Geography
Intent
At Tavistock College, our Geography curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. We aim to equip students with a deep understanding of the Earth’s physical and human processes, the interdependence of places, and the challenges facing our planet in the 21st century.
Our intent is to:
- Develop Knowledge and Understanding: Ensure students gain a broad and balanced understanding of diverse places, people, resources, and natural and human environments, alongside a deepening knowledge of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
- Foster Global Citizenship: Encourage students to become responsible global citizens who understand the importance of sustainability, climate change, and the impact of human activity on the environment.
- Promote Critical Thinking: Cultivate analytical and evaluative skills through the interpretation of data, maps, and fieldwork, enabling students to make informed decisions and reasoned arguments.
- Encourage Curiosity and Exploration: Inspire students to ask geographical questions, explore the world around them, and appreciate the complexity and diversity of the planet.
- Support Personal Development: Build resilience, teamwork, and communication skills through collaborative projects and fieldwork opportunities, preparing students for further education and future careers.
Further information
Key Stage 3: Building strong foundations
At KS3, students explore a wide range of topics that lay the groundwork for geographical understanding:
Year 7: Map Skills, Weather and Climate, Ecosystems, One Planet Many People, Geographical Enquiry
Year 8: Rivers, Tectonics, Global Resources, Glaciers, Globalisation
Year 9: Marvellous Places, Superpowers, Comparing Places, Human Rights and Conflict, Journeys That Changed the World, Coasts
Key Stage 4: GCSE Geography (OCR B Specification)
Students follow the OCR B: Geography for Enquiring Minds course, which focuses on real-world issues and geographical enquiry.
Topics Covered:
Our Natural World: Landscapes of the UK, Weather Hazards, Climate Change, Ecosystems
People and Society: Urban Futures, Dynamic Development, Resource Reliance
Geographical Exploration: Decision-making exercises and fieldwork
Fieldwork:
Dawlish Warren: Coastal processes and management
Tavistock Town: Urban geography and sustainability
Assessment:
Paper 1: Our Natural World (35%) – 1 hour 15 mins
Paper 2: People and Society (35%) – 1 hour 15 mins
Paper 3: Geographical Exploration (30%) – 1 hour 30 mins
Includes synoptic decision-making and fieldwork-based questions
Key Stage 5: A-Level Geography (Pearson Edexcel Specification)
This course offers a deeper exploration of physical and human geography, global systems, and contemporary issues.
Topics Studied:
Tectonic Processes and Hazards
Coastal Landscapes and Change
The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
Globalisation
Superpowers
Diverse Places
Identity, Migration and Sovereignty
Assessment:
Paper 1: Physical Geography (30%) – 2 hours 15 mins
Paper 2: Human Geography (30%) – 2 hours 15 mins
Paper 3: Synoptic Investigation (20%) – 2 hours 15 mins
Combines knowledge from across the course to tackle complex geographical issues
Independent Investigation (NEA) (20%)
A 3,000–4,000 word fieldwork-based research project on a topic of the student’s choice
Curriculum Plans
Curriculum time allocation
KS3 - 3 hours a fortnight
KS4 - 6 hours a fortnight (option)
KS5 - 10 hours a fortnight (option)
SEND Learner Experience in Geography
Planning
When planning lessons, we use all SEND information documents available; Individual Learning Plans, EHCP documents and reading age scores to ensure a sound knowledge of individuals' needs and that appropriate resources are used to support learning. The seating plan is carefully organised and a class plan is completed for every class.
Work scrutiny is used to prioritise students with SEND and assess how effectively progress is being made. If not, we make reasonable adjustments to their experience based on the information we hold and liaise with the SENDCo where appropriate.
When planning our schemes of work, we ensure that we create a curriculum in which there is a clear revisiting of topics, subjects or themes throughout the course. This ensures a deepening of skills and knowledge, with each successive encounter building on the previous one.
- Retrievals used to reinforce learning
- Clear learning journey with ‘know it, link it, say it’
- Explicit teaching of vocabulary
- Explicit modelling using guided practice
- Time for deliberate practice.
Before each lesson
We ensure that each class has a set seating plan for their lesson to enable us to identify SEND students and deliver timely support.
Moreover, directorate meetings have a standing SEND point on the agenda where discussions take place to identify and plan for individual needs.
Entry routine
We welcome the students into the classroom, using thresholding, ensuring all students feel recognised. We use routine and procedure to establish common expectations, e.g the retrieval task is always on the board or, where appropriate, printed out and on desks.
During teaching
We use the Tavistock College Charter to ensure consistency of experience.
Resources are created to ensure all students can access the lesson.
'3,2,1, STAR behaviours’ and tracking are used to ensure all students understand and engage with the task.
We pre-warn students when we are about to cold-call for questions.
After each lesson
We use the evidence seen in student books to inform our planning of the next lesson.
After each assessment
We use the evidence seen in student work to inform our planning of the next lesson. We have a reteach lesson where misconceptions and common errors are clarified and explained.
Data analysis includes a focus on SEND students.
Reading and literacy in Geography
Subject contact
Amy Coleman