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:
Students can opt to study Geography GCSE from Year 10, where they will explore the changing physical world and how people, and especially engineers, interact with the environment. Students study real-world examples from the UK, emerging economies, and low-income countries.
Themes covered include climate change, ecosystems, landscapes, development, urban living, economic shifts, and sustainable resource use.
GCSE Geography emphasises skills of analysis, evaluation, communication of ideas and understanding different viewpoints, which are highly valued by employers.
The Geography Department links the content of the GCSE to a range of employers and organisations to contextualise learning.
The AQA GCSE specification is assessed through three exams:
- Living with the Physical Environment (90 minutes)
- Challenges in the Human Environment (90 minutes)
- Geographical Applications (90 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 living world
- Urban issues and challenges
- The challenge of resource management
- Physical landscapes in the UK
- Fieldwork skills
Students also study case studies and examples. Case studies are broad in context and require greater breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding.
Year 11
- Topics of study include:
- The challenge of natural hazards
- The changing economic world
- Issue evaluation
We complete an exciting fieldwork trip to Hornsea where we collect primary data which will be used in the Geographical Applications (Paper 3) exam.
We also complete fieldwork in the Leeds South Bank regeneration area which is local to UTC Leeds.
In addition, students participate in a number of employer projects that link their classroom learning to the world of work. T
hrough this, students are given the opportunity to consolidate and extend their geographical understanding by relating learning to real experiences in professional settings.
