Here at QM we believe that Geography can excite our curiosity and strengthen our understanding of many contemporary issues. Through the study of global challenges such as climate change, water conflicts, food security and biodiversity we can become more knowledgeable and this knowledge then empowers us to be able to think through problems and make decisions, maybe even find solutions.
Geography has always been a subject steeped in discovery and in the 21st Century we continue to encourage enquiry and exploration, not only out in the field, but also by embracing the digital revolution. Through the media and technology students are able to become active participants and investigators in their own learning.
Throughout years I-III we aim to offer a range of topics which are both stimulating and relevant to the girls’ experiences. Topic areas include settlement, agriculture, weather and climate, coasts, rivers, population, ecosystems, aid and development, hazards, tourism and global manufacturing.
We cover a range of scales from local examples such as York’s land use to global case studies such as Myanmar and cyclone Nargis. We recognise that girls often have a wealth of geographical experience through travel both overseas and at home and we encourage them to bring their wider knowledge into their classroom and share it with others, The dynamic nature of Geography means we approach some elements of the course with a degree of flexibility, always open to using new examples that appear in the news so we can be as up to date as possible.
At GCSE level since September 2009 we have been following the EDEXCEL specification A . This is an issues based syllabus which also looks ahead to changes that are likely to happen in the future. The content of the course encourages a variety of teaching styles and the contemporary nature of the subject is reflected in our choice of case study materials, from water conflicts in California to the ageing population and pension crisis in the UK to avalanche management in the Alps. Girls should develop not only a good knowledge of the world in which they live and the many challenges we face in the future, but also they should acquire a number of transferable learning skills.
Geography, post 16, is not only a firm basis for life long learning in its own right but it is also an excellent subject to bridge the Arts and Sciences (a number of universities accept a Geography A level as a science subject). We follow the Edexcel specification which aims to develop an understanding and knowledge of physical, human and environmental processes and how these change over time. Both at AS and A level students explore the meaning, causes and impacts of a number of headline global issues. Through the study of topics such as hazards, globalisation, migration, development and superpowers Geography helps girls to understand issues across the physical and human world, the importance of scale and connectedness and to appreciate variety and difference.