‘Building powerful knowledge to grow confident & creative global citizens.’

Geography is fundamental in our quest to grow responsible, global citizens of the world. Students develop an understanding of how people’s lives are shaped by and impact on the environment and vice versa. Through study of local, national and international communities students gain the disciplinary knowledge to become fluent in geographical processes and diversity. This nurtures an increasing appreciation of our complex, multi-cultural and diverse planet. Geography students should become well-practised in the fieldwork enquiry and can unpick a range of evidence to analyse and draw appropriate conclusions. Studying Geography helps young people to be well-informed, to make decisions, think critically, and participate sustainably in their community. Students become knowledgeable and understand the relationship and interdependence between people and the environment allowing them to contribute effectively in the most prominent discussions and controversies facing the world today and tomorrow.

Our recovery curriculum supports students' academic progress by acknowledging potential missed learning opportunities, supporting student wellbeing and facilitating enrichment.  We continue to develop students resilience and sense of achievement fostering their ambition and celebrating their successes.

Our Curriculum at Lincoln Academy is adapted to ensure that all students are appropriately supported and challenged in their learning.

We are committed to ensuring that pupils with SEND can fulfil their potential and achieve their best. Differentiation is used to ensure that new learning is matched to the pupils needs while allowing all children to be stretched and challenged. The Individual Profiles and EHCP’s for SEND identify specific strategies of support and intervention to support individual learning needs. Planning and teaching is adapted so that the curriculum can meet individual learning needs so that personalised learning can take place.

In Geography, students are supported in their writing through modelling with the visualizer and a range of scaffolds and structure stips to aid geographical explanation and extended writing as learner’s progress to KS4. To support metacognition and the procedure of unpicking unfamiliar maps, graphs and charts and describing and analysing trends students learn to BUG the question to decode what it is asking. They also are encouraged to use G C S E tips to support their ability to critically describe geographical patterns and trends. Modelling the excellent quality aimed for occurs across the department where teachers narrate the thought process and the I, We, You process guides and supports independence. Learners are supported in their memory retention through regular use of visual aids and spaced practise. For recall, nmemonics are used such as BRICs and MINTs For students with visual impairments, resources and equipment is adapted accordingly. For example, maps and charts are adjusted to support specific needs to eliminate colour stress. Progress Support Assistants (PSA’s) are deployed to support those with specific individual needs. The curriculum is chunked appropriately to avoid cognitive overload and tasks are differentiated to enable all students to be stretched and challenged appropriately.

Year 7

Module 1 – 2 – Marvellous Mapping (Local area and Asia study)

Students begin to be geographers by exploring location, space and place. They develop fundamental geographical skills to make sense of the world and their local area by practicing their skills using a range of maps. They develop their understanding of scale and distance, relief and crucial developments made by humans to make sense of the world such as latitude and longitude.

Module 3 – 4 – Development Dilemmas (Africa study)

Inspired by Hans Rosling, students critique the ways in which the world has been divided in the past. They learn about development indicators and factors affecting quality of life and progress. Students build on their disciplinary knowledge and evaluate ways to improve the level of development in low income developing countries and are introduced to the challenges of rapid urbanisation in developing cities today.

Module 5 – 6 - Wacky Waters (The UK)

In this unit students develop an understanding of the physical processes that shape our plane, hydrology and geomorphology. They develop their understanding by exploring the interaction of people and their planet through a flooding depth study and increasing threats to the coastline. This year culminates in a local rivers fieldtrip.

Year 8

Module 1 – 2 – Population Pressures (China, North America, Syria)

Building on their understanding of urban development students explore demographic change, migration patterns and sustainable management of the population, this also builds on crucial disciplinary knowledge, students recognise patterns and use geographical evidence whilst applying their skills developed in year 7.

Module 3 - 4 – Extreme Environments (Brazil and Antarctica)

Students contrast two extreme climates (equatorial and polar) working geographically with data and learning about the unique ecosystems and current human threats. They journey through the first expeditions to the South Pole, assess the role of the 1961 Treaty before developing an argument to exploit or protect Antarctica. Students learn about conservation, stewardship and the value of one of the world’s most precious resources.   

Module 5-6 – Restless Earth

Students learn about the power of our planet through the structure of the earth and tectonics. They apply this to volcanic activity and tsunami’s and consider lessons learnt and peoples role through hazard mitigation within a developing nation.

Year 9

Module 1 – 2 Urbanisation and Sustainable Cities (The UK, Nigeria)

In this topic students build on their knowledge of migration through urban trends and patterns. They explore differences in ways of life in world and megacities, evaluating challenges facing people within both advanced and developing cities and critique current strategies to manage these challenges.

Module 2 -3 – Climate Change (Global)

Using their disciplinary knowledge students explore the patterns of change across the quaternary period. They learn about both natural change (through the Milankovitch cycles) and the importance of anthropogenic change, cause, consequence and responses across a range of scales. 

Module 3 – Sustainable Ecosystems (Arctic, Russia)

Students return to their knowledge of ecosystems and biomes and undertake a depth study on the Arctic. They study interdependence, indigenous ways of living and the role that people play in this fragile environment.  

Year 10

Specification title: OCR B Geography for Enquiring Minds

Specification Link:  https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/geography-b-geography-for-enquiring-minds-j384-from-2016/

Year 11

Specification title: OCR B Geography for Enquiring Minds

Specification Link: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/geography-b-geography-for-enquiring-minds-j384-from-2016/

Year 12 - 13.  Geography (studied at LSST as part of the joint 6th form provision)

Within the Geography course students study the following units.

 

Physical Systems – 22% of the A level

This unit explores the dynamic environments of the coast focussing on how physical processes change the landscape and how human activity interferes with these processes. The unit also examines how earth’s life support systems, the vital carbon and water cycles provide valuable resources. Specifically, students investigate the case studies of the Tropical Rainforest and the Arctic Tundra and how these change over time. Focus deepens to how these systems have an intricate balance of interdependence between cycles.

 

Human Interactions – 22% of the A level

This human unit involves ‘Changing Spaces; Making Places’ which allows students to investigate two areas of contrast. Students will study how place is understood and represented, economic change and social inequality and place making processes. Secondly, students will study ‘Global Connections’ focussing on Migration flows and the issues of unequal flows using a range of illustrative examples. Human rights is also studied in the context of women’s rights and strategies used to develop human rights.

 

Geographical debates – 36% of the A level

This unit asks students to explore topical issues focussing on ‘Disease Dilemmas’ and ‘Hazardous Earth’. Students will explore a range of contemporary issues drawing from content across the course. Investigate Geography – 20% of the A level This is the non-examined part of the course; the independent investigation. With the guidance from Academy staff students will complete the coursework element by collecting both primary and secondary fieldwork and using background research/theory.