Geography

Geography is a fun subject that is never far from the headlines! Climate change, globalisation, tsunamis, earthquakes and urban regeneration issues, to name but a few, are all part of the realm of the geographer. Geography is a dynamic subject that seeks to understand and explain the many and varied patterns presented by the natural and human world around us. At Tiffin it provides an insight into all this - pupils develop an understanding and sense of their surrounding environment and are ultimately able to look at a landscape and be able to say, “I understand this and know why.

Key Stage Three
At present pupils follow a programme of study covering topical issues that include: Me and the World About Us; Understanding UK Weather Patterns; Flood Disasters; and World Trade. The subject aims to develop a knowledge and understanding of different places and environments so that they have a better insight to the ever changing world in which they live. It also looks to develop a wide range of investigative, graphical, problem-solving and decision-making skills so that pupils become increasingly independent learners. Field trips and museum visits are an integral part of our teaching.

Key Stage Four
Geography at GCSE is an opportunity to gain an understanding of the world in all its guises and involves more in depth studies of contrasting UK and world locations where contemporary geographical situations & issues are analysed. It is a broad-based subject which develops a number of intellectual skills: literacy, numeracy, graphicacy, oral presentation skills and the application of ICT. Fieldwork visits are arranged in both years of the course and at present we follow Edexcel 's Geography specification B.

Key Stage Five
In the Sixth form students follow the AQA Exam Board AS/A2 Level Geography specification which analyses the complex relationships between people and the environment. This involves core studies in both the Physical and Human environments in year 12 (Lower Sixth) and more detailed option studies in the year 13 (Upper Sixth). The course also incorporates geographical skills and in preparation for this Lower Sixth students attend residential fieldcourses in the Isle of Purbeck in the Autumn term and South Devon in the Spring term. These courses are run and taught by the department's staff in order to facilitate the acquisition of data collection/handling skills in the field as well as firsthand experience of locational examples applicable to theoretical ideas covered in the classroom.

Other information
The department is also involved with the Institute of Education, London University in its PGCE Initial Teacher Education (ITE) of student teachers as a full partnership school department.