Geography

Geography at Northallerton School & Sixth Form College develops globally aware, critically thinking students who understand the complex interactions between people, places and environments.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced from Year 7 to Year 13 to build:

  • Strong locational and place knowledge

  • Secure understanding of physical and human processes

  • Analytical and evaluative skills

  • Independent enquiry and fieldwork competence

Students explore issues such as climate change, globalisation, inequality, sustainability and environmental management through contemporary case studies and real-world contexts.

 

Key Stage 3

Curriculum Intent

At Key Stage 3, students develop core geographical knowledge and disciplinary skills in:

  • Map skills and spatial thinking

  • Physical landscapes and processes

  • Human geography and development

  • Global interdependence

  • Sustainability and resource management

Students progressively develop analytical writing, data interpretation and evaluation skills in preparation for GCSE.

KS3 Curriculum Overview

Term Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
Autumn Term 1 Maps in Geography Coasts & Physical Landscapes Tourism & UK Employment
Autumn Term 2 Weather & Climate Energy & Climate Change Natural Hazards
Spring Term 1 Ecosystems Geo-Politics & Conflict Changing Economic World
Spring Term 2 Rainforests Russia & Glaciers The Living World
Summer Term 1 Population Development Nigeria
Summer Term 2 Brazil & Rio Rivers Global Food

Year 9 strengthens GCSE-style analytical writing and evaluative thinking, preparing students for the demands of Key Stage 4.

Key Stage 4 (GCSE Geography – AQA)

Students study a balanced curriculum of Physical Geography, Human Geography and Fieldwork.

Curriculum Structure

Students study:

  • Natural Hazards

  • The Living World

  • Physical Landscapes of the UK (Coasts & Rivers)

  • Urban Issues & Challenges

  • The Changing Economic World

  • Resource Management

  • Fieldwork and pre-release preparation

KS4 Curriculum Overview

Term Year 10 Year 11
Autumn Term 1 Natural Hazards Physical Landscapes – Coasts
Autumn Term 2 The Living World Physical Landscapes – Rivers
Spring Term 1 Urban Issues & Challenges Changing Economic World
Spring Term 2 Changing Economic World Resource Management
Summer Term 1 Fieldwork & Urban/Rural Enquiry Pre-release Preparation
Summer Term 2 Physical Landscapes (UK) Revision & Exam Preparation

Year 11 includes structured pre-release teaching and exam preparation, developing students’ ability to synthesise knowledge across physical and human geography.

Sixth Form (Key Stage 5)

We offer A Level Geography (AQA).

The course develops advanced analytical, evaluative and independent research skills across physical and human geography.

Students study:

  • Water and Carbon Cycles

  • Hazards

  • Global Systems and Global Governance

  • Changing Places

  • Non-Exam Assessment (NEA)

KS5 Curriculum Overview

Term Year 12 Year 13
Autumn Term 1 Water & Carbon Cycles Global Systems & Global Governance
Autumn Term 2 Hazards Changing Places
Spring Term 1 Changing Places Hazards (Synoptic)
Spring Term 2 NEA Introduction & Methodology NEA Completion
Summer Term 1 NEA Data Collection & Analysis Synoptic Revision
Summer Term 2 NEA Evaluation & Submission Examination Preparation

The Non-Exam Assessment (20%) develops independent investigation skills, including:

  • Research design

  • Fieldwork methods

  • Data presentation

  • Statistical analysis

  • Critical evaluation

Literacy, Careers and Personal Development

Across all key stages:

  • Tier 3 geographical vocabulary is explicitly taught and reinforced

  • Students use structured writing models such as PEEL

  • Data interpretation and graph analysis are embedded

  • Case study evaluation develops analytical depth

Careers linked to Geography include:

  • Environmental consultancy

  • Urban planning

  • International development

  • Climate science

  • GIS analysis

  • Civil engineering

  • Sustainability and policy

Students develop resilience, ethical awareness and global citizenship, engaging critically with issues such as inequality, climate change and resource distribution.