Geography
Department Resources
Geography at Dunottar is located in two dedicated classrooms using a variety of resources. Lessons are taught using PCs and projectors, complemented by the use of whiteboards and video where appropriate. Core text books include Geog.1, 2 and 3 (OUP) at KS3; ‘Understanding GCSE Geography’ (Heinemann) at KS4 and ‘Advanced Geography’ (Philip Allan) for the AS and A2 levels. We also have appropriate equipment for fieldwork that includes anemometers, hydroprops, quadrats, etc.
The Curriculum
At KS3 we cover a range of physical and human geography topics that broadly follow the National Curriculum. Contents are based on the Geog.1, 2 and 3 text books and range from skills such as reading and understanding maps to the geography of crime. Each year there is a field trip – Year 7 ‘Rivers’ to the river Tillingbourne; Year 8 ‘Coasts’ to Reculver, Kent and Year 9 ‘Tourism’ to Worthing.
The GCSE level follows the AQA Specification A. The coursework element of the specification is started on a 4 day residential fieldwork visit to Slapton Field Studies Council centre and then completed in school time. Assessment consists of two examination papers in Year 11 (Human and Physical Papers worth 37.5% each). The coursework accounts for the remaining 25%.
At the AS and A2 level we follow the AQA Specification that considers a range of human and physical topics and is wholly assessed by written examination papers. The nature of the AS examinations is data stimulus and knowledge based short and extended questions rather than essays; the A2 includes essays and extended answer questions.
The fieldwork is an integral part of the course and there will be a 4-5 day residential field trip during the year to teach and prepare for Unit 2. In addition there may be local day trips based on the themes of study. The residential trip takes place at Easter and is based in Nettlecombe Court field study centre (pictured right) on the edge of Exmoor.
Geography, After Education
Geographers go on to a great variety of careers from management and business to leisure, tourism, planning – the list is endless. Their skills in selecting from the vast wealth of data available today, their ability to synthesise and analyse it makes them highly sought after by employers. At the same time, they are helped in understanding the increasingly complex world around them.