Geography Year 10

The content focuses on current issues designed to inspire and motivate students to study GCSE Geography. A modern and engaging approach covers key ideas and debates such as climate change, globalisation, economic progress, urban regeneration and management of world resources. The main focus of Specification A is an understanding of physical processes and factors that produce diverse and dynamic landscapes that change over time. This includes the interdependence of physical environments and the interaction between people and the environment as well as an understanding of the need for sustainable management of both physical and human environments.

The course consists of 3 units:-

• Unit 1: Physical Geography.
• Unit 2: Human Geography.
• Unit 3: Local Fieldwork Investigation.

This unit helps students understand the way in which the physical landscape and atmosphere works and how human reactions can have a positive as well as detrimental affect on our natural surroundings.

We study the following units:

THE COASTAL ZONE: - the coastal landscape and its formation. The issues surrounding sea level changes and coastal Erosion are also studied. Students will have the opportunity to look at coastal habitat and the management of it.

ROCKS, RESOURCES AND SCENERY: - the geology of the UK and their associated landscapes e.g. Limestone scenery, Granite Moors and Chalk and Clay landscapes. This option also looks at man’s management and use of these landscapes.

THE RESTLESS EARTH: - the structure of the earth’s crust and the landforms created due to tectonic movements.  The impact of earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis upon countries at different stages of development.

The unit is examined through a 1 hour 30 minute examination.

The unit is worth 37.5% of the G.C.S.E.

Unit 2: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

This unit helps students understand the way in which man uses the world and its resources and explains the development of the human environment in places at various stages of development.

We study the following units:

POPULATION CHANGE: - the study and explanation of the worlds population growth. Strategies to cope with changes in population, immigration, ageing, growth and decline.

CHANGING URBAN ENVIRONMENTS: - Urbanisation in countries at various stages of development. The structure of settlements and the management of urban resources in these countries are also studied.

THE DEVELOPMENT GAP: - countries at different stages of development and their characteristics. The possible solutions to global inequalities are also studied.

This unit is examined through a 1 hour 30 minutes examination.

This unit is worth 37.5% of the G.C.S.E.

Unit 3: LOCAL FIELDWORK INVESTIGATION

The completion of a task set by the exam board based on one of the physical or human units and involving primary data collection.

This unit will be completed in lessons and is worth 25% of the G.C.S.E.

Through studying Geography students will learn to appreciate the differences and similarities between people, places and cultures leading to an improved understanding of societies and economies. The controlled assessment element will encourage questioning, investigation and critical thinking about issues affecting the world and people’s lives. Students will use varied resources including maps and visual media as well as complex technologies such as GIS and remote sensing, to obtain, present and analyse information.

During the course students will develop essential skills such as problem solving, decision making, synthesising ideas, identifying issues and communicating findings.  This will be achieved through the undertaking of a fieldwork investigation, in addition to varied activities within the classroom environment. Specification A has strong links with other subjects, particularly areas of the curriculum which focus on sustainability and the global dimension.