Geography

The Geography Department is a long established department in the school whose main aim is to stimulate an interest in and awareness of environmental patterns, processes and issues operating in our contemporary world.

Our objectives are to assist pupils to:

• acquire knowledge about our environment;
  
• develop skills to understand and interpret the environment especially ICT skills;
  
• develop the ability to make reasoned value judgements concerning environmental issue.

These elements will be studied at a variety of scales namely at local, national and global levels.

Whilst encouraging pupils in the pursuit of academic excellence, through a wide variety of programmes of study, we also hope to develop a caring community by recognising and inspiring values of respect for the environment and those of different cultural backgrounds who share that environment.

All pupils in Years 8, 9 and 10 study Geography; those in Years 11 and 12 have the option of pursuing Geography to GCSE; and those with satisfactory grades can take Geography on at AS and continue on to A2 level. Fieldwork is carried out, weather and time permitting, in Years 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 using the scientific approach which underpins all our investigations. Cross curricular links are developed with other departments and joint school trips organised. Our A Level trips to Italy and London helped reinforce classroom learning in the areas of sustainable tourism and urban regeneration.

As the pace of technological change alters the quality and shape of our environment, at all levels, so it becomes ever important for pupils to understand these changes and predict possible outcomes. Geography is one subject at the forefront of this quest.

Staff

Ms L Gildea (Head of Department)

Mrs C McCollum

Mr A Quinn