Geography is everywhere! We are continually exposed to geographical issues in our everyday lives; including environmental issues, natural disasters, crime, population movements, maps, local developments, rural and urban change. By studying geography students are encouraged to develop their natural inquisitiveness about the world and make sense of the patterns, processes and connections which characterise human and physical activity.

In the Geography Department we aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity about the world in which we live, the diversity of cultures and our physical environment. Geography at The London Oratory School is concerned with the study of people and the environment. It is our intention that pupils understand the world in which they live and realise the interaction between physical and human environments.

The world in which we live is likely to change more in the next fifty years than it has ever done. Geography not only explains these changes, but helps to prepare our pupils for these changes.

Many of the skills which geography students learn are transferable skills such as essay and report writing, time management and organisation, use of ICT, group work and research. Subject specific skills include cartography, graphicacy, statistics, ICT, as well as the practical skills of fieldwork, data collection and decision-making.

The curriculum is delivered through the Geography Association schemes, supplemented by the 'Geography Success' series of text books.

In the first to third forms the Geography course is based on the geography 360° series.

Pupils are taught to develop a sense of place, together with an awareness of the physical and human aspects which make up their local, national and global environment. Our aim is to encourage pupils to enjoy geography whilst broadening their understanding of geographical issues and invaluable life skills.

At GCSE the Specification we follow is Edexcel A. This allows students to build upon the key ideas and knowledge gained at Key Stage 3 and ensure that both the academic and practical integrity gained at this level is consolidated and developed. Our pupils enjoy and engage with the four key themes of geographical skills and challenges, the natural environment, the human environment and an individual investigation. A balance of theoretical and practical work encourages students to become actively involved in the subject. Questioning, enquiry and decision making skills are core to the delivery of GCSE geography.

Unit 1: Geographical Skills and Challenges

This unit builds on the skills learned at KS3 and provides the opportunity to develop more advanced skills

appropriate for a GCSE geographer. It deals with two of the major issues facing the world today – climate

This unit is based on physical geography and pupils will study at least one of the following topics:

Plus one of these topics:

This unit is based on human geography and pupils will study at least one of the following topics:

Plus one of these topics

This unit will involve going out of the school to carry out fieldwork and then writing it up. The final writing up will be carried out in class time.

A level geography is a versatile subject which bridges the gap between the arts and the sciences. At this advanced level, the course focuses on the relationships between people and their environment, both locally and globally.

Geography develops many key skills which are valuable to employers, such as data handling, organisation, team spirit, creative thinking, and understanding of the world around us.

Unit 1

Global Challenges

This unit poses questions which seek to explore the meaning, causes and impacts of a number of headline global issues (natural hazards, climate change & global warming, globalisation, global groupings & networks) and the related international issues of population change, migration and urbanisation, which are impacting unfairly on people across the globe. It gives students the opportunity to evaluate existing attempts to manage the problems these issues bring and challenges us to find solutions for the 21st century.

Assessment: 90 minutes paper - 30% of total GCE

Unit 2

Geographical Investigations

This unit takes a closer look at how physical and human issues influence lives. The physical topic, ‘Extreme Weather’, poses questions which explore how we might best manage some of the challenges we face from the natural world, whilst the human topic ‘Rebranding places’ focuses on our need to better manage rural and urban places in the 21st century.

There is a compulsory element of fieldwork in this Module. Fieldwork provides the opportunity to collect primary and secondary data to enhance geographical investigations.

Assessment: 75 minutes paper - : 20% of total GCE

At A2 level there are two units:

Unit 3

Contested Planet

The use and management of resources is a key issue for Geography and today’s world. Consumption patterns highlight stark inequalities between regions, countries and groups of people. Many resources are finite, and rising consumption means that difficult decisions over the use of resources will have to be taken more frequently.

There are six compulsory topics:

Topic 1: Energy security

Topic 2: Water conflicts

Topic 3: Biodiversity under threat

Topic 4: Superpower geographies

Topic 5: Bridging the development gap

Topic 6: The technological fix?

Assessment: 150 minutes paper - 30% of total GCE

Unit 4

Geographical Research

Options range from those with a strong physical geography focus, to those concerned more with environmental, social and cultural geographies.

Students must select and study one of the following research options:

Option 1: Tectonic activity and hazards

Option 2: Cold environments — landscapes and change

Option 3: Life on the margins — the food supply problem

Option 4: The world of cultural diversity

Option 5: Pollution and human health at risk

Option 6: Consuming the rural landscape — leisure and tourism

Assessment: 90 minutes paper - 20% of total GCE

Edexcel GCE Specification

The Geography section of the school learning resources website includes a wide range of supporting material, such as lesson notes, powerpoint files, sample exam papers and past exam papers together with marking schemes.

The Society run by the students aims to promote enjoyment of the subject by arranging talks by guest speakers, attending talks at the Royal Geographical Society and taking part in the Worldwise Quiz.