Geography
Aims of the Subject
Geography is taught by a subject specialist from Year 5 upwards. Children are encouraged to consider how people interact with their environment at a range of levels, from local to global. There is an equal balance between the three main areas of geography - human, physical and environmental.
The children are taught a range of geographical skills in preparation for their senior school entrance exams, such as map skills, photograph interpretation, field sketching, data collection and ICT skills.
In Year 5 the children learn the basic OS map skills necessary to access the geography curriculum. They look at the human and physical features of the local area, before considering the whole of the UK. National parks are studied in detail with particular focus on the Peak District National Park. In Year 6 the children look at issues on a global scale such as the Amazon Rainforest and inequalities of wealth in Brazil. They also investigate shopping patterns on a local scale. In Year 7 the children start to focus towards their senior school entrance exams with topics such as plate tectonics, rivers, industry and a country study of Japan. In Year 8 the children complete a project of 1000 words in which they collect the data, analyse it and provide some conclusions. This is excellent preparation for future GCSE and A Level courses. The children also study coasts, settlement and weather and climate before taking their entrance exams.
Assessment Methods
Each year group has three major assessments. These can take the form of an exam, an extended piece of writing, a project or an oral presentation. The children are given the opportunity to critically analyse some of the assessments and are involved in peer marking of oral presentations. The children receive written feedback and are able to draw up their own targets of how they can improve in the future.
Teaching Techniques
- Class Discussion
- Project Work
- Group Work
- Use of ICT both in the classroom and in the field.
Fieldwork
In Year 5 the children go on a residential visit to the Peak District where they look at what is a National Park and the conflicts of interest over how it is used. In Year 6 the children complete fieldwork at a local level, investigating shopping habits in Hitchin town centre. Each class completes a morning of fieldwork including surveys and questionnaires. The children also spend a day at the Living Rainforest in Berkshire to gain an understanding of the rainforest environment, with a particular focus on the climate and how the wildlife has adapted to the environment. In Year 8 the children visit Iceland for a week to collect data for their main project and to witness the wonderful physical geography such as geysers, hot springs, glaciers, waterfalls and coastal scenery, which are in abundance! The children also spend a day in East London investigating the impact of the 2012 Olympics on the area around Stratford. The completed fieldwork is transformed into a project which is submitted to senior schools as part of the Common Entrance assessment.
Use of ICT within the Subject
The children are encouraged to use ICT regularly in the Geography department. In lessons they use an interactive whiteboard for visual stimulation and interactive activities. On occasions, the children have access to two ICT suites to complete project work using software such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player and Audacity. Digital cameras are used to create video and slideshow presentations as a form of assessment.