GEOGRAPHY

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» The Geography Team
» Curriculum Intent
» Geography Reading List
» Enrichment, Field-Trips and Extra Curricular Activities

The Geography Team

Curriculum Leader

Mrs A Smyth - asmyth@theacademy.me

Teachers of Geography

Mrs N Davis
Mr J Mataruse
Mrs C Mclean
Mrs S Pykett
Mrs U Weedon

The commitment to high quality geography education at AVA has been recognised by The Geographical Association awarding us the Secondary Geography Quality Mark 2024-2027.

Curriculum intent

Cognition Curriculum

In the Geography Curriculum Area the cognition curriculum is included within lessons and in the wider opportunities provided to students. A range of activities are used, specific details of which can be found in our Mid-Term Plans.

Reciprocation is seen frequently in lessons with students working in pairs to share ideas, develop their arguments and present information. Peer assessment is an integral part of our lessons and “lead learners” are used frequently within revision lessons and recap activities.

Students have regular opportunities to review their work and show resilience in receiving feedback and making improvements. We particularly emphasise resilience in extended writing, using literacy structures such as PEEL and success criteria on exam mark schemes to support students in improving their own answers.

We support students’ resourcefulness by encouraging them to use their brain, book, buddy and then teacher when answering questions and solving problems. These words are displayed on some of our revision powerpoints as well as in some teaching rooms. Our departures board differentiated homework tasks in Yr7 and Yr8 promote resourcefulness beyond the classroom.

Every lesson students are tasked with reflecting on their own learning. This includes reflection of their knowledge and understanding as well as time to reflect on how they have learnt. Self, peer and teacher assessment is integral to our lessons.

Regular opportunities to revisit key words, concepts and examples underpins learning in Geography with the aim of supporting students with their recall of prior learning. Knowledge organisers, low-tariff starter quizzes and homework tasks are some of the methods we use to support recall. Year 11 students have interleaving lessons to support their recall of key concepts and examples.

CULTURE CURRICULUM

The best learning in Geography is achieved through experiences beyond the classroom. The Geography team runs a wide variety of trips with the aim of offering all students the opportunity to participate in fieldwork during every academic year they study Geography. This includes microclimate and traffic fieldwork in Year 7, flood management fieldwork in Year 8, woodland and globalisation fieldwork in Year 9 and then the GCSE urban and physical studies in Years 10 and 11. Our A Level students visit East London to study the impacts of regeneration following the 2012 Olympic Games as well as coastal fieldwork to support their NEA coursework projects. Additional Geography trips offered to students include Kew Gardens and Greatmoor Energy from Waste facility, from which we also invite the education-lead to present to our Year 8 students in spring each year.

Spring 2024 saw our first international Geography trip with 38 students experiencing Iceland, the land of ice and fire.

The wider geographical issue of sustainable living is also promoted by the Geography team with the Eco Flag school status achieved with distinction awarded to us for the first time in 2022, recognising our efforts in recycling, litter reduction and tree-planting. These projects were led by our Eco- Club, empowering students to lead change within our school community (Character, extra curricular, enrichment).

Topics studied from KS3 to KS5 support character education and the development of respect and values. Topics like international migration, deforestation and climate change enable students to develop their own views, proficiency in presenting an argument as well as listening skills and empathy.

Regular reading supports literacy skills in Geography and can ignite a student’s interest in our subject. Age-appropriate reading lists are shared with pupils and parents through our website and examples of books are displayed within classrooms. Guided reading tasks are included in every topic taught, supporting the school’s literacy strategy.

CORE CURRICULUM

The basis of our KS3 curriculum is the National Curriculum. It has been adapted to suit the interests and needs of our students. For example, our Year 7 settlement topic includes lessons on their local area, Aylesbury, as well as nearest large city, London. Our Year 8 topic “Environment and Resources” includes lessons on how their household waste is processed. We also investigate flood risks in our local area.

At KS4 students follow AQA GCSE specification which is examined by 3 papers including human, physical and issues analysis/fieldwork skills papers. The case studies we study aim to be relevant to students as well as cover a range of geographical regions to ensure students receive an understanding of our wider planet.

At KS5 students follow Edexcel A2 Geography course which covers human and physical topics and the synoptic links between them. Assessment at A2 requires students to carry out their own fieldwork and research to produce their NEA coursework, building key skills applicable to many careers.

Geography Learning Journey

(click on image to enlarge).

Geography Reading List

Reading is so beneficial to students in our subject, both improving their literacy for exam questions as well as widening their understanding and views of the world. News websites, magazines and books all keep Geographers up-to-date and can spark interest in certain topics. The following recommendations suit our teaching in KS3 and KS4. Please encourage your child to speak to their Geography teacher if they would like any other suggestions.

KS3

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf
Survivors by David Long
Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo

KS4

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
There Is No Planet B by Mike Berners-Lee
The Man Who Cycled The World by Mark Beaumont

KS5

Factfulness by Hans Rosling
The Power of Geography by Tim Marshall
Canoeing In The Congo by Phil Harwood

ENRICHMENT, FIELD-TRIPS AND Extra Curricular ACTIVITIES

Studying outside the classroom is an important element in Geography providing students with the opportunity to be inspired about the world as well as consolidate their learning. We strive to provide a range of enrichment activities including field trips, investigations within the school grounds and outside speakers across both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

Our students benefitted from the following experiences.

Enrichment in Key Stage 3

Microclimate investigation within the school grounds
Flood Management investigation – within the local area of Berryfields
Outside Speaker from/visit to Greatmoor Energy from Waste Facility
Year 8 visit to Greatmoor Energy from Waste Facility
Eco-Club gaining Green Flag status for the school, running school competitions and community litter projects.

Enrichment in Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5