The Geography Department at Notre Dame is an optimistic department that promotes the development of Christian attitudes through the breadth of the four key aspects of the National Curriculum:
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Geographical enquiry and skills
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Knowledge and understanding of places
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Knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes
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Knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development
We believe that:
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Students should enquire about the relationships and interactions between mankind and the environment and develop an awareness of the global future
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Just as the Earth includes all Nations, our department includes all students
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Every student will have their minds opened and challenged through the study of Geography at Notre Dame School
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Every student’s heart will be opened through the study of development and that they will develop an awareness of global citizenship and the problems of inequality
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Every students’ hands will be used to develop geographical skills through practical tasks and the use of I.T.
Key Stage 3
Year 7
Term 1: Evolving places
Term 2: Evolving places
Term 3: Rivers
Term 4: Rivers
Term 5: Our Island Home
Term 6: Laudato Si
Year 8
Term 1: Tectonic hazards
Term 2: Tectonic hazards
Term 3: Ecosystems
Term 4: Ecosystems - tropical rainforests
Term 5: Climate change
Term 6: Development
Key Stage 4
We deliver the AQA Geography “A” GCSE course from Year 9. This covers both human and physical geography and is a varied course which promotes a good understanding of places, process and human management. It covers many opportunities for promotion of literacy and numeracy skills.
The students will study the following themes:
Paper 1: Living with the Physical Environment
What’s assessed:
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The challenge of natural hazards
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The living world
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Physical landscapes in the UK
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Geographical skills
How it’s assessed:
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Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
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88 marks (including 3 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology or SPaG)
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35% of GCSE
Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment
What’s assessed:
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Urban issues and challenges
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The changing economic world
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The challenge of resource management
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Geographical skills
How it’s assessed:
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Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
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88 marks (including 3 marks for SPaG)
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35% of GCSE
Paper 3: Geographical applications
What’s assessed:
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Issue evaluation based on pre-released material
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Fieldwork
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Geographical skills
How it’s assessed:
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Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
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76 marks (including 6 marks for SPaG)
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30% of GCSE
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Pre-release resources booklet made available 12 weeks before Paper 3 exam
Key Stage 5
The Geography Department offers an A Level in Geography through the AQA board. Course content is as follows:
Component 1: Physical Geography
What’s assessed:
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Section A: Water and carbon cycles
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Section B: Coastal systems and landscapes
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Section C: Hazards
How it’s assessed:
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Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
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120 marks
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40% of A Level
Component 2: Human Geography
What’s assessed:
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Section A: Global systems and global governance
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Section B: Changing places
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Section 3: Contemporary urban environments
How it’s assessed:
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Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
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120 marks
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40% of A Level
Component 3: Geography – Fieldwork Investigation
Students complete an individual investigation which must include data collected in the field. The individual investigation must be based on a question or issue defined and developed by the student relating to any part of the specification content.
How it’s assessed:
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3,000 – 4,000 words
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60 marks
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20% of A Level
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Marked by teachers, moderated by AQA
Assessment
At Key Stage 3, students are provided with a range of peer and staff feedback around every 8 hours. Students will receive written or verbal feedback based on “what went well” and “even better if” in line with the school’s policy.
Assessment is made through a variety of ways including formal testing, project work, essay writing and presentations and normal exercise work. At Key Stages 4 and 5, assessment is a mix of formative and summative methods linked closely to the appropriate examination assessment objectives and the use of exam style questions in order to give a realistic grade for that particular piece of assessment at that particular time.