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Geography Department
Year 11 Trip to Swanage, Dorset - 6th-8th July 2012
The Year 11’s along with Mr Rock, Mrs Collette and Mrs Gingell set off on the Friday eagerly expecting a pleasant summer weekend by the Dorset Coast. Unfortunately it wasn’t to turn out that way! The torrential rain started on the Friday night and didn’t let up until our return on Sunday. There were flooded roads and gale force winds to contend with.
Despite these trials the students managed to complete a night navigation exercise involving them reading a map and compass and torch to find their way back to the centre. We also got a chance to do a study of the coastal defences of Swanage and look at the direction of Longshore Drift. Our expected trip to the impressive coastal arch at Durdle Door was cancelled due to the hazardous weather conditions and we instead spent the day in the small village of Lulworth Cove.
The girls should be commended for their cheerful and positive attitude despite some of the worst summer weather that part of Dorset has experienced in a long time.
Geography
Geography is concerned with the study of places, the human and physical processes that shape them and the people who live in them. It helps students make sense of their surroundings and the wider world.
Geography at St Catherine’s is balanced between the study of the natural world and also the environments created by humans. The course also aims to discuss important issues that will impact on students lives such as global warming, overpopulation and poverty.
The department aims to provide a stimulating and rewarding geographical experience for all, and help students become thoughtful geographers and independent thinkers. There are many cross curricular links to subjects such as Science, Maths and R. E and a wide range of skills are taught including map reading, graph interpretation and the use of diagrams and statistics in evaluating information.
What do Students Study in Geography
Geography is taught to all Years in Key Stage 3 in two 45 minute lessons per week. There is also one homework task a week. It is taught in separate units that culminate in assessments that range from tests to video presentations and role plays.
The following units are covered:
Year 7: Introduction to Geography, Map skills, Rivers and Floods, Weather and Climate.
Year 8: Japan, Tourism, Ecosystems, Urban Issues.
Year 9: Plate Tectonics, Development, Population Issues, Environmental Issues.
Geography has proved to be a popular option choice for GCSE and there 135 minutes of Geography lessons a week. The department uses the AQA A Specification which from 2013 will have a linear structure with two exams at the end of Year 11. There is a controlled assessment coursework task that is completed at the start of Year 11 which involves data collection in Twickenham and in 2012-13.
The following units are covered:
Year 10: Coasts, Rivers and Plate Tectonics.
Year 11: Urban Issues, Development and Globalisation.
Every student in Key Stage 4 will have a choice to go on a range of field trips of varying duration and expense. A KS.3 day trip to Box Hill will take place in June and the Year 12 and 13 students visit the coast at Rye, East Sussex.
The Geography Department makes wide use of a range of teaching techniques so that all students can achieve their potential and is taught in groups of mixed ability.
Geography has been taught at both AS and A2 levels since 2012. For further information please see the relevant section in the Sixth Form section of the website.
