in Year 10 and human options (such as settlements, industry and resource management) in Year 11. A term is devoted to a coursework investigation into the changing nature of Cambridge’s central business district.
Sixth Form
Edexcel Specification A is followed, which has a systems, processes and patterns approach. Although the physical and human environments are studied separately, there is also an emphasis on topical case studies (such as hazard management and the exploitation of wilderness regions) to demonstrate the interrelationships between the two. There is no coursework at Advanced level but fieldwork skills are taught during a residential trip to north Norfolk and then tested in the Applied Geographical Skills AS paper. Examination is largely by data response-type questions at AS and essay questions at A2.
Extra-curricular
There is an active Geographical Society which provides games, model-making and quizzes for lower school pupils as well regular opportunities for sixth formers to attend lectures at the University of Cambridge School of Geography.
Fieldwork is an important aspect of geography and the department provides field days or residential courses as part of the curriculum for most year groups. These include visits to the Suffolk and Norfolk coast as well as opportunities to go further afield such as Iceland.
Staff
Mr David Nye BSc Hons
Mr William Earl BSc Hons
Mr Gerry Stentiford MA Hons