Geography

2024 GCSE (AQA):    9-8 = 49%     9-7 = 67%

2024 A Level (AQA):  A*-B = 69%    

Up to 50% of A Level students select to read the subject (or a derivative of) each year at university, including Oxbridge applications. 

In Years 7, 8 and 9 Geography is a compulsory subject. Pupils here receive 4 periods per fortnight of Geography teaching plus approximately 1 hour of homework. Field trips focus on mapping the local environment, coastal management in North Wales and overfishing at the Blue Planet Aquarium. 

Many pupils opt to continue with the subject into Key Stage 4/GCSE, following the AQA GCSE Examination Board, which is a linear course. Class sizes are approximately 20 in Years 10 and 11 and pupils receive 6 periods per fortnight of Geography teaching with around 2½ hours of homework.  Themes such as Natural Hazards, Ecosystems and Urbanisation are studied along with visits to Snowdonia to study glaciation and the local River Dane for river processes. 

At A Level, the teaching of each set is divided between two members of the department (one for Physical Geography and one for Human Geography) who usually take the group for both years. On average, approximately 15-20 pupils select Geography at A Level, receiving 12 periods of teaching per fortnight. A range of extended homework assignments, amounting to 4/5 hours per week, are assigned. Class sizes range from 5-10 and the AQA Examination Board is followed at present with the course being linear. A week long residential trip to North Wales embellishes learning in the classroom and forms the basis of a coursework assignment. 

The department fosters a strong commitment to fieldwork, with every year group enjoying at least one fieldwork trip, thus enriching subject understanding. In addition, ‘wow and awe’ Geography tours to locations such as the European Alps, West Coast of the USA, Iceland, New York and Naples/Sicily are arranged on a regular basis. 

Geography workshops, sectioned into key stages, are open to all pupils at lunchtime one day per week, giving pupils one-to-one assistance with any Geography-related problems. A weekly Geography Club is also held for part of the year, with activities such viewing the Royal Geographical Societies’ Monday Night lecture series for upper years, to the national inter-school Worldwise Quiz and designing exploding volcanoes for lower year groups! 

At Key Stage 3, during each half-term, all pupils undertake end of unit assessments, ranging from traditional exams to group presentations, individual projects and extended written work.

At Key Stage 4, to replicate what pupils will face at the end of the course, all are monitored and assessed at the end of each half-term in the form of an end of unit mock exam paper based on past external exam questions.

At Key Stage 5, progress tests are taken at the end of each half term. Moreover, whole school mocks are also sat in February for Year 12 and November for Year 13. Weekly exam and essay tasks also ensure regular assessment.   

Finally, internal summer end of year examinations are taken at the end of Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12. Whole school mocks for Y11 in January, while public exams (GCSE, A Level examinations) are taken in the summer of Years 11 and 13.

• ‘Geographer of the Year’ Competition, Royal Geographical Society. 

• Geographical Association’s Worldwise Quiz – internal rounds and inter-school final. 

• Geographical Associations’ World Geography Olympiad Competition. 

• Institute of Royal Town Planning Competition. 

• Geographical Association Manchester Branch – evening termly lectures at Manchester Metropolitan University. 

• Geographical Association’s UN Debating Competition, Manchester Branch. 

• Regular ‘Wow and Awe’ overseas trips.  

• Pupils can access a wide array of academic journals through the department’s  subscriptions (KS4&5), many of these are also accessed online and include; Worldwide, Geographical Review, Geographical, Geography Factsheets, National Geographic, Topic Eye. Moreover, there are reading lists for each and every year group. 

Geography is a traditional and well-respected academic subject and as such there are numerous career avenues. For example; mineral exploration, town planning/regeneration, meteorology, tourism, surveying, GIS (Geographical Information Systems – computer mapping/model forecasting), architecture & property development, environmental & conservation roles (Environment Agency etc.), teaching/ education, alternative/renewable energy, transportation & logistics, government & political roles as well as journalism & foreign correspondents to name but a few!