Welcome

Welcome to the Southfields Academy Geography Department!  Where passionate teachers show you that you have a key part to play on this planet.  We will teach you that Geography is so important to your everyday life and that humans have a fragile, yet crucial relationship with the natural world.  The department contains 7 very passionate geographers so keen to teach you about the world and our experiences of it.  (Between us, we have travelled to over 60 different countries and lived abroad for almost 20 years!).

Key Stage 3 students will leave Year 9 with a real grasp of what makes the world tick, and what we need to do to preserve how awesome it is.

In Year 7 students are taught geographical skills and topics that include extreme climates, amazing places and climate change.

In Year 8 students are taught through learning about contemporary issues surrounding the 7 continents of the world.

In Year 9 students are taught a well-balanced human and physical course which gets students ready for their GCSEs.  The most popular topics being natural hazards and contemporary urban issues.

GCSE Geography

Those students taking GCSE Geography will be taught the following topics through enquiry led learning.  Students will work on essential skills such as presentation and group work, problem solving and fieldwork.

1. The challenge of natural hazards
2. The living world
3. Physical landscapes in the U.K.
4. Urban issues and challenges
5. The changing economic world
6. The challenge of resource management

For more information have a read of AQA's website;

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035

A Level Geography

A Level Geography is held in high regard.  The Department follows the AQA course (link below)

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/as-and-a-level/geography-7037

Students study the following topics;

1. Water and Carbon Cycles
2. Hot Desert Systems and Landscapes
3. Hazards
4. Global Systems and Global Governance
5. Changing Places
6. Contemporary Urban Environments

Beyond the geographical knowledge imparted, students are also taught how to collect primary data and write up the results in a project similar to what students would create at university.  This is called their 'NEA' and is a great learning opportunity.

Geography students are invited to Geography Film Club after school on a designated day (speak to a teacher in the department for more details).

Geography students are taught fieldwork techniques and get to practice them out of a classroom setting during the Summer Term.

In class, students are set group work tasks and are taught to present to each other.

The Geography Department will stretch and challenge your child in the classroom therefore the most important factor is that your child is ready and comes into the geography department with a very positive attitude.

Beyond this, it is making sure all homework is completed and that students take time to review their learning outside of the classroom.

Geography is every changing, and we find the more up-to-date students are the better.  Watching and listening to the news is so important.  Picking up the odd copy of The National Geographic magazine from a newsagent will be enjoyable (It is one amazing magazine!).  The BBC produce some quite outstanding documentaries and Channel 4's 'Unreported World' is a hard-hitting, powerful watch.

Career wise, the opportunities are endless; City Planning, working for NGOs in development, working in research, climatographer, even forestry management is a possibility.  However, it is the general life skills that geography gives you that makes being a 'geographer' so enjoyable.

For further information check out the Royal Geographical Society;

https://www.rgs.org/geography/choose-geography/careers/