Geography

A-level Course

Geography underpins a lifelong 'conversation'about the earth as the home of humankind. It is not a narrow academic subject for the few. It is fundamental to everyone.

Geography fascinates and inspires: geographical investigation both satisfies and nourishes curiosity about the earth and the diversity on human life it supports. It deepens understanding: many contemporary challenges - climate change, food security, energy choices - cannot be understood without a geographical knowledge

 Thinking and decision-making with geographical knowledge and perspective helps us to live our lives as informed citizens, aware of our own local communities in a global setting.

Pupils selecting A Level Geography follow the OCR specification.

The syllabus covers a combination of physical and human geography tested by short answer questions in the L6th year, progressing to more synoptic essay style questions in the U6th year. Whilst a grounding in Geography at GCSE is helpful in order to study geography at A level, it is not a prerequisite of studying the course.

Geography is recognised by universities and employers as a valuable bridge subject between the sciences and humanities, and several students each year elect to continue with it at university. Click here for a guide to university geography courses.

Lower Sixth (Year 12)

AS Geography is split into one physical module and one human module

F761 - Michaelmas term - mandatory            

Managing the Physical Environment:
Candidates study the physical processes that change landscapes, the impact of these processes on human activity and how we in turn affect the physical processes. Topics are

• Managing coastal environments
• Managing cold environments
• Managing desert environments

Module taken in January of the L6th

F762 - Lent term - mandatory

Managing Change in the Human Environment:
Candidates study the processes that produce a variety of human environments, how they change, and how humans try to manage the changes. Topics are

• Managing urban change
• Managing tourism
• The energy issue

Module taken in June of the L6th

The L6th pupils are taken on a field trip to the Exmoor in Somerset during late August before commencing the A2 course in their U6th year. This prepares them for the geographical skills module taken in the following January.

The department run a series of lectures from university specialists through the year to supplement the material being covered in class. These are held at the end of school through the first two terms.

Upper Sixth (Year 13)

In the U6th the pupils branch out in to studying issues such as globalisation and hazards, two topics which are intertwined and allow pupils to see the linkages between the human world and the natural world. 

F763 Michaelmas and Lent term - mandatory

Global issues:
Candidates study issues of global concern and gain an understanding of the processes responsible for these issues, how we respond to them, and the different consequences. Topics are:

• Globalisation
• Earth hazards
• Climatic hazards

Terminal module taken in June of U6th

F764 - Michaelmas term - mandatory

Geographical skills:
Candidates answer questions on the process of geographical investigation including fieldwork, skills needed to analyse data, and evaluating outcomes. This paper uses the fieldwork projects that have been conducted during the previous summer on Exmoor.

Module taken in January / June of U6th

The department is looking to re-establish expedition work with interested pupils in the academic year of 2012-13.