Welcome to Geography

Why learn Geography?

Geography prepares students for both further education and employment. Studying topical issues gives young people a more realistic view of the world, which they can transfer in to the workplace. Numeracy, literacy, map reading, in-depth analysis and decision-making skills are all developed within geography lessons. Geography can lead to many opportunities of further study and employment, for example, jobs in teaching, becoming a member of the Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Town Planning Institute, employment with the Environment Agency, local and central government, work in environmental science and meteorology as well as land management. Geography alerts students to the issues facing their world, giving them ‘food for thought’ and the facts needed to support their opinions and actions.

Geography Curriculum Overview

Please click the year group and half-term to view additional information.

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Where on Earth are We?
Continents and oceans.
Parts of the UK and the British Isles. 
Developments Issues-Zambia
What are LICs/NEEs/HICs?
Describing and using development indicators.
Push and pull factors.
Rural-urban migration.
Megacities.
Impacts of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation.
Changing job sectors.
TNCs and the multiplier effect.
Skills / application of knowledge
Use a range of maps and atlases to locate places.
Use maps and atlases to locate India and other significant places.
Explain the impacts of rapid industrialisation and urbanisation.
Impacts of TNCs.
Interpret the Demographic Transition Model.
Links to prior learning
KS1 and 2 map skills.
Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas
KS2 economic activity, including trade links.
Assessment
Baseline
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Weather + Climate 
How does water move around the hydrological cycle?
What factors affect climates?
The UK’s climate and how it affects us. 
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret a block diagram.
Explain the factors that affect climate in different places. 
Interpret UK climate data.
Say how the weather impacts the economy.
Explain the factors that affect the UK’s weather conditions. 
Links to prior learning
KS2 the water cycle.
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Rivers
What are the physical processes and landscapes found along rivers?
How are rivers used differently, and why?
How do we use rivers and manage them sustainably?
Skills / application of knowledge
Suggest how a variety of river landforms are created in a range of places using photo stimuli.
Interpret development indicators and use them to explain why rivers are used differently in areas of contrasting wealth. 
Consider the impacts of industrial, agricultural, and domestic use of water on the environment. 
Links to prior learning
Previous topic-The hydrological cycle.
Using development indicators – India Yr 7 topic 2
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Climate Change 
How has climate changed during the Quaternary period?
What causes the climate to change?
How have humans responded to Global Warming?
Skills / application of knowledge
Make links between natural events and their impact on the climate.
Suggest how human activity adds to the enhanced greenhouse effect through the production of greenhouse gases and environmental degradation using diagrams and graphs.
How to mitigate and adapt to Global Warming using visual sources. 
Links to prior learning
Environmental impact of rapid industrialisation- greenhouse gas emissions. 
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Ecosystems and Tropical rainforests
What are the key characteristics of ecosystems?
What are the key characteristics of tropical rainforests?
How do humans use, and manage rainforests?
Skills / application of knowledge
Ecosystems 
Identify and make links between different parts of ecosystems.
Tropical rainforests
Use maps to describe the distribution of TRF 
Interpret climate graphs.
Explain why rainforests are under pressure. 
Describe how human activity affects TRF.
Consider the sustainability of forest management strategies.
 
Links to prior learning
KS2 climate zones and biomes. Vegetation belts. 
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 6
Knowledge
Africa- Kenya
What are Africa’s major human and physical characteristics?
What are Kenya’s main human and physical features?
How has Kenya’s economy developed?
How has economic developed affected Kenya?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret a range of maps. 
Draw and Interpret climate graphs.
Make links between the climate and animals and plant adaptations. 
Interpret development indicators and make inferences about Kenya’s level of development and quality of life. 
Compare rural and urban lifestyles, make judgements about standards of living.
Links to prior learning
Using development indicators – Yr 7 India and Rivers
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Geological Timescale
What is the geological timescale?
Key events:
The Big Bang.
Earth’s formation.
Evolution of lifeforms. Mass extinction events.
The James Webb telescope
Rocks and soils
How does the rock cycle work?
Types of rocks and their formation.
How weathering and erosion affect rocks?
What is soil?
What are the causes and effects of desertification? How can we sustainably manage soils?
Skills / application of knowledge
Apply scientific understanding to the formation of Earth.
Link evolution of life on Earth to key events in Earth’s history.
Apply the rock cycle model to the formation of rock types.  
Make links between human activity and the degradation of soils. 
Make judgements about the appropriateness of soil management techniques. 
Links to prior learning
brainstorm.
Links to science and the formation of Earth’s atmosphere. 
Impermeable and permeable rocks (yr 7 – building dams)
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Tectonic hazards
What are tectonic hazards, and how do they affect us?
How can we reduce hazard risk?
Why do earthquakes affect places of contrasting wealth differently?
Skills / application of knowledge
Use tectonic theory to explain what happens at plate boundaries. 
Use examples to demonstrate the causes, effects and responses to earthquakes in areas of contrasting wealth.
Links to prior learning
Comparing areas of contrasting wealth- yr 7 rivers Egypt + UK
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Tropical storms
What are the key characteristics of a tropical storm
How can we reduce the risk of tropical storms?
How might climate change affect tropical storms?
Skills / application of knowledge
Use diagrams to explain the structure and formation of tropical storms. Use data to compare the effects of Tropical Storms in areas of contrasting wealth. 
Using examples, explore how HICs and LICs use monitoring, prediction, protection and planning to reduce hazard risk.
Links to prior learning
Monitoring, prediction, protection and planning- Tectonics
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Resources
What are resources? 
How are resources distributed globally?
What is the UK’s energy mix?
What challenges does the UK face with water, food and energy supply?
What opportunities and challenges do dams bring?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret maps and graphs to describe the global distribution of resources. 
Suggest how the UK’s water, food and energy supply can be made more sustainable. 
The opportunities and challenges of the Three Gorges Dam and the Hoover Dam. 
Links to prior learning
Sustainable development- India.
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 5
Knowledge
China
What are the key human and physical features of China?
How has China’s economy developed?
How has industrialisation and urbanisation affected China?
Why is China investing in Africa?
Skills / application of knowledge
Use maps and atlases to locate China’s.
Interpret climate and relief data; make links with population distribution and economic activity.
Interpret development indicators.
Suggest the impact of historic events on modern China.
Causes of urbanisation and megacities. 
Interpret employment data to show economic change.
Give reasons to why China is called ‘the workshop of the 
Links to prior learning
Using development indicators – Yr 7 India and Rivers
Employment structure – India yr 7
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 6
Knowledge
Russia
What are the key human and physical characteristics of Russia?
What are the reasons for uneven development?
What does the media tell us about Russia?
The Middle East
What are the key human and physical characteristics of The Middle East?
What are the reasons for uneven development?
What are the causes of conflict in The Middle East?
Skills / application of knowledge
Use maps and atlases.
Interpret climate and relief data; make links with population distribution and economic activity.
Suggest the impact of historic events on modern Russia.
Reasons for uneven development.
Analyse media coverage of Russia in the news.
Links to prior learning
Using development indicators – Yr 7 India, Rivers and Yr 8 China
Using development indicators – Yr 7 India, Rivers and Yr 8 China and The Middle East
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Global Development
How do geographers measure development?
Zambia’s history.
Zambia’s changing economic structure.
Zambia’s changing population structure and the Demographic Transition Model.
TNCs in Zambia.
Impacts of rapid industrial growth.
How has economic development affected people’s quality of life?
Zambia’s progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Barriers to further economic development. 
Skills / application of knowledge
Evaluate the effectiveness of development indicators.
Making inferences from development indicators. 
Using scatter graphs to identify correlations between sets of development data. 
Identify reasons for uneven development.
Assess Zambia’s progress against the SDGs
Evaluate the role of TNCs in Zambia. 
ERIC task- investigate accusations against TNCs.
Links to prior learning
Yr 7 /8 How historic development affects us today- Yr 7 India, Yr 8  China, Middle East, Russia, yr 9 Zambia
Yr 7/8 Development indicators India, China, Middle East, Russia.
Sustainable development. India, China.
Employment structures- India, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Ecosystems
Ecosystems at different scales. (local and global)
The difference between food chains and food webs.
Human impacts on ecosystems?
How to use fieldwork techniques to investigate how urban change affects the environment.
Where is the rural-urban fringe?
What pressures are placed on the rural-urban fringe?
Impacts of development on the rural-urban fringe.
Skills / application of knowledge
Identify the link between cause and effect in ecosystems.
Apply an urban model to Preston.
Identify and explain the wider impacts of urban change on the environment. 
Use data presentation, analysis and interpretation to draw conclusions about the impacts of urban change. 
Links to prior learning
Yr 7 Food chains and food webs 
Yr 7 Causes of deforestation 
Yr 8 The causes of desertification 
Yr 7 Tropical forests, 
Yr 8 Plant and animal adaptations.
Yr 8 Tropical forests.
Yr 8 Hot deserts in The Middle East.
Global atmospheric circulation model.
Solar insolation levels
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Glacial Environments
What are the characteristics of polar, tundra, alpine and glacial environments?
How does climate affect adaptations?
How do glacial processes create glacial landforms?
How can we generate income from glacial and post glacial environments?
What are the pressures affecting glacial landscapes?
Skills / application of knowledge
Apply knowledge of processes to suggest how glacial landforms are formed.
Identify the economic opportunities and challenges in glacial and post glacial environments.
Assess the extent to which fragile glacial environments are under pressures, including climate change and resource exploitation.
Apply knowledge of the Global Atmospheric Circulation Model to explain vegetation and climate.
Make links between climate and adaptations.
Investigate the fourteen ‘8 thousanders' including K2 and Everest, (Mallory and Irvine, Hilary and Norgay) 
Links to prior learning
Yr 7 and 8 abrasion, attrition.
Yr 7- the role of rivers in shaping pre and post glacial landscapes. 
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Life in the UK
What are standards of living like in the UK?
How has the UK’s economy developed and changed?
What are the reasons for uneven development? And the social impacts of this?
How can we reduce economic and social inequality?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret thematic maps to make links between sets of data eg relief, and population density.
Assess the impact of historic events on modern Britain and N Ireland.
Explain the impact of globalisation and de-industrialisation on the UK economically, socially and environmentally. 
Use data to prove to what extent inequality exists.
Decision-making- Reducing inequality in society. To what extent are strategies successful?
Links to prior learning
Yr 7 and 8- the impact of historic events on current economic, social and environmental conditions. 
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Coastal Areas
Characteristics of waves.
Coastal processes and landforms?
How is sea-level rise affecting us?
How do we manage coastal areas? 
Skills / application of knowledge
Identify and explain the characteristics of coastal processes and landforms.
Evaluate the threat of sea-level rise to those in vulnerable areas.
Assess the negative impact of oil spills.
Decision-making- suggest effective coastal management strategies
Links to prior learning
Yr 7 River processes. 
Yr 8 weathering processes
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces
Assessment
Retrieval.
Prove It tasks.
Assessed pieces

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Discuss hypotheses.
Recap key elements of coastal topic.
Urbanisation + Rio
Urbanisation 
What factors affect rates and levels of urbanisation?
A city in an NEE- Rio
Where is Rio and why is it important?
What are social, economic and environmental opportunities and challenges in Rio?
How is urban planning improving the quality of life for the urban poor in favela Bairro.
Skills / application of knowledge
Analyse line graphs.
Analyse and interpret photos, data and written extracts.
Data collection and presentation
Links to prior learning
Yr 7 -Megacities India.
Yr 8 megacities China.
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
End of year exam.
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Natural Hazards- Tectonics
How do tectonic processes create tectonic landscapes?
Why do the effects of, and responses to, earthquake hazards vary between areas of contrasting levels of wealth?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret maps, diagrams, data tables and written extracts. 
Use grid references.
Use the 8-point compass. 
 
 
 
Links to prior learning
Yr 8 – tectonic hazards.
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
End of year exam.
Half Term 3
Knowledge
The Development Gap
How can we classify parts of the world and measure development?
What are the links between stages of the Demographic Transition Model and the level of development.
What are the causes and consequences of uneven development? 
How can we reduce the development gap?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret maps and graphs including choropleth maps, scatter graphs.
Use written source materials.
Links to prior learning
Yr 8 resources
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
End of year exam.
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Nigeria
Where is Nigeria, and why is it important?
How is Nigeria’s economy changing?
What impact do TNC’s have on Nigeria? 
How is Nigeria’s place in the world changing?
How does aid affect Nigeria?
How is rapid industrial growth affecting Nigeria?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret geographical models.
Interpret data tables, photos, 
Interpret DTM
 
 
 
Links to prior learning
Yr 9 Zambia- 
How TNCs affect a NEE.
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
End of year exam.
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Ecosystems 
At what scales to ecosystems exist?
How do biotic and abiotic elements interact in TRF?
Tropical Rainforests
What are the distinctive characteristics of TRF?
What are the environmental and economic impacts of deforestation?
How can tropical rainforests be managed sustainably?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret geographical models.
Interpret data tables, photos, written sources.
Links to prior learning
Yr 7 rainforests and Kenya
Yr 8 deforestation in the Amazon
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
End of year exam.
Half Term 6
Knowledge
A Major UK City -Liverpool
How is the UK’s population distributed? How are the UK’s major cities distributed?
What is the location and significance of Liverpool?
How has national and international migration affected the growth and character of Liverpool?
How has urban change created opportunities
and challenges? 
Why is urban regeneration needed? 
What are the features of urban sustainability? 
Hot Deserts
What are the main 
physical characteristics of a hot desert?
How are biotic and abiotic elements of the ecosystem linked?
How can development create opportunities and challenges.
Why are areas on the fringe of hot deserts are at risk of desertification.
What strategies can be used to reduce the risk of desertification?
Skills / application of knowledge
Use data to support answers.
Interpret images. 
Use source materials.
Interpret geographical models.
Interpret photos and maps.
Links to prior learning
Yr 9 Life in the UK- Urban challenges.
Yr 8 Desertification.
Yr 8 The Middle East
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
End of year exam.

Half Term 1
Knowledge
A Major UK City – Liverpool
What is the location and significance of Liverpool?
How has migration affected Liverpool?
How has urban change created opportunities
and challenges? 
Why is urban regeneration needed? 
What are the features of urban sustainability?
Skills / application of knowledge
Use data to support answers.
Interpret images. 
Use source materials.
Make inferences from images about quality of life. 
Links to prior learning
Yr 9 Life in the UK- Urban challenges.
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
Mock exam.
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Glacial Landscapes in the UK
What was the maximum extent of ice cover across the UK during the last ice age?
How do glacial processes create glacial landforms?
What are the economic opportunities in The Lake District? 
How can management strategies be used to reduce land-use conflicts?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret maps.
Identify landforms from photos.
Use map skills including grid references and scale.
Links to prior learning
Yr 9- glacial processes and landforms.
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
Mock exam.
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Resources
How important are food, water and energy to human development?
How is demand for resources (food, water and energy) changing in the UK? 
What challenges and opportunities do these changes create for the UK?
Energy
What are the issues surrounding energy supply? 
What strategies can be used to increase energy supply.
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret maps and graphs including choropleth maps, scatter graphs.
Use written source materials. 
Links to prior learning
Yr 8 resources
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
Mock exam.
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Tropical storms
How do tropical storms form?
What is their structure?
What are the effects of a tropical storm and the responses to them?
How will climate change affect tropical storms?
How can we reduce the effects of a tropical storm?
Skills / application of knowledge
Interpret satellite photos.
Interpret diagrams and models.
Links to prior learning
Yr 8 Tropical storms.
Assessment
Retrieval.
End of unit assessment. 
Mock exam.
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Pre-release booklet work
Skills / application of knowledge
Topic unknown until March 2025
Links to prior learning
Interpreting written resources, graphs, maps and data.
Decision-making.

Curriculum