A Level Geography

Geography is a highly regarded academic subject that equips you with a wide range of valuable skills, including literacy, numeracy, fieldwork, research, data analysis, and report writing. Throughout the A-Level course, you will build on GCSE knowledge, whilst also focusing further on current affairs and geographical issues. It is a dynamic course with content which is always changing as global issues develop, and will give you a vital insight into some of the biggest geographical concerns.

Follows the Edexcel A-Level Geography specification 10 x 1 hour lessons a fortnight, split between two specialist teachers in Year 12 and three specialist teachers in Year 13 (for each component) Year 12: · Coastal Landscapes and Change · Tectonic Processes and Hazards · Regenerating Places · Globalisation · 4 days of NEA fieldwork in the summer term Year 13: · The Carbon Cycle and Energy Insecurity · The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity · Superpowers · Health, Human Rights and Intervention · Paper 3 – NEA write-up and paper 3 preparation Summer work: Write a short report (no more than 2 A4 pages) entitled "The Impact of Coastal Erosion on Local Communities and Regeneration" to introduce you to two key areas of the A Level curriculum – coasts and regeneration. You should include:

• Definitions of coastal erosion and regeneration
• Examples of ways an area could be regenerated
• The natural and human factors contributing to coastal erosion (e.g. wave action, sea level rise, humans building on the coast, etc.)
• Impacts of coastal erosion on local communities, local economies and how coastal erosion could cause inequalities between different areas

Additional information

You should engage with at least three of the following:

Online news articles:

• https://theconversation.com/uk - Provides up-to-date articles from academics and specialists in the field written in a way that is accessible to all, summarising key points in short, insightful articles.
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news - An excellent source of up-to-date news articles covering current events, including sections on Science, Business, UK and wider world stories
• https://www.theguardian.com/uk - Again, lots of useful articles, particularly in the Environment, Science and Society sections

Podcasts:

• Costing the Earth - A range of podcasts on geographical issues including deforestation, climate change, carbon, plastics, energy management, urban greening, etc.
• The Documentary podcast - From the BBC, these podcasts investigate a range of global development issues
• The Inquiry - Again, from the BBC, podcasts exploring the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world

Online courses:

• The Open University - Free short courses and lessons under different headings – over 1000 free courses available, but particularly the Nature & Environment and Society, Politics and Law sections
• UN CC: e-Learn - The official United Nations learning partnership for all things related to climate change. They offer self-paced and downloadable courses and have an abundance of information on climate change, such as climate policy, green economies, etc.

Books:

• Prisoners of Geography series – Tim Marshall
• Factfulness – Hans Rosling
• Inequality and the 1% - Danny Dorling
• There is no Planet-B – Mike Berners-Lee
• Let There Be Water: Israel's Solution for a Water-Starved World by Sth M. Siegel

3 x external exams and 1 x NEA (non-examined assessment) · Paper 1 (Physical Geography) – 30% of total mark · Paper 2 (Human Geography) – 30% of total mark · Paper 3 (Synoptic Issues Analysis) – 20% of total mark · NEA (Non-Examined Assessment – ‘Coursework’ Component) – 20% of total markx external exams and 1 x NEA (non-examined assessment)

Grades 9-5 in five subjects, including Grade 6 in Geography, and Grade 5 in English and Maths. Students who fail to meet these requirements will be considered on an individual basis.

Pen· Exercise book (provided)· A4 folder· Lined paper· Calculator· A-Level textbooks (provided with a deposit repayable on return at the end of Year 13

As the world faces growing environmental and societal challenges, geographical knowledge is becoming increasingly important. Careers of the future that require geographical expertise include environmental management, climate science, transport and infrastructure planning, meteorology, sustainable urban development, land surveying, tourism development, forestry management, international aid, energy management and resource conservation. Geography is also becoming more relevant in finance and commodity markets due to its focus on global systems and trends. In addition, a background in geography provides a strong foundation for careers in education, journalism, public policy, and government—at both local and national levels. With its broad skillset and global outlook, geography opens doors to a wide array of future-focused career opportunities.