Autumn 1 & 2: Our Local Area- Where I live

Spring 1 & 2: Around the World 

Summer 1 & 2: Water- Types of waterways 

Autumn 1 & 2: Unit 1 – Location study of the continents and oceans 

Spring 1 & 2: Unit 1 continued 

Summer 1 & 2: Unit 2 – Hot and cold locations. Unit 3 –field work and mapping. 

Autumn 1 & 2: Unit 1 -Human and Physical features  

Spring 1 & 2: Unit 2 – Compare a small part of the UK to a non-European location  

Summer 1 & 2: Unit 3: Fieldwork, mapping and position. Unit 4: Compare a different non-European location to our locality (Amazon Rainforest)  

Autumn 1 & 2: Unit 1: Map and Fieldwork Skills  

Spring 1 & 2: Unit 2: United Kingdom Study 

Summer 1 & 2: OS Map and Scale

Autumn 1 & 2: Unit 1 : Rivers  

Spring 1 & 2: Study of the Water Cycle 

Summer 1 & 2: Unit 2: Latitude and longitude   

Autumn 1 & 2: Unit 1: World countries – biomes and environmental regions 

Spring 1 & 2: Unit 2: 4 and 6 figure grid references   

Summer 1 & 2: Unit 3: OS maps and Field work 

Autumn 1 & 2: Unit 1: Comparison Study: UK, Europe and North or South America  

Spring 1 & 2: Unit 3: Study of human and physical geography: economic, settlement and trade links

Summer 1 & 2: Unit 2: Physical processes: Earthquakes, mountains and volcanoes .Unit 4: Study orienteering: map and fieldwork skills 

Autumn 1: Where in the world are we? – including map skills, longitude and latitude, OS Maps

Autumn 2: Where in the world are we? UK – Barrow and its place in the UK and the rest of the world.

Spring 1: How is urbanisation changing our world? – settlements and urbanisation in UK and China.

Spring 2: Why do rivers flood and how does that affect people? – climate, weather and the geography of rivers.

Summer 1: Why do rivers flood and how does that affect people? – the impact of our rivers on our lives; case study Storm Desmond and microclimate inverstigation.

Summer 2: Where are Kenya and India – what are there key similarities and differences?

Autumn 1: How does the global population of 7.7billion affect our world? – population, development and migration. 

Autumn 2: Where does our stuff come from and does it matter? – case studies, including Nike and Shein.

Spring 1: How do physical and human processes shape our coast? – erosion, transportation and deposition – landforms – case study Dorset coastline.

Spring 2: How do physical and human processes shape our coast? – managing the coastline and the rock cycle.

Summer 1: Who should decide the 7 wonders of the world? – fantastic places around the globe.

Summer 2: Where is the best quality environment around school? – environment survey fieldwork and project.

Autumn 1: Why are some earthquakes and volcanoes more deadly than others? – tectonics – case study Eyjafjallajökull

Autumn 2: Why are some earthquakes and volcanoes more deadly than others? – Where is the evidence for climate change – case study Nepal and Chile earthquakes.

Spring 1: Where is the evidence for climate change – glaciation and climate change.

Spring 2: What are the opportunities and challenges of living in the Middle East? – case study World Cup Qatar.

Summer 1: Why are there different global ecosystems around the world? – global ecosystems.

Summer 2: Case study – Tropical rain forests.

Awarding Body – AQA

Specification Code – 8035

Tiers – all candidates sit the same level of qualification

The GCSE curriculum is based around three units:

Unit One – Living with the Physical Environment

This unit is concerned with the dynamic nature of physical processes and systems, and human interaction with them in a variety of places and at a range of scales.

Section A – The Challenge of Natural Hazards

• Natural Hazards
• Tectonic Hazards
• Weather Hazards
• Climate Change

Section B – The Living World

• Ecosystems
• Tropical Rainforests
• Either Hot Deserts or Cold Environments – Chetwynde currently teaches the Cold Environments option.

Section C – Physical Landscapes in the UK

• UK Physical Landscapes
• Two from Coastal, River or Glacial landscapes in the UK – Chetwynde currently teaches the Coastal and River landscapes options.

Unit Two – Challenges in the Human Environment

This unit is concerned with human processes, systems and outcomes and how these change both spatially and temporally.

They are studied in a variety of places and at a range of scales and must include places in various states of development, such as higher income countries (HICs), lower income countries (LICs) and newly emerging economies (NEEs).

Section A – Urban Issues and Challenges

Section B – The Changing Economic World

Section C – The Challenge of Resource Management

• Resource Management
• One of Food, Water or Energy – Chetwynde currently teaches the Food option.

Unit Three – Geographical Applications

Pupils will be required to draw together knowledge, understanding and skills from the full course of study.

It is an opportunity for pupils to show their breadth of understanding and an evaluative appreciation of the interrelationships between different aspects of geographical study.

Section A – Issue Evaluation

Section B – Fieldwork

During the course of all three units, pupils will need to learn and develop key, interchangeable geographical skills.

Assessment is through three written examinations – one for each unit.

Paper One – Living with the Physical Environment

This paper lasts for 1h 30mins and makes up 35% of the overall grade awarded.

Paper Two – Challenges in the Human Environment

This paper lasts for 1h 30mins and makes up 35% of the overall grade awarded.

Paper Three – Geographical Applications

This paper lasts for 1h 30mins and makes up 30% of the overall grade awarded.