Geography
Geography is taught in two spacious and modernised classrooms, both of which are equipped with large display screens.
Our aim is to encourage an interest in and understanding of our surroundings on a local, national and global scale. All topics include elements of Thinking Skills, Geographical Skills and topic content. Fieldwork is an integral part of learning and pupils usually take part in several trips during their studies. The Geography Department is an intensive user of digital e-learning tools and it encourages the girls to develop their use of existing and emerging technologies to support their enjoyment of the subject.
Year 7 current topics studied are: Atlas and Map Skills, Introduction to the UK, Physical Landscapes in the UK, Africa and Nigeria.
Year 8 topics covered include: Our Living World, People of the UK, Challenges and Opportunities in the UK, Global Issues.
Year 9 topics covered include: GCSE Hazards and GCSE Urban Environments. Year 9 visit Stratford, east London to investigate the impacts of urban regeneration.
During Years 10 and 11 our GCSE topics include: UK Urban Challenges, Sustainable Urban Development, Resources in the UK, Water Resources, UK Landscapes, Coastal and River Landscapes. The GCSE course is AQA 9-1 GCSE Geography (8035). We visit High Wycombe and the River Chess on field trips to investigate a Human and a Physical Environment which they are assessed on in Paper 3: Geographical Applications. Year 11s also study: Ecosystems, Tropical Rainforests, Cold Environments, Development Gap, Newly Emerging Economies, and the Changing UK Economy.
A Level topics include: Water and Carbon Cycles, Changing Places, Hazards and Coastal Systems and Landscapes. Pupils attend two field trips on the Water and Carbon topic and Changing Places topic. Year 12s plan and undertake their own fieldwork over the summer holidays to help them write up their Independent Investigation. The A Level course is AQA A Level Geography (7037). A Level students also study Global Systems and Governance and Population and the Environments.
EXTRA CURRICULAR – GEOGRAPHY CLUB
In the Geography Department we automatically look for opportunities to enrich students in our lessons. In addition, we do this, for example by:
- Entering girls for the Young Geographer Competition run by the Royal Geographical Society.
- Encouraging girls to enter other competitions as they arise.
- Develop a host of activities as part of the ‘Bright Spark’ programme at Northwood College for Girls.
- Provide academic enrichment beyond the syllabus through bespoke Year 12 and 13 Enrich and Extend classes.
- Providing resources for the Summer break to support the transition to the next year’s study.
- Encouraging students to challenge themselves by taking an activity from the “challenge menu”.