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Geography

Years 7-11 - Subject Departments – Geography

The geography department at AGS consists of five dedicated and knowledgeable members of staff, four large classrooms and a dedicated ICT suite. As a department, we want our students to enjoy geography at school and develop a spirit of inquiry about their personal and local geographies as well as the wider national and international context. We hope that through a diverse and varied curriculum that students will develop the skills necessary to become inquisitive, empathetic and pro-active global citizens.

Learning outside of the classroom through fieldwork is a hugely important part of the geography curriculum at AGS, throughout their career at AGS, students will have multiple opportunities to study in the field locally and abroad.

Key stage 3 curriculum

Year 7

In year 7 students receive one lesson of geography each week, the topics covered are:

  • Geographical Skills
  • Coasts
  • USA
  • Tectonics
  • Rocks (including fieldwork in Peak District)

Further to the planned school based lessons, there will also be a fieldwork day in the Peak District.  This will take place during the school day in the summer term.


Year 8

In year 8 students receive two lessons of geography each week, the topics covered are:

  • China
  • Hot Environment (including deserts and rainforests)
  • Europe
  • Conflict
  • Rivers (including fieldwork on the River Arrow)
  • Globalisation

Further to the planned school based lessons, there will also be fieldwork on the River Arrow during the Humanities block week in the summer term.


Year 9

In year 9 students receive three lessons of geography each fortnight (alternate with history every other week), the topics covered are:

  • Settlement (including fieldwork in Birmingham)
  • Population
  • Weather and Climate
  • Development
  • Global Issues

Further to the planned school based lessons, there will also be fieldwork in Birmingham in the autumn term.


GCSE curriculum

At GCSE, students follow the AQA specification details of which can be found here: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035

GCSE Specification Summary:

  • Paper 1: Living with the physical environment
    • Written paper – 1 hour 30 mins – 88 marks – 35%
  • Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment
    • Written paper – 1 hour 30 mins – 88 marks – 35%
  • Paper 3: Geographical applications
    • Written paper – 1 hour 15 mins – 76 marks – 30%

Year 10

The topics covered in Year 10 are:

  • UK physical landscapes
  • Urban issues and challenges
  • The living world

Further to the planned school based lessons, there will also be a 3 day residential fieldwork trip to North Wales. This trip will take place in April.

Year 11

The topics covered in Year 11 are:

  • The changing economic world
  • Natural Hazards
  • Resource Management