Geography

Geography is a dynamic subject in which students are challenged to investigate and make sense of our changing world.

It involves the study of places and topical issues including climate change, migration, hazards, globalisation and sustainability which will prepare students for their future. We aim to encourage students to develop their ability in a range of skills such as analysis, enquiry, fieldwork and decision- making and ultimately encourage them in understanding the complex world in which they live.

Our aim as a department is to encourage students to develop their core geographical understanding of the world around them by thinking, speaking, reading and writing like a geographer - all in all eliciting a love for the world around them and a passion for studying geography

Geography at KS3 is taught through an enquiry approach where traditional topics have been replaced with 'fertile questions' that get students thinking about pressing issues that are all based around 8 key concepts. Each of the fertile questions links in some way to at least one of these concepts and also investigates key global issues and current affairs. This builds a foundation for the study of GCSE and A Level Geography in KS4 and KS5 respectively. 

KS3-4 Pathways (Southfield) GCSE Geography
KS4-5 Pathways (Southfield) A Level Geography
KS5- Higher & Further Education
Pathways		 BA Geography or BSc Geography are the two main routes, but other courses such as Marine Biology, International Relations, Global Studies, Sustainable Development or Demography can also be suitable for careers surrounding Geography. 
Careers  Astronaut, Cartographer, Civil engineer, Civil servant, Economic development officer, Environmental consultant, Estate agent, Ethical hacker, Geoscientist, GIS analyst, Immigration officer, Landscape architect, Lawyer, Meteorologist, Oceanographer, Pilot, Quantity surveyor, Structural engineer, Sustainability consultant, Teacher, Town planner, Travel agent, Veterinary surgeon
KS4 Specification links  https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/5ofdo23l/gcse-geog-b-spec.pdf 
KS5 Specification links

https://bit.ly/3rCBKFk 
Year 7

Unit 1 - What skills do I need as a geographer? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What is Geography? 
  • What are directions and how are they used? 
  • How do map symbols help to us to find places on maps? 
  • How can we measure 3D height on 2D maps? 
  • How is distance shown on a map? 

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Human Geography Any element that is man made or affects people
Physical Geography Any element that is naturally occuring
Grid Reference  A method of locating places on OS maps in the UK
Scale  Refers to the concept of local, national or global
Directions Refers to the direction of travel, given as a compass direction EG North

Wider reading

  • An Atlas
  • OS Maps 
  • A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough 
  • Geography by Danny Dorling 
  • Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall 

 

Unit 2 - Who is responsible for taking action to prevent climate change?

Key questions/concepts

  • What is climate change?
  • What is the evidence for climate change?
  • What are the human and natural causes of climate change?
  • How will climate change impact our planet?
  • How can we manage climate change?

Timeframe

  • November  - December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Climate Change Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. Climate change could refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole.
Carbon Emissions The release of carbon into the atmosphere through greenhouse gasses.
New Green Deal UK public policy to address climate change through creating ‘green jobs’ and reducing carbon emissions at a number of scales.
Sustainable Development Development done so in a way in which the current generations needs are met, without compromising the needs of future generations.
Tipping Point The threshold at which a phenomenon, climate system or ecosystem is displaced from a state of balance. 

Wider reading

  • No one is too small to make a difference by Greta Thunberg
  • How to avoid a climate disaster by Bill Gates
  • There is no planet B by Mike Berners-Lee

 

Unit 3 - When do river floods become a problem? 

Key questions/concepts

  • How does water get back to the sea?  
  • What are the features of a drainage basin? 
  • What processes occur within a river system? 
  • What landforms are created by these processes? 
  • What are the various cause, effect and responses to flooding around the world? 

Timeframe

  • January - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Channel   The part of a river where there is water flowing, made up of the bed and banks
Flood  When there is too much water in a river and the river overflows the banks
Fluvial Processes  Processes that occur within the river channel that affect the bed or the banks EG erosion
River Landform  Landforms created by fluvial processes such as meander or ox-bow lake
Drainage Basin  The area surrounding a river from which a gains it's water

Wider reading

  • When the rivers run dry by Fred Pearce 
  • Horrible Geography; Raging Rivers by Anita Ganeri  

 

Unit 4 - How am I linked to other countries?

Key questions/concepts

  • How are products global in nature? 
  • What different types of jobs do people have? 
  • How does global trade work? 
  • How has globalisation affected people in less developed countries? 
  • What are the environmental consequences of living in a globalised world? 

Timeframe

  • March – April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Globalisation The connection of countries together e.g. through trade
Trade The buying and selling of goods or services
Sweatshop A factory with poor working conditions
Transnational Company A company that operates in more than one country around the world
Socio - Economic   When social and economic factors influence each other

Wider reading

  • Dying for an iPhone by Jenny Chan
  • Divided by Tim Marshall 
  • The Almighty Dollar by Dharshini David 

 

Unit 5 - How do people in the UK get around?

Key questions/concepts

  • What different types of transportation are available to people in the UK?
  • How can we complete fieldwork in our local area?
  • What problems does traffic cause in urban areas of the UK?
  • Should there be a bypass in Isham?
  • What is the future of air travel?

Timeframe

  • April - June

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Fieldwork An investigation completed by students outside of the classroom
Primary Data Data collected directly by students during fieldwork
Secondary Data Data that has been collected by others but used by students in their investigations
Route This is the way chosen by people to travel from one place to another
Bypass An alternative route built around a location to divert traffic and reduce congestion.

Wider reading

  • A world full of journeys and migrations by Martin Howard and Christopher Corr
  • The Boy who Biked the World by Alastair Humphreys
  • Traffic Jam – 10 Years of Sustainable Transport in the UK by Iain Docherty and Jon Shaw

 

Unit 6 - Why is Africa often seen as unimportant? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What is Africa? 
  • What are the human and physical features of Africa? 
  • What is the history of Africa? 
  • What biomes and ecosystems are found on Africa? 
  • Why is Africa considered unimportant by some people? 

Timeframe

  • June - July

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Africa Continent located on Earth asritde the equator 
Climate Average weather conditions over a period of 30 years
Biome A very large, global scale ecosystem  
Resources Naturally occuring materials used by humans, eg minerals or fossil fuels  
Interdependence When two or more elements rely on each other  

Wider reading

  • An Elephant in my kitchen by Francoise Malby-Anthony 
  • Introducing Africa by Chris Oxdale
  • Amazing Africa by Atinuke and Mouni Feddag 
  • Mama Panya's Pancakes by Mary and Richard Chamberlian 
Year 8

Unit 1 - Where does the world's population live? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What is a settlement and how do they grow? 
  • How is the population of the world spread out? 
  • How has the population of the world changed? 
  • How have some countries tried to control population? 
  • What is migration and why do people move? 

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Population The number of people that live in a particular place
Settlement The place in which people live at a variety of scales e.g. a village
Migration  The movement of people from one placce to another
Density Density is the number of things (people, animals, plants, or objects) in a certain area
Heirarchy  The ordering of something e.g. settlements based on their size

Wider reading

  • Population 10 Billion by Danny Dorling 
  • The Human TIde by Paul Morland 
  • Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah 
  • Coming to England by Floella Benjamin

 

Unit 2 - How can extreme weather affect different locations? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What is climate and how is it different from weather? 
  • How do we measure the weather?
  • Why does it rain so much in the UK? 
  • What are climate zones? 
  • What is extreme weather and how does it affect people and place? 

Timeframe

  • October -  December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Weather The temperature and precipitation level at a specific place and time
Climate The average weather for a given place over a period of 30 years
Precipitation The geographical term from anything that falls from the clouds (rain, hail, sleet or snow)
Anemometer An instrument that measures wind speed and wind pressure
Tropical Storm A hazard that brings heavy rainfall and strong winds

Wider reading

  • DK Eyewitness: Weather 
  • What's the weather by Fraser Ralston and Judith Ralston
  • Everything Weather by National Geographic Kids
  • Extreme Weather by National Geographic Kids
  • Horrible Geography; Stormy Weather by Anita Ganeri

 

Unit 3 - When is it acceptable for humans to impact on ecosystems? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What is an ecosystem? 
  • Where are different ecosystems located and why? 
  • How do plants and animals survive in different ecosystems? 
  • Where do humans fit in to various ecosystems?
  • Why are some ecosystems benefiical to humans? 

Timeframe

  • January - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Ecosystem A community of living and non living elements
Biome A large scale ecosystem e.g. Tundra
Biotic The living elements of an ecosystem
Abiotic The non living elements of an ecosystem
Nutrient Cycle The movement of nutrients in an ecosystem

Wider reading

  • The Indredible Ecosystems of Planet Earth by Rachel Ignotofsky
  • Horrible Geography; Desperate Deserts by Anita Ganeri 
  • Many Biomes, One Earth by Sneed B Collard 

 

Unit 4 - Why are tropical rainforests such diverse places?  

Key questions/concepts

  • What are the tropical rainforests and where are they found? 
  • What is deforestation?
  • Why do some people want to protect the tropical rainforests? 
  • Who lives in the tropical rainforest and why do they live there? 
  • What is the future for the tropical rainforests? 

Timeframe

  • February - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Tropical Rainforest An area of tall trees and dense vegetation that is located in regions of high temperatures and rainfall
Deforestation The cutting down of trees
Yamomami  The largest isolated tribe that live in the Amazon rainforest
Logging  The cutting down of trees for the sale of timber
Conservation  The process of proctecting the Earth's natural resources

Wider reading

  • Tropical Rainforests by Peter Beniot 
  • Horrible Geography; Bloomin Rainforests by Anita Ganeri
  • The Great Kapok Tree by Lynee Cherry 
  • Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo 
  • The Vanishing Rainforest by Richard Platt and Rupert Van Wyk 

 

Unit 5 - How safe is my local area for cyclists?

Key questions/concepts

  • What do we count as my local area?
  • How can we investigate road safety?
  • What data can we collect from fieldwork in our local area?
  • What secondary data can we collect from our local area?
  • How safe is my local area for cyclists?

Timeframe

  • April - May

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Fieldwork An investigation completed by students outside of the classroom
Primary Data Data collected directly by students during fieldwork
Secondary Data Data that has been collected by others but used by students in their investigations
Questionnaire A method of primary data collection conducted by students in their local area that involves asking questions to people
Traffic Count A method of primary data collection conducted by students in their local area that involves counting cars passing along a road.

Wider reading

  • A history of Kettering by RL Greenall
  • OS Map 224 Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough by Ordnance Survey
  • Progress in Fieldwork at KS3 by Hayley Peacock  

 

Unit 6 - What creates conflict in Asia and the Middle East? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What and where is Asia and the Middle East? 
  • What climate zones are found in Asia and the Middle East? 
  • Why is there so much conflict in the Middle East? 
  • How are some countries starting to live more sustainably in the Middle East? 
  • What is the future for Asia and the Middle East? 

Timeframe

  • June - July

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Conflict A disagreement between two stakeholders
Interdependence   When two or more countries are dependant on each other
Sustainability Meeting the needs of the people today without causing harm to future generations
Pirate  A person that attacks or robs people at sea
Narcotics   Drugs

Wider reading

  • China's Asian Dream by Tom Miller
  • The Shadows of Ghadames by Joelle Stolz 
  • Sitti's Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nya 
  • Oranges in no mans land by Elizabeth Laird 
Year 9

Unit 1 - Where are the impacts of sea level rise found? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What is the coast? 
  • What causes waves and tides? 
  • What physical processes occur at the coast? 
  • What landforms are created by these processes? 
  • How can we manage the coast for future use? 

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Coast The land that meets the sea
Fetch The distance that the wind is blowing over
Longshore Drift  The zig-zag movement of sediment along the caost due to swash and backwash
Stack A pillar rock formation that is formed due to erosion
Gabions Steel mesh cages filled with rocks that reduce the power of the waves

Wider reading

  • Horrible Geography; Cracking Coasts by Anita Ganeri 
  • No one is too small to make a difference by Greta Thunberg
  • Notes from a small island by Bill Bryson
  • Under the Weather: stories of climate change and sea level rise by Tony Bradman
  • The Atlas of Disapearing places by Christina Conklin 

 

Unit 2 - Why do levels of development differ? 

Key questions/concepts

  • What is development and how can it be measured? 
  • How can we compare two countries at different levels of development? 
  • Why is there a difference in how developed some countries are? 
  • What are the sustainable development goals and how do they work? 
  • What is aid and how can it help countries to become more developed? 

Timeframe

  • October - December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Development indicator A measure of the qualtiy of life and standards of living in a place
Sustainable development goals A targets set out by the UN to imporve the quality of life for people around the world
HIC / NIC / LIC  The different levels of development countries can be based on wealth
Human development index A measure that combines the country's life expectancy, adult literacy rate and wealth
Life Expectancy  The average age in which a person can expect to live to in a certain place

Wider reading

  • Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall 
  • Power of Geography by Tim Marshall 
  • Mind the Gap by Ferdinand Mount 
  • Out of the Third World by Ashok Sharma 

 

Unit 3 - How am I linked to other countries? 

Key questions/concepts

  • How are products global in nature? 
  • What different types of jobs do people have? 
  • How does global trade work? 
  • How has globalisation affected people in less developed countries? 
  • What are the environmental consequences of living in a globalised world? 

Timeframe

  • January - March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Globalisation The connection of countires together e.g. through trade
Trade The buying and selling of goods or services
Sweatshop  A factory with poor working conditions
Transnational Company A company that operates in more than one country around the world
Socio - Economic   When social and economic factors influence each other

Wider reading

  • Dying for an iPhone by Jenny Chan
  • Divided by Tim Marshall 
  • The Almighty Dollar by Dharshini David 

 

Unit 4 - When will people question the resources they are using?  

Key questions/concepts

  • What are resources and how do people use them? 
  • Where does our food come from? 
  • What are renewable and non-renewable energy sources? 
  • What other issues are affecting people on a global scale? 
  • How can we plan the use of resources more efficiently for the future? 

Timeframe

  • April - May

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Natural resources Materials that are used by people that are produced naturally by the Earth
Food Miles The distance that food travels from growth to consumption
Malnutrition  When someone has a defeciency in the nutrients they need to be healthy
Biofuels Energy created from dead plant matter or animal waste
Desertification   The drying of land to create semi arid lands due to natural or man made activities

Wider reading

  • The Story of More by Hope Jahren 
  • The Burning Question by Mike Berners-Lee
  • There is no Planet B by Mike Berners-Lee 

 

Unit 5 - To what extent is urbanisation a global phenomenon? 

Key questions/concepts

  • To what extent is urbanisation and global phenomenon? 
  • What are the ways of life and current challenges created by urbanisation in two global cities? 
  • What strategies can be used to manage the impacts of urbanisation in global cities? 

Timeframe

  • May - July

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Urbaisation  The growth of towns and cities in terms of their physical area and population
Re-Urbanisation The movement of people back into the inner areas of a town from the suburbs and rural fringe
Global Cities A city that has many links to other countries around the world
Mega Cities  A city with a population of more than 10 million people
Informal Settlements   Areas of housing that is not legal and doesn't have permission to be there

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P2-13 & 48-69)
Year 10

Unit 1 - Urbanisation in contrasting global cities  

Key questions/concepts

  • To what extent is urbanisation and global phenomenon?
  • What are the ways of life and current challenges created by urbanisation in two global cities? 
  • What strategies can be used to manage the impacts of urbanisation in global cities? 

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Urbaisation  The physical and human growth of towns and cities 
Re-Urbanisation The recent trend for the population of towns and cities to grow in size
Global Cities Cities that are well connected by the process of globalisation
Mega Cities  Cities that have a population greater than 10 million people 
Informal Settlements Settlements that are made of make shift materials and are often illegal 

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P2-13 & 48-69)
  • Geog.GCSE by Anna King et al (P168-190)

 

Unit 2 - Urban and rural processes and change in the UK  

Key questions/concepts

  • What changes are taking place in where people live in both urban and rural areas of the UK? 
  • What are the distinctive features of urban areas in the UK? 
  • What factors help to drive urban and rural change across the UK? 
  • What is the cause and effect of change in retail provision across the UK? 
  • What are the issues associated with leisure use in urban and rural areas across the UK? 

Timeframe

  • October - December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Urban  Refers to the built up area IE towns and cities  
Rural Refers to the countryside and smaller settlements IE villages and hamlets
Decentralisation The movement of shops, offices and industry away from the center of urban areas
CBD  The central business district - the heart of the city
Comparison Goods  Goods that bought less often by people, such as furniture or TVs. Also known as High Order Goods  

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P13-34 & 38-47)

 

Unit 3 - A global perspective on development issues   

Key questions/concepts

  • What are global patterns of development?
  • What are the global processes that connect countries at different levels of development including the UK? 
  • What are the causes and consequences of uneven development? 
  • What are the advantages of different types of aid project? 

Timeframe

  • January - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Development Indicator Data about countries such as birth rate and gross national income that is used to compare countries   
Sustainable Development Goals  Set of 17 goals set by the united nations for countries to acheive for a sustainable future 
Development AId  Help which is given to tackle poverty and improve quality of life over the long term
Emergency Aid  Help which is given in the event of a natural disaster or event to help people in the short term 
Free trade  When countries trade without any limits to the amount of goods that can be imported or exported  

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P70-110)
  • Geog.GCSE by Anna King et al (P258-279)

 

Unit 4 - Shaping the landscape - Coasts and coastal management

Key questions/concepts

  •  How do people and processes contribute to the development of distinctive coastal landscapes in the UK? 
  • How are coastlines managed? 
  • Why is coastal management often contraversial? 
  • What are the predicited impacts of climate change on coastal landscapes and communities? 

Timeframe

  • February - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Inter-tidal zone The part of the shoreline that is between high and low tide   
Hard Engineering   The use of artificial structures to reduce erosion or the risk of flooding 
Sea Arches  Natural arch shaped features on the coastline that are formed by the erosion of a cave 
Wave Cut Notch  A slot with overhanging rocks that has been cut into the bottom of a cliff by hydraulic action
Longshore Drift   A process by which material is moved along the coast in a zig zag pattern  

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P144-171)
  • Geog.GCSE by Anna King et al (P86-104)

 

Unit 5 - Shaping the landscape - Rivers and river management

Key questions/concepts

  • How do people and processes contribute to the development of distinctive river landscapes in the UK? 
  • Why do rivers flood and what are the consequences of flooding? 
  • How can rivers be managed to reduce the risk of flooding? 
  • Why is river management often contraversial? 

Timeframe

  • May - July

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Discharge The volume of water that passes a given point in a river at any given time   
Cummecs   The unit measurement of discharge (metres per second) 
Erosion  The breaking down of material into smaller parts
Transportation The movement of sediment along a river
Deposition   The placing of sediment due to the reduced energy of the water  

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P112-143)
  • Geog.GCSE by Anna King et al (P64-84)
Year 11

Unit 1 - Weather and Climate   

Key questions/concepts

  • Why is the UK climate so variable? 
  • How does the global circulation of the atmosphere create distinctive climate zones? 
  • How are weather hazards distributed at a global scale and how does this pattern change over time? 
  • How are weather hazards distributed at a global scale and how does this pattern change over time? 

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Weather The typical condition on the day e.g. cloud cover, precipation type, wind speed, temperature 
Climate The average weather conditions for a specific place over a 30 year period
Tropical Rainbelt (ITCZ) A zone between the tropics of cancer and capricorn that has a lot of rainfall 
Air Mass  A large parcel of air in the atmosphere 
  The climatic conditions of land close to the sea. The UK has a maritime climate 

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P172-193)
  • Geog.GCSE by Anna King et al (P86-105)
  • DK Eyewitness: Weather 
  • What's the weather by Fraser Ralston and Judith Ralston
  • Horrible Geography; Stormy Weather by Anita Ganeri

 

Unit 2 - Climate change - Cause and effect    

Key questions/concepts

  • How has the climate changes during the quaternary period? 
  • What are the causes of global warming? 
  • How and why to attitudes to climate change vary? 
  • What role can individuals and government play in reducing the risk of climate change? 

Timeframe

  • October - November

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Greenhouse Gasses Gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane that are able to trap heat in the atmosphere 
Greenhouse Effect  A natural process that traps heat in the atmosphere. This process has been enhanced by human activity such as burning fossil fuels 
Milankovitch Cycles  Describes the pattern of the earth's movements (tilt and orbit) that affects climate in certain locations 
Carbon Sinks A forest, ocean or other natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere 
Low Carbon Future  An outlook on the future which involves emitting less carbon into the atmosphere compared to current levels 

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P194-215)
  • Annihilations by Jeff Vandermeer 
  • Our house is on fire by Jeanette Winter 
  • No one is too small to make a difference by Greta Thunberg 
  • A hot planet needs cool kids by Julie Hall 

 

Unit 3 - How ecosystems function & Ecosystems under threat    

Key questions/concepts

  • What is the relationship between climate and biomes at a global scale? 
  • What physical processes and interaction operate within ecosystems?
  • How are small scale ecosystems un the UK used and managed? 
  • How are ecosystems used by people
  • How are ecosystems damaged by human activity? 
  • Why and how are ecosystems managed in a sustainable way? 

Timeframe

  • December - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Biotic  Describes parts of an ecocystem which are living things such as vegetation, birds, fish and animals 
Abiotic  Describes parts of an ecosystem which are non-living sich as heat, light, water and rocks. 
Biomes   Communities of plants and animals that exsist on a very large scale. 
Food Chain   A way of showing how living things are linked to one another by what they eat. Each organism is eaten by the next one in the food chain
Deforestation The removal of trees and plants so the land can be used for another purpose such as ranching
Key Services  The benefits provided by an ecosystem to people

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P224-265)
  • Geog.GCSE by Anna King et al (P128-145)
  • The Indredible Ecosystems of Planet Earth by Rachel Ignotofsky
  • Horrible Geography; Bloomin Rainforests by Anita Ganeri
  • The Vanishing Rainforest by Richard Platt and Rupert Van Wyk 
  • Many Biomes, One Earth by Sneed B Collard 

 

Unit 4 - Water resources and management     

Key questions/concepts

  • Why does water supply and demand for water vary over time and space? 
  • What happens when demand for water exceeds supply? 
  • What are the challenges of managing water supplies? 

Timeframe

  • February - March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Abstraction  The removal of water from the ground for use by humans 
Over Abstraction   When water is abstracted at a faster rate than it is recharged, leading to a store of water decreasing in size
Aquifers   Rocks in the group which are capable of holding large amounts of water 
Desalinisation  The removal of salt from sea water to make the water suitable for human consumption
Water Security  When a society has enough water to ensure that everyone has clean water, sanitisation and good health 

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P262-281)

 

Unit 5 - Desertification    

Key questions/concepts

  • What are the physical processes operating in hot semi-arid regions that make them vulnerable to desertification? 
  • To what extent does human activity contribute to the problem of desertification?
  • How can environments vulnerable to desertification be managed? 

Timeframe

  • March - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Desertification A process which makes dry environments become more like deserts. Desertification causes soils to become degreaded or worn out
Bund   Rock lines that are placed on the ground to slow down soil erosion and desertification 
Gully Erosion  The removal of soil by rainwater to form a steep sided v shaped ditch 
Drought Resistant Crops   Crops that are able to survive periods of below average rainfall 
Infiltration   The downward movement of rainwater from the surface into the rocks below

Wider reading

  • Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography Textbook by Andy Owen et al (P282-293)
  • Horrible Geography; Desperate Deserts by Anita Ganeri 
Year 12

Unit 1 - Tectonic hazards and processes    

Key questions/concepts

  • Why are some locations more at risk from tectonic hazards? 
  • Why do some tectonic hazards develop into disasters? 
  • How successful is the management of tectonic hazards and disasters? 

Timeframe

  • September - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Accretion Wedge The accumulation of material at the point of subduction
Asthenosphere  The upper mantle layer of the Earth. It is semi-molten and approximately 2000km wide
Jokulhaup  A sudden glacial flood caused by a glacier on top of or near a volcano melting due to the heat from the eruption
Paleomagnetism   The alternating polarisation of new land created. As magma cools, the magnetic elements within will align with the Earth’s magnetic field, which can alternate over thousands of year
Wadati-Benioff Zone A region of the subducting plate, most affected by pressure and friction, where most destructive margin earthquakes originate.

Wider reading

  • Eruptions that shook the world by C Oppenheimer 
  • Krakatoa: The day the world exploded by S Winchester 
  • The Holocene: An environmental history by N Roberts
  • Ghosts of the Tsunami by R Lloyd Parry 

 

Unit 2 - Globalisation 

Key questions/concepts

  • What are the causes of globalisation and why has it accelerated in recent decades? 
  • What are the impacts of globalisation for countries, different groups of people and cultures and the physical environment? 
  • What are the consequences of globalisation for global development and the physical environment and how should different players respond to it's challenges? 

Timeframe

  • September - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Globalisation   The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale
Interdependence The dependence of two or more countries on each other for trade, migration or cultural exchange 
Containerisation The increased usage of the shipping method in which a large amount of material (such as merchandise) is packaged into large standardized containers
Deindustrialisation   The reduction of industrial activity or capacity in a region or economy
Localism  An increased usage of more local shops and services as opposed to large chain stores and brands 

Wider reading

  • Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall 
  • The Power of Geography by Tim Marshall 
  • The Almighty Dollar by Dharshini David  
  • Factfullness by Hans Rosling
  • The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier

 

Unit 3 - Coastal Landscapes and Change 

Key questions/concepts

  • Why are coastal landscapes different and what processes cause these differences? 
  • How do characteristic coastal landforms contribute to coastal landscapes? 
  • How do coastal erosion and sea level change alter the physical characteristics of coastlines and increase risks? 
  • How can coastlines be managed to meet the needs of all players? 

Timeframe

  • February - June

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Concordant Coast   A coastline where bands of alternate geology run parallel to the coast
Discordant Coast  A coastline where bands of alternate geology run perpendicular to the shore
Isostatic  A local change in sea level due to a change in local coastline or land height
Sediment Budget  Use data of inputs, outputs, stores and transfers to assess the gains and losses of sediment within a sediment cell
Subaerial processes    Coastal land above sea

Wider reading

  • Coasts and Coastal Management by Michael Hill 
  • Sea Change: Britain's Coastal Catastrophe by R Girling

 

Unit 4 - Regenerating Places 

Key questions/concepts

  •  How and why do places vary? 
  • Why might regeneration be needed? 
  • How is regneration managed? 
  • How successful is regeneration? 

Timeframe

  • February - June

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Regeneration Long term upgrading of existing places for urban, rural, industrial and commercial areas
Rebranding  Developing a place to reposition it's image and change people's view of it, helping to sell the place to a target audience
IMD  Index of multiple deprivation. a Government tool used to measure deprivation across urban and rural areas in the UK 
Diversification The development of methods of income generation (making money) that are in addition to, or instead of, traditional rural income sources such as farming
NIMBYism  Not In My Back Yard - an attitude some people have to oppose development close to where they live 

Wider reading

  • Notes from a small island by Bill Bryson 
  • Blade Runner by Phillip K Dick 
  • The new urban crisis by R Florida
  • Welcome to the urban revolution by J Brugmann 
Year 13

Unit 1 - The Water Cycle and Water Security     

Key questions/concepts

  • What are the processes operating within the hydrological cycle from global to local scale?
  • What factors influence the hydrological system over short and long term timescales?
  • How are the carbon and water cycles linked to the global climate system? 

Timeframe

  • June (Year 12) - January (Year 13)

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Cryosphere The global water volume locked up within a frozen state (i.e. snow and ice)
Desublimation The change of state of water from gas to solid, without being a liquid (the opposite of sublimation)
ENSO Cycles El Nino Southern Oscillations - naturally occurring phenomena that involves the movement of warm water in the Equatorial Pacific
Percolation   Water moving vertically from soil into permeable rock
Saltwater Encroachment The movement of saltwater into freshwater aquifers or soils. This may be caused by sea level rise, storm surges or over-extraction

Wider reading

  • Water: A turblent history by S Halliday 
  • When Rivers Run Dry by Fred Pearce 

 

Unit 2 - The Carbon Cycle and Energy Insecurity     

Key questions/concepts

  • How does the carbon cycle operate to maintain planetary health? 
  • What are the consequences for people and the environment of our increasing demand for energy? 
  • How are the carbon and water cycles linked to the global climate system? 

Timeframe

  • June (Year 12) - January (Year 13)

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Carbon Sink A forest, ocean, or other natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Thermohaline Circulation The movement of seawater in a pattern of flow dependent on variations in temperature, which give rise to changes in salt content and hence in density
Flux The action or process of carbon moving from one store to another. Also referred to as a flow 
Energy Security    When a country or state has an uninterupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price. The opposite is Energy Insecurity 
Ocean Acidification A reduction in the pH of the ocean over an extended period time, caused primarily by uptake of carbon dioxide

Wider reading

  • Adventures in the Anthroprocene by Gaia Vince
  • After the car by K Dennis 
  • Eco Homes: People, Place and Politics by J Pickerill

 

Unit 3 - Superpowers      

Key questions/concepts

  • What are superpowers and how have they changed over time? 
  • What are the impacts of superpowers on the global economy, political systems and the physical environment? 
  • What spheres of influence are contested by superpowers and what are the implications of this? 

Timeframe

  • January - May

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Superpower  A state or organisation that is able to extend an dominant influence globally 
Hegemony  Leadership or dominance, especially by one state or ogranisation 
Neo-Colonialism   The use of economic, political and cultural power to influence other countries 
Uni-Polar     A world with a single, dominant superpower 
Capitalism  An economic and political system where trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state

Wider reading

  • Divided by Tim Marshall 
  • Why Nations Fail by James A Robinson 
  • The New Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan 
  • Collapse by Jared Diamond 
  • China's Asian Dream by Tom Miller

 

Unit 4 - Migration, Identity and Sovereignty    

Key questions/concepts

  • What are the impacts of globalisation on international migration? 
  • How are nation states defined and how have they evolved in a globalising world? 
  • What are the impacts of global organisations on managing global issues and conflicts? 
  • What are the threats to national covereignty in a more globalised world? 

Timeframe

  • January - May

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Refugee  A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster 
Assimiliation   Cultural assimilation is the process whereby a person or a group's language and or culture come to resemble another group
IGO   Inter-government Organisation, composed primary of sovereign states. Examples include the UN, world bank, and European Union 
Nationalism     Loyalty and devotion to a nation, especially a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others
Failed State   A politcal body that has disintegrated to a point where the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government no longer function properly 

Wider reading

  • The Hungry Empire by Lizzie Collingham
  • The new geographies of race and racism by C Dwyer 
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