Geography

Fourth Form (Year 9)

Geography in year 9 covers a variety of topics which enable students to conduct fieldwork, produce individual project work, use Ordnance Survey maps, satellite images and aerial photographs, and use ICT. All of these skills will be essential for the two year GCSE course in years 10 and 11, where Geography is a popular optional subject.

We look at issues at different scales including:

• Local - fieldwork in the South Downs National Park, impact of tourism on ecosystems.
• National - transport issues in the UK, rainforest development in the tropics.
• Global - climate change,  carbon footprints, the growth of China.

The pupils are encouraged to discuss their views in class, and given the opportunity for plenty of background research, often including issues that have received recent media coverage.  We look to inspire potential Geographers, and instil a firm understanding in those who opt not to take the subject further, so they will continue to have an interest the world around them.

GCSE Course (Year 10 & 11)

The Edexcel Geography A course, taught since September 2009, is divided into the following units:

• Unit 1 - Geographical skills, climate change and sustainable development
• Unit 2 - Tectonic landscapes, wasteful world
• Unit 3 - Population change, tourist world
• Unit 4 - Controlled Assessment fieldwork project

For the GCSE Controlled Assessment, we compare Environmental Quality between Brighton inner city residential areas and the outer suburbs.

For current years 10 and 11, the course is modular, with units 2 and 3 sat at the end of year 10. One re-sit is permitted for each of these two units; units 1 and 4 are examined at the end of the course.

For those starting the GCSE in September 2012 and thereafter, the examinations will be linear in accordance with government policy, with all papers sat in the terminal session.

Click here for more details about this GCSE course.