Year 7
Settlement
In this topic we look at the site factors or reasons why certain towns and cities developed where they currently are. We look at the reasons for migration to and from certain areas. These are our push and pull factors. We then look at the growth and decline of settlements. Then we teach students how to identify town models like the Hoyt and Burgess models.
Map skills
In this topic we learn about key map skills students can use in their everyday lives. These include compass directions and how to use a compass. We use Geographical Information Systems on Digimaps to manipulate digital maps and we also use Ordnance Survey maps to teach students how to locate 4 and 6 grid references. Later in the topic we use keys and map symbols, show how to identify what the relief in an area is like and other key map skills students will use at the Welsh Farm, in their Duke of Edinburgh Award and in their life beyond school.
Extreme Environments
This topic explores the human and physical features of desert climates. We investigate both hot and cold deserts. To do this we focus on the flora and fauna in these biomes and their adaptations. We look at the geographical features of these climates as well as the ways in which global warming is impacting the food chains and webs in these areas.
China
In this topic we look at the human and physical features of China. We learn about population, urban growth, trade deforestation and the different geographical features of the landscape, among other topics like China's attempts to control their demography. These help us to explain China’s current position on the world stage.
Year 8
Moving Stories - migration, emigration and immigration.
Migration is a major public issue in the UK and the UK remains, as it has been for centuries, an attractive island for relocation. However people from the UK have also emigrated and there are English-speaking communities the world over. In this unit we explore the geographical push and pull factors behind this important topic. The movement of people is a foundational topic for human geographers and in this topic students also gain a grounding in concepts and analysis they will develop at GCSE, such as the ‘demographic transition model’.
Into Africa
We teach about Africa as a continent due to the importance of it for nations worldwide. For example, we look at the resources it supplies other countries with like copper, iron ore and gold. We look at the misconceptions people have about the continent and address them as best we can to make sure students have an accurate perception of Africa.
Changing my World
We do this topic in Year 8 as students need to be aware from a young age about the causes and impacts climate change has on the UK and the world as a whole. Students also need to be made aware of the possible responses and the differences between mitigation and adaptation.
Russia and Development
We teach about what development is, how it is measured and why differences in development exist. Students will investigate different approaches to development, considering the positives and negatives. Students will explore the process of globalisation and evaluate the impacts this has had. We teach this topic as it is a significant global challenge, which all governments are trying to address. It will provide the students with the knowledge required to engage with the issue in the future.
Coasts
Coastal erosion is a major challenge facing parts of the UK and, even though Abingdon is far from the sea, it is important that students understand about the processes that affect our coastlines. We look at how we can protect the coastlines and whether or not we should be doing this. We like to promote oracy skills so we get students to debate for or against soft/hard engineering defence strategies.
What’s the use?
As energy becomes a global challenge it is vital that students know about the reasons why energy costs are rising and the alternatives to the fossil fuels that dominated energy production in the 19th and 20th centuries. In this unit we explore a wide range of energy types and consider the challenges and advantages of moving away from dependence on fossil fuels. We offer students the opportunity to investigate the different renewable and non-renewable energy types. We look at how realistic a life without fossil fuels is and the cost to governments worldwide in doing so.
Year 9
Tectonic Hazards
With their potential to wreak wide-scale devastation, tectonic hazards rightly feature heavily in the news and in students’ awareness of the study of geography. With the use of innovative mapping, monitoring and filming resources this topic brings to life a wide range of phenomena that, thankfully, most people never get to see up close. In these units students develop an understanding of the geographical and geological processes that lead to natural disasters, as well as the human impacts and responses to tectonic hazards.
Geographical Skills
Geographical skills are the fundamental building blocks of success in geography. Whether map reading, geolocation or understanding charts and data, in this unit we revisit the material covered at the start of key stage 3 and develop students' skills to the next level, ensuring they have what it needs to succeed as a geographer, in the Duke of Edinburgh award and in the world beyond school.
The Living World
We teach the living world in year 9 as students need to know about the various ecosystems and biomes worldwide and how we impact upon them. We focus on the Sahara desert, so that by the end of key stage three students have studied both a cold desert (Antarctica, year 7) and a cold one, ensuring they build an understanding of how life survives and thrives in two of the world’s most extreme environments.
Rivers and Flooding
Anyone who lives near Abingdon understands the risks and impact of rivers flooding; and this is a global, not just a local phenomenon. In this topic we explore hydro-meteorological hazards and flooding and build an understanding of why these are so common in Oxfordshire, as well as exploring how humans respond to, and also contribute to the risks posed by flooding.
World Geography and Surveying Project
One important career pursued by many geographers is in the field of surveying. In this innovative unit we have worked with the Chartered Surveying Training Trust (CSTT) to give students an insight into how their geographical skills can be applied to this field. As well as developing practical skills and engagement with the subject, John Mason School students are 3 times national winners of the CSTT Schools Competition!
