Why Geography? What will I gain? What syllabus?
Fieldwork Career Opportunities Finding out more
You are constantly exposed to geographical issues in everyday life, including: environmental concerns; natural disasters; world weather; local developments; urban and rural change; population movements; maps and travel. It is not surprising then that Geography is a very popular subject at GCSE. Geography will provide you with an opportunity to develop your awareness and understanding of the patterns, processes and relationships that characterise human and physical environments and the interactions between them.
What will I gain from studying Geography?
Geography will help you to develop your awareness and understanding of the world in which you live. Geography will allow you to:
 | broaden your global outlook, promoting good citizenship; |
| develop a cultural and environmental awareness; |
| develop a knowledge and understanding of people and places; |
| develop key geographical skills (including map making and interpretation). |
| develop a sound general knowledge and awareness of current affairs; |
| experience teamwork; |
| study the physical and human environment at first hand through guided fieldwork; |
| analyse and evaluate geographical data |
| undertake enquiries and make informed decisions |
What GCSE syllabus will I be following?
You will be studying the OCR Syllabus A (1986) which provides an excellent coverage of geography at the GCSE (Key Stage 4) level. The syllabus is primarily thematically based and reflects the nature of physical and human environments and the interaction between them.
How will I be examined?
The GCSE course is assessed by:
| 2 Final Exams (you will either sit the foundation or higher tier) |
- Written Paper 1 (50%) - thematic based paper
- Written Paper 2 (25%) - skills based paper
| A coursework component (25%) an enquiry based individual study. |
See Course Outline for further details and information on the syllabus content and themes covered.
What Fieldwork experience will I be offered?
You will have a range of opportunities to experience fieldwork during the course, as a department we believe fieldwork is an essential part of the course, helping to bring theory to life. As part of your work on coastal environments we visit Dunwich on the east coast in the autumn term of Year 10 to look at examples and issues of coastal erosion and coastal management. During your coursework assignment you will make a number of visits in to St Ives in order to collect data, developing a range of data collection skills.
| Click on the images below to view photographs of some of the GCSE fieldwork on Coasts |
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What career opportunities can Geography give me?
As well as counting as a qualification for acceptance on further and higher education courses, GCSE Geography is particularly relevant to a number of specific careers including:
| Surveying |
| Land/Estate Management |
| Conservation |
| Meteorology |
| Environmental Management |
| Teaching |
| Civil Engineering |
| Travel Industry |
| Architecture |
| Leisure and recreation management. |
As a geographer by the end of your GCSE you will have received training in and developed a level of proficiency in a variety of transferable key skills (including literacy, numeracy, graphicacy, ICT, independent research, decision making, problem solving and teamwork) all of which are highly valued by most employers. These skills are essential in many careers. Here are just a few examples of careers in which proficiency in these skills is important.
Management and Administration
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Information Services
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Environmental Management
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Education and Professional
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Please feel free to talk to your geography teacher about about any questions you may have or come along to the Geography Club on Monday lunchtimes in N19 (or N16) where advice can be given. We realise that these decisions when making choices regarding your GCSE subjects are very important - so please, ask for advice if you are unsure.
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ST IVO SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT St Ivo School High Leys St Ives, Huntingdon Cambridgeshire. |
