Geography

Miss L.Murray (Head of Department)
Mrs N.McNally (Miss E.Hawkes)

Geography is the subject which holds the key to your child’s future!
Geographers, with their skills of analysis are highly employable lifelong learners and global citizens ready to embrace the evolving world of work.

In the words of Michael Palin “Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future.”

Our aims are:

• To ensure that students enjoy Geography in St. Patrick’s College
• To encourage achievement and increase confidence in all students
• To develop students knowledge and understanding of the world
• To advance students appreciation of the variety of physical and human conditions of the earth’s surface and recognise the interaction between them
• To equip students with a wide range of transferrable skills such as map reading, data collection, ICT, problem solving and working with others
• To help students gain an understanding and appreciation of the cultures and backgrounds of people from all over the world
• To stimulate student interest, curiosity and engagement with the world
• To enable students to critically assess the merits of different approaches to reduce global poverty and inequality
• To encourage students to become informed, responsible and active citizens who take action for a fair and sustainable world

GCSE Geography 
Exam Board:  CCEA

Unit 1: Understanding Our Natural World (40% of GCSE)

Theme A: River Environments (25%)
Theme B: Coastal Environments (25%)
Theme C: Our Changing Weather and Climate (25%)
Theme D: The Restless Earth (25%)

External written examination: 1 hour 30 mins

Unit 2: Living in Our World (40% of GCSE)

Theme A: Population and Migration (25%)
Theme B: Changing Urban Areas (25%)
Theme C: Contrasts in World Development (25%)
Theme D: Managing Our Environment (25%)

External written examination: 1 hour 30 mins

Unit 3: Fieldwork (20% of GCSE)

Students apply specific Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills based on their experience of a River Investigation

External written examination: 1 hour

KS3 Geography
Topics Studied:

Year 8– Map Skills, Types of Geography and Describing Places, Weather and Climate, Shopping, Traffic and Transport.

Year 9– Population and Migration, Rivers and Flooding, Ecosystems, Geology and Plastic Pollution 

Year 10– Fairtrade and Development, Active Earth, Biodiversity, Managing Resources and Tourism.