The KS3 Curriculum is diverse and engaging. The young geographers will study seven topics per year comprising of both physical and human geography. Assessment in geography takes many forms with students being supported in learning how to use self-reflection, peer assessment, progress monitoring and target setting. These methods are used in addition to formal teacher assessment and students are encouraged to celebrate their success and consider targets for improvement. Independent learning is a key priority and all students will be encouraged to develop these key skills through geography. We also try to invite speakers and organisations in to the department; Year 8 have previously had the pleasure of seeing a rainforest workshop where they got friendly with some creepy crawlies! Topics in key stage 3 include Help! We are going under, glaciation, population pressure, violent earth, ecosystems, climatic hazards and development amongst many others.

Geography is a subject enjoyed within the Lower School and as a result many Year 9 pupils opt for the GCSE Geography course. Since September 2016 we have been studying the new AQA 'A' GCSE Geography syllabus. This course is wide ranging in content with three exams at the end, physical, human and skills papers. Topics covered are broad and include hazards, changing economies, physical landscapes and resource management amongst others. There is emphasis on current issues and a broad skills base, enabling the pupils to gain a wider insight into the world around them but also enhance their employability with numeracy, literacy and discursive skills.  

We currently have 70 students studying A-level geography (AQA) here at Balcarras. The department is attracting large numbers of both internal and external candidates. Year 12 consists of the topics of Hazards, Coastal landforms and Changing places topics, this is intermingled with skills training. We finish Year 12 with a residential weekend in Dorset to study the coastal landforms and to develop vital geographical skills. It provides the fieldwork skills required for the study of the Non-Examined-Assessment which is worth 20% of the final mark. If candidates go on the study the full A level in Year 13, they study the topics of Water and Carbon Cycles, Global systems and governance and population and the environment.

There is an information leaflet with more detail click here or see the link at the bottom of the page.

Fieldwork is a fundamental aspect of geography which we are fully committed to delivering. The pupils have access to fieldwork opportunities at all stages. As a department we are also committed to working with other local schools and have an excellent Gloucestershire network of teachers who meet regularly at Balcarras. We take part in annual inter school quizzes and aim to expose our pupils to as many possible ‘hands on’ experiences of the subject as possible. The department are also keen to invite outside speakers in to talk on relevant topics to pupils such as Year 12 speaker session on climate management and mitigation from a University lecturer.

A variety of day trips are run throughout key stage three such as trips to Cheddar gorge, Natural History Museum and Cotswold Wildlife Park, along with many smaller outdoor studies in lessons around the school and local area such as a microclimate survey or carbon footprint analysis.

At GCSE pupils spend a day at either a river or urban location in preparation for their geographical skills paper. We also run an optional residential trip for pupils in Year 10 which is both curriculum and skills based but also broadens the pupils understanding of the geographical world around us. 

In year 12 we run a residential trip to develop fieldwork skills and better understand environments, this has been to Dorset in the past where we combine geographical studies of stunning locations such as Lyme Regis, Charmouth beach for fossil hunting, old harry rocks, Studland sand dunes and Lulworth cove. Year 12 undertake a study of the local area to compliment the Changing Places topic and to build ideas for their NEA.

Every two years we run a foreign residential trip and we have visited Iceland, the West Coast of America and Italy in recent years. In 2023 we will be off to Iceland.