Geography
“As a young man, my fondest dream was to become a geographer. However, while working in the customs office I thought deeply about the matter and concluded it was too difficult a subject. With some reluctance I then turned to physics as a substitute.”
Albert Einstein
Geography is, in the broadest sense, an education for life and for living. An understanding and enthusiasm for Geography, and the development of geographical knowledge, is essential for the 21st century in a world where population growth, rapid development, global environmental change, social and economic inequality, and resource depletion threaten the very planet on which we live. These problems place increasing burdens on cultural tolerance, the sustainable management of societies, natural resources including bio-diversity, and landscapes. Geographers have a key role to play in understanding and helping to solve these issues.
Welcome
Staff
Overview
Facilities
In the Classroom
Beyond the Classroom
Mr. Matthew Newitt
Department Staff
Department Overview
Geography in the lower school
From first to third year all students study Geography. The course aims to stimulate pupils and develop their abilities to question, investigate and present their findings through a variety of mediums. Geography has never been more relevant; global warming, fair trade, damage to the environment and development are constantly in the news and this subject aims to address these issues and hopefully educate people to find solutions even at a small scale to these problems.
A combination of topic study sometimes leading to projects is used in the first three years and linked with this is fieldwork which makes use of the surrounding region. In years four and five AQA syllabus 3010 is used and is a balance of physical and human studies and an individual fieldwork topic is presented as 25% of the final result. In the sixth form AS and A2 Geography is broad based and again fieldwork is designed into the course and is worth 20% of the final result.
Facilities
The department has the use of ICT resources and interactive whiteboards. Pupils have access to these facilities to help them with their work. In addition the department has a wealth of books, maps and practical equipment including a weather station which combines to allow a wide variety of topics to be looked at in depth.
In the Classroom
GCSE Geography
Geography relates to many aspects of peoples lives, from driving from one location to another, planning a holiday, interpreting the news, business and understanding the environment in which we live. GCSE Geography aims to develop students understanding of their place in the world and knowledge in the areas of physical, environmental and human geography. Over the course students study a range of topics from weather and climate to industry and settlement. Coursework gives them the opportunity to investigate in the field a hypothesis as well as looking at key environmental questions such as pollution and the complexity of solving such problems.
A Level Geography
Contemporary geography is a subject which explicitly engages with the relationship of human populations to each other over space and time and their relationship with their physical environment at a variety of scales from the local to global. To this end the AQA A syllabus is followed giving students the opportunity to consider:
- Their own roles, values and attitudes in relation to themes and issues being studied.
- The roles, values and attitudes of others including decision makers.
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Beyond the Classroom
Field Studies
Fieldwork is very importantto Geography at Shebbear College and to geographical study in general. Geography is essentially the study of the real world and therefore students should have the opportunity to investigate and experience a range of different environments. They can investigate first hand the physical environments studied and the human environments created by the interaction of people with the environment. Through this the students gain an insight into the way geographical knowledge has been developed and learn the skills essential to undertake geographical enquiry.
The department gives great importance to fieldwork in the geographical education of students and also their personal and social development. This starts in the first year with a local settlements study, through to A Level where fieldwork is an integral part of the course. This gives studentsthe opportunity todevelop their key skills of teamwork, problem solving, decision making and presentation of information.
