“Without geography you're nowhere.” - Jimmy Buffett
The Geography department is a dynamic and evolving department, changing to meet the needs and interests of our Ashfield students.
Our aim is to educate our students to be open minded, considerate and self-aware individuals. We encourage the sharing of opinions and open discussions to allow all students to feel valued.
Geography is taught to all year 8 – 10 students. Geography at KS3 is about the world we live in and helping the students to develop essential and transferable skills to allow them to be active and considerate participants in their community and wider world. We want all of our KS3 pupils to know and be proud of who they are and where they are from.
We teach a range of physical and human geography throughout these three years to allow the students to experience a range of topics.
Topics covered in KS3:
Year 8
• What is Geography?
• Continents and Oceans
• Northern Ireland Physical and Human Geography
• Map Skills
• Settlement
• Field Trip in the local area
Year 9
• Population
• Migration
• Rivers
• Coast and Management
• Field Trip in local area
Year 10
• Weather and Climate
• Hazards
• Volcanoes and Earthquakes
• Development
• Field Trip in the local area
GCSE Geography
Unit 1: Understanding Our Natural World
Unit 2: Living in Our World
Unit 3: Fieldwork
BTEC LEVEL 2 Travel and Tourism
• The UK Travel and Tourism Sector (Exam)
• UK Travel and Tourism Destinations (Internal)
• The Travel and Tourism Customer Experience (Internal)
• International Travel and Tourism Destinations (Internal)
BTEC LEVEL 3 Travel and Tourism (2019 spec)
• Unit 1: The World of Travel and Tourism (Exam)
• Unit 2: Global Destinations (Exam)
• Unit 3: Principals of Marketing in Travel and Tourism
• Unit 9: Visitor Attractions
A LEVEL Geography
• AS 1: Physical Geography
• AS 2: Human Geography
• AS 3: Fieldwork Skills and Techniques in Geography
• A2 1: Physical Processes, Landforms and Management
• A2 2: Processes and Issues in Human Geography
• A2 3: Decision Making in Geography
In KS3 each year group completes a field trip in the school grounds or in the local area.
In KS4 there is a trip to Magilligan Field Centre, Limavady. This is to complete a river study.
BTEC Travel and Tourism Level 2: Several visits to local businesses over the two-year course.
KS5: A Level Geography: Trips to Magilligan and Newcastle, County Down to complete a sand dune study.
BTEC Travel and Tourism Level 3: Trip to a local travel agent, Titanic Museum, Visit Belfast, a local hotel and several other local visits, as well as visits from local businesses.
*For key stage 5 either BTEC Level 3 Travel and Tourism or A Level Geography will be offered depending on which subject is in greater demand.
