Term / Half-term

Main topics / units

Key knowledge & skills

Autumn 1

Dynamic Coasts,

Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of coastal processes, learning to identify different coastline types, explain the formation and characteristics of constructive and destructive waves, and analyze the four types of wave erosion. They will explore how sediment is transported along the coast and the methods used to prevent this. Furthermore, students will describe and explain the formation of key coastal landforms created by both erosion (such as headlands, bays, and stacks) and deposition (such as beaches, spits, and sand dunes), and learn to evaluate various coastal protection measures against erosion and cliff collapse using cost-benefit analysis.

Autumn 2

Weather and Climate,

Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of weather and climate, learning to distinguish between the two and explaining the influence of weather on human life. They will master meteorological measurement techniques and map presentation, understand the formation and types of clouds and rainfall, and analyze the role of air pressure and its interpretation via a barometer to explain low- and high-pressure systems. Furthermore, students will investigate the causes and impacts (social, economic, and environmental) of extreme weather events, such as the 2003 European heatwave and the 2013 Christmas storms, including the formation of storm surges. They will also develop skills in drawing and interpreting climate graphs and identifying the main climate zones of the world.

Spring 1

Wonderful China,

Students will begin by learning to locate and describe China's position on a world map, identifying and explaining its major human and physical features, and drawing comparisons with the UK. They will investigate the distribution patterns of China's vast population and the reasons behind them, alongside exploring the nation's unique culture, traditions, and tourist attractions, such as the Great Wall. Furthermore, students will analyze China's global connections and its development status in relation to other countries (MEDCs and LEDCs), assessing evidence of its economic changes and evaluating the costs and benefits of its growing tourism industry.

Spring 2

Rivers of Ice (glaciation),

Students will gain an understanding of glaciation, beginning with defining the process, describing the extent of ice in the UK during the last ice age, and explaining the fate of woolly mammoths. They will learn how glaciers are formed and where they are found today, and identify the three zones of a glacier (accumulation, ablation, and equilibrium). The course will detail the processes of glacial erosion—freeze-thaw, plucking, and abrasion—and explain how these create landforms like arêtes and corries, alongside describing how glacial deposition forms features such as drumlins and moraines. Finally, students will analyze how glacial landscapes are utilized today (e.g., for tourism), appreciate the importance of studying past glaciation to predict future planetary changes, and develop the skill to identify glacial features on maps and satellite images using tools like contours.

Summer 1

Riveting Rivers,

Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of river systems, starting with a description of what a river is, its importance, and an explanation of the water cycle. They will learn to describe and define a drainage basin and its features, and analyze the fluvial processes that cause a river to erode material. Furthermore, students will study the formation of key river landforms, including waterfalls and gorges, and the evolution of meanders and oxbow lakes, which they will learn to identify on Ordnance Survey maps. The curriculum also covers the physical and human causes of flooding, examines the specific case of flooding in Bangladesh to analyze its causes, impacts, and solutions, and investigates the UK's strategies for flood management.

Summer 2

Geography of Crime

Students will investigate the geographical aspects of crime and policing, beginning by defining crime, differentiating between types (e.g., robbery vs. burglary), and analyzing who bears the costs. They will explore crime patterns, evaluate strategies to manage urban crime, and assess the factors influencing fear of crime, including the impact of designing out crime. The course includes case studies on crime trends in specific areas like Manchester, an analysis of modern-day piracy, and an examination of illegal trade (e.g., the heroin route from Afghanistan). Finally, students will develop skills in analyzing crime data shown on maps and graphs and will apply geographical analysis to issues like illegal deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest.

Type of assessment

Approx. frequency / when

What it is used for

Classwork / quizzes

Short recall quizzes in most lessons

To check understanding of key facts, locations and vocabulary, and correct misconceptions

Homework tasks

Once per week

To practise applying geographical knowledge and build good study habits

End-of-topic assessments

About once per half-term

To assess understanding of each topic and inform progress data

End-of-year assessment

Summer term

To give an overall picture of progress across the year