Geography

In Geography, students learn through skills. Throughout year 7, 8 and 9, students will practice map skills; read climate graphs, interpret data and use models to apply and compare their understanding. There are also opportunities to practice fieldwork techniques throughout the course to gain an insight into how a Geographer collects and uses data to conduct research.

An Emerging learner will be expected to take prompts from the teacher and use support to access geographical content and skills. They will identify and define key ideas.

A Secure learner will be expected to work more independently, confidently describe and start to explain geographical content and skills.

An Exceeding learner will use his/her/their initiative to describe and explain. They will also evaluate ideas, link and apply to other content studied. They will also start to compare content at different scales; local, regional and global.

Year 7

Topic 1- How do I become a Glorious Geographer?	This topic looks at all the foundation skills and knowledge that a Geographer would need to build on in future topics. It includes lessons on map work with grid references, climate graphs, GIS, where countries are in the world and where students live.
Topic 2- Can planet earth survive 9 billion people?	This topic investigates in to the rapid growth of world population and what impact the population is having on our planet. Students will start by looking at how population has changed over time and what has caused these changes. They will then go on to find out what impact population is having at a local scale by study Leicester and then study the impact of population on a global scale by investigating population in the Philippines.
Topic 3- Why are the tropical rainforests so important?	This topic will take students on a journey through the tropical rainforest. The will begin by studying the location and complex relationships that exist in a rainforest ecosystem. Students will then start to examine why the tropical rainforests are such a valuable resource to humans and importantly look at the impact that humans are having on the tropical rainforests. Finally, students will be asked to think of ways that the rainforest can be protect for future generations.
Topic 4- Is the UK’s landscape distinctive?	This topic promotes students to question the environment in which they live. Students will study why the UK’s landscape looks the way it does and gets them to think about why or what has created its unique features. Students will begin by studying rivers, their process, landforms and how rivers may impact their lives in the future. Students will then go on to study the distinctive features and process on the UK coastline. Finishing the topic by looking at whether humans can protect the UK coastline.
Topic 5- Fieldwork	This topic aims to equip students with the skills need to conduct their own geography fieldwork. Allowing students to experience geography outside of the classroom allows them to gain a deeper understanding. Students will start by creating their own research question and then go around the school site collecting data to answer their research question. Students will then analyse the data they have collected to draw conclusions and answer their research question.

Year 8

Topic 1- Is planet earth a dangerous place to live?	This topic takes students on a journey to the centre of the earth. By looking at the structure of the earth and processes such as convection currents students will understand what causes some of the world’s deadliest hazards. Students will study the causes, consequences and responses of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes and apply these to real life case studies. Students will also investigate how the development of a country can influence the impacts of a global hazard.
Topic 2- Why is there uneven development in Africa?	Trough this topic students will look at world development and why some countries are more developed than others. Students will discover the different ways in which development can be measured and the barriers that countries face when trying to become more developed. This topic will then focus on the continent of Africa and look at how one continent can have a wide range of development using the example of Kenya to explore this. Kenya is an example of one country within the African continent that has developed significantly since gaining independence and students will discover how Kenya has been able to achieve this.
Topic 3- Why is the earths climate cause the ice to melt?	This topic is one of the most discussed topics by world leaders and will have the greatest impact on the lives of the students. This topic starts by looking at how ice coverage had changed overtime and the unique features ice creates on our landscapes. Students will then evaluate the evidence that exists that our climate is changing, assess the causes of climate change and discuss the impacts of climate change on future generations. Students will then investigate in to the role Leicester is playing in trying to reduce the impacts of a changing climate so students can take an active role in the efforts to stop climate change.

Year 9

Topic 1- Are we building a concrete jungle?	This topic is an enquiry into the growth of world cities. With a forever increasing population and the majority of that population living in cities, student will investigate to what degree our megacities are sustainable. Through case studies of Mumbai and London, students will not only look at the opportunities urbanisation offers, but also the increasing challenges that have, and continue to arise. Students will also investigate the different strategies these cities are trying to adopt to become more sustainable to meet the needs of the future generations.
Topic 2- Is Southeast Asia sustainable?	Southeast Asia is a unique part of our planet that is not only home to some of the most diverse ecosystems, but also most of the world’s population. Students will explore the delicate balance needed between ecosystems such as the tropical rainforests and the coral reefs, to evaluate the impact of human use of these fragile environments. Students will assess whether the current impact of human activity in Southeast Asia is sustainable and predict what the future of Southeast Asia will look like.
Topic 3- What is Globalisation?	Through this topic, students will explore how culture has changed over time and the main causes of this. In particular, they will look at how technology has been responsible in propelling this change and the impacts, both positive and negative, this change has had on both the human and physical environments. Globalisation is an interconnecting process that has enabled the development of countries all over the world. We will examine how this has happened and the role of trade and aid in creating an interdependent global community.
Topic 4- What makes Russia unique?	This topic will focus on Russia and look in detail at the human and physical geography that makes Russia unique. Students will study the climates and diverse landscapes that comprise of this vast country and how this influences the settlement of its population. They will review Russian history and the impact that events have had in shaping and developing Russia. We will establish how much Russia influences other neighbouring countries in Europe through conflict and the provision of fossil fuels.