Geography

Our departmental vision: ‘To offer an up-to-date, relevant and issues-based curriculum with sustainable development at the core. The programme is designed to inspire awe and wonder about the world; we want our students to apply knowledge and conceptual understanding to new settings and through enquiry and problem-solving activities to prepare them for life in the 21st century. Our aim is that students think geographically about the changing world, becoming critical thinkers and knowledgeable, skilful and responsible citizens who care about the future of our planet’. We cover the full breath of KS3 National Curriculum via our ‘spiral curriculum model’ and students further study OCR B syllabus at GCSE. 

Our curriculum is based on igniting a passion for Geography through the development of subject specific knowledge and skills. At each level of key stage three, we intend to lay the foundations of a secure knowledge base whilst embedding the skills required to thrive at OCR B GCSE Geography. We believe that students should have a sound understanding of the world that they live in and understand how our physical and human world interlink knowing that human action can have both a positive and negative impact on the physical environment. We want our young people prepared with the knowledge, skills and understanding to make sense of their world and to face the challenges that will shape our societies and environments at the local, national and global scales, now and in the future. 

Geography Department - Curriculum overview at SJNGC 2023 2024

Year 7	Topic 1 Introduction to geography & the UK	Topic 2 Water and Air	Topic 3 The Middle East	Topic 4 Saving Planet Earth
Year 8	Topic 1 Development	Topic 2 A crowded planet	Topic 3 Rivers and coasts	Topic 4 Asia
Year 9	Topic 1 Climate change	Topic 2 The Middle East	Topic 3 Tectonic hazards	Topic 4    Africa

Our road maps are given to students at the start of the academic year in order for them to track their journey through KS3 geography. 

 

 

 

EXTRA-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES

In Year 7 students have the opportunity to go to Conkers where we focus on sustainability, team building and orienteering. This links well with the ‘Saving planet Earth’ SOW. We have also planned for ‘outside the classroom’ fieldwork experience where Y7 do a local microclimate enquiry in the college grounds.

In Year 8 students have the opportunity to go to Carsington Reservoir in Derbyshire. This reinforces work they have studied in the ‘Water World’ SOW.

In Year 9 students have the opportunity to go to Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire. This enhances the work students do on deforestation and loss of habitats in the ‘Climate Change’ unit.

We run a weekly Eco club for KS3 students and in July 2022 achieved a Green Flag award with merit. We have applied again this academic and are awaiting the results. Eco club has also worked with the charity Sustrans to encourage more low carbon travel to and from college.