KS4 Geography
For Geography, we will achieve our curriculum vision by ensuring: That UTC Leeds Geography students consider the issues of sustainability, climate change and inequality in their roles as engineers and in their everyday lives.
Overview: Year 10 students can opt to study Geography GCSE, exploring the impact of engineering on the physical world and how engineers can improve conditions for people and the environment.
Global Exploration: Students study case studies from the UK, high-income countries, emerging economies, and low-income countries. Topics include climate change, poverty, economic shifts, and sustainable resource use.
Skills Development: The course emphasises analysis, evaluation, and understanding different viewpoints, which are highly valued by employers.
Industry Links: The Geography Department collaborates with various employers and organisations to contextualise learning.
Assessment: Following the AQA GCSE specification, the course is assessed through three exams:
- Living with the Physical Environment (90 minutes)
- Challenges in the Human Environment (90 minutes)
- Geographical Applications (75 minutes, including fieldwork assessment)
Curriculum Structure: The curriculum is built around 'non-negotiables'—essential areas to master, sequenced over four years and integrated across topics.
This curriculum ensures students gain comprehensive geographical knowledge and skills, preparing them for future careers.
Geography GCSE
Exam board: AQA
Year 10
Topics of study include:
- The challenge of natural hazards
- The living world
- Physical landscapes in the UK
- Geographical skills
Students also study case studies and examples. Case studies are broader in context and require greater breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding.
Year 11
Topics of study include:
- Urban issues and challenges
- The changing economic world
- The challenge of resource management
We also complete an exciting fieldwork trip to Bridlington where we collect primary data which will be used in the exam. We look at both the human (town/tourism) and physical side (the beach) of the seaside town. Through this, students are given the opportunity to consolidate and extend their geographical understanding by relating learning to real experiences of the world.