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Geography
Geography is everywhere – without it you are lost. It helps you to understand the complex and dynamic world in which you live from the way our environment behaves to the pressures put on areas by social activity.
In Geography, we aim to help students to develop an understanding of their global responsibility and interdependence as well as encourage them to develop their own opinions and attitudes on a wide range of subjects. Read more about studying at one of the best secondary schools in Sheffield.
‘Geography is one of those richly comprehensive subjects whose relevance is all around us. Where we come from, what we do, what we eat, how we move about and how we shape our future are all directly the province of the Geographer. More than ever we need the geographer’s skills and foresight to help us to learn about our planet – how we use it and we abuse it’ – Michael Palin
About Geography
Geography is one of the most fascinating and interesting subjects that anyone can study! It draws on factual knowledge from both the sciences and the arts. Through this, it aims to develop analytical skills of the sciences and the descriptive and interpretive skills of the humanities. Geography teaches us about the world, not just its physical attributes, but also how social pressures impact areas and the people within them. This could include tourism, food industries, women’s rights and so much more.
KS3
In Years 7 to 9, a wide variety of topics are covered from classic map skills and rivers in Year 7, to the topical and highly relevant global issues of development and hazards, including climate change, in Year 9. We use a wide variety of work and teaching techniques such as roleplays, discussions, group presentations and fieldwork.
GCSE
At GCSE, we follow the AQA ‘A’ specification which covers the following topics:
- Plate tectonics
- Weather
- Glaciation
- Development
- Tourism
- Population
The GCSE course is varied and dynamic, helping to prepare students for further study at A-Level, but also simply helping each student to have a greater understanding of the world and their impact upon it.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is an essential component of our Geography course and is an ideal setting in which to develop teamwork and leadership skills, as well as seeing the things learnt in the classroom at work in the real world.
The Geography Department recognises the value of fieldwork and we have taken all the available time allotted to make use of this with a variety of topics and locations to give the pupils a taste of their environment. We don’t just look at the world outside; we go and explore it to fully appreciate its complexities and interrelationships. At GCSE, students participate in fieldwork during residential trips around North Yorkshire and Snowdonia. During Key Stage 3, fieldwork takes place locally and regionally such as in the Peak District or in Scarborough, depending on the topic we’re studying.
Where can Geography take you?
Because Geography is such a varied subject, students learn a huge range of skills that are valuable to studying other subjects or making pupils more active members of the community. In fact, statistics show that Geographers are among the most employable compared with other subjects. This is because studying geography helps you to develop teamwork, individual research, a passion for the place in which you live or the people around you, and a wide range of communication skills.
