Geography at Abbeydale Grange School

Aims and Objectives

Through its study of the human and natural world, the Geography Department supports the school aims of promoting equality of opportunity and respect for the needs and aspirations of individuals.  An understanding of our own and other cultures leads to deeper insights into the role students can play in their own society and the requirements of society on individuals.  The department also recognises the importance of teaching students about the formation, use and misuse of the physical environment.

The Geography Department aims to provide a stimulating, informative and challenging course in a supportive environment which caters for all students.  The display of students’ work in classrooms and on the corridors increases motivation and a sense of ownership.

The Geography syllabus allows students to experience and practise skills which will be useful in their adult lives; map work, analysis and interpretation of data, working in groups and understanding other people’s points of view.

The quality of lesson content and teaching strategies are constantly being reviewed to ensure that the department meets its and the school’s aims.

The department also supports the following principles:

PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING GEOGRAPHY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Curricula planned for all key stages and phases of geographical education should:

1. Lead to the development of a sound framework of place knowledge, awareness of a range of spatial scales and timescales, and understanding of geographical terminology.

2. Lead to a deep understanding of important concepts and key ideas in geography together with the ability to apply them to new situations and contexts.

3. Promote global citizenship by leading towards awareness and understanding of global systems, global patterns, the processes and impacts of globalisation and then opportunities and responsibilities of the individual.

4. Incorporate a futures perspective that takes account of the importance of historical change, encourages young people to envisage alternative scenarios, and promotes an awareness of the possibilities for involvement in creating alternative futures.

5. Promote investigative and critical approaches to knowledge, require a reflective approach to the learning process, and provide opportunities for pupils’ creativity to flourish;

6. Ensure that throughout their geographical education, pupils develop a wide range of skills, including those involved in:

• Using and interpreting maps, photographs, satellite images and ICT.
• Undertaking investigative fieldwork in a range of settings.
• Tackling issues, solving problems and making decisions.

7. Promote pupils’ awareness of those features which make geography distinctive, including.

• The focus on place and space.
• The emphasis on understanding society, economy and environment and the processes which shape them.
• The use of a variety of maps, images and spatially located data.
• Critical engagement with real world issues and questions.

8. Enhance pupils’ understanding of how geography has meaning and relevance to their own lives and can assist them in making decisions and taking action both at a personal level and as citizens in society.

9. Promote a sense of wonder, enjoyment and constructive curiosity about people, places and environments.

10. Promote curiosity through active engagement and experiential learning drawing on fieldwork, the characteristics of and issues in the local area, and young people’s own experiences.

This set of principles is derived from the findings of the two commissioned reports for the Geography Curriculum Development Project.  The principles define the kind of geography considered appropriate for teaching in schools in the twenty first century.