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  • Geography

    Geography

    Name of Head of Department

    Ms A Trower, BSc (Hons), PGCE

    Statement of Intent

    At DHSG, our Geography Curriculum is designed to:

    •  celebrate the diversity of our world and cultivate curiosity about its places and people; 
    • critically analyse physical processes and human concepts ;
    • embrace geographical thinking and independent enquiry, in our studies and in our own lives; 
    • nurture global citizens with the knowledge and skills to effect sustainable environmental change.

    Curriculum Programmes of Study

    Year

    Cycle Content

    Year 7

    Cycle 1

    Plymouth, Devon, England 

    Welcome and introduction to Geography 
    Rivers 
    Settlement 
    Weather and climate 

    Cycle 2

    New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand 

    Coasts 
    Ecosystems 
    Earthquakes 

    Cycle 3

    Plymouth, Montserrat, Caribbean 

    Volcanoes 
    Tropical Storms 
    Tropical Rainforests 

    Year 8

    Cycle 1

    Re-imaging Russia 

    Place 
    Development 
    Population 

    Cycle 2

    Going Global 

    Global garments 
    E-waste 
    Fair trade 

    Cycle 3

    Climate challenges 

    Glaciers 
    Desertification 
    ​​​​​​​Adaptation & Mitigation 

    Year 9

    Cycle 1

    Paper 1: Rivers

    Cycle 2

    Paper 2: Changing Economic World

    Cycle 3

    Paper 2: Changing Economic World

    Paper 1: Coasts

    Year 10

    Cycle 1

    Paper 1: Natural Hazards

    Cycle 2

    Paper 1: Natural Hazards
    Paper 2: Urban Issues and Challenges

    Cycle 3

    Paper 2: Urban Issues and Challenges
    Paper 3: Human Fieldwork

    Year 11

    Cycle 1

    Paper 3: Physical Fieldwork
    Paper 1: Living World

    Cycle 2

    Paper 1: Living World
    Paper 2 Resources Management

    Cycle 3

    Paper 3: Pre-release and revision
    Revision and Examinations

    Lower Years Learning Journey

    Middle Years Learning Journey

    Lower Years Assessment Framework

    To view the Lower Years Assessment Framework for Geography, please click here

    Middle Years Exam and Specification Information

    Full details of the specification and assessment criteria can be found on the AQA website GCSE Geography Specification

    Extra-curricular activities

    Fieldwork is a fundamental part of the study of Geography and students are provided with a range of fieldwork opportunities. Below are some of the trips that run regularly in the department.

    • Year 7 – National Marine Aquarium – looking at threats to ocean ecosystems.
    • Year 7 – Eden Project – studying plant adaptations in the tropical rainforest.
    • Year 8 – Eden Project – exploring the impacts of climate change and ways in which we can positively respond.
    • Year 10 – Exeter city centre - investigating changing urban environments.
    • Year 11 – Dawlish Warren – investigating coastal processes and landforms.
    • Year 12- The Cottonian Research Room at The Box- developing research skills.
    • Year 12 - Start Bay - investigating coastal processes and landforms in preparation for students’ own independent investigation.
    • Year 12 – Devonport docks and Plymouth waterfront – investigating our local sense of place, urban deprivation and regeneration.
    • Year 12- Plymouth University- Geohazards conference and Changing Places workshops.

    Residential trips

    Years 9-13- London-visiting some of our key case studies, including the Olympic Park and Brick Lane.
    Years 10- 13 - Iceland - a trip of awe and wonder to the land of ‘fire and ice’.

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