Geography
Geography at Trinity
At Trinity, all students will develop a curiosity about the world around them and a secure understanding of the location and significance of places at local, national and global scales. Through an ambitious and inclusive curriculum, students will gain knowledge of both human and physical systems, their interconnectedness, and the opportunities and challenges faced by communities across the world. They will explore issues such as sustainability, inequality, risk and resilience, developing an informed and hopeful understanding of how people can contribute to a more sustainable future.
Students will develop the geographical knowledge, understanding and skills needed to interpret the world around them. They will learn to collect, analyse and evaluate data; create and interpret a range of geographical sources including maps, diagrams, graphs and communicate their ideas effectively through extended writing, mathematical reasoning and graphical representation. Through these experiences, students will understand how geographical processes shape places and environments, how these are interconnected across different scales, and how they change over time.
Our curriculum reflects the principles of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework. We are committed to providing an ambitious, knowledge-rich curriculum that is accessible to all learners. Through adaptive teaching, high expectations and the removal of barriers to learning, we ensure that all students can access the same curriculum, achieve well and develop a strong sense of belonging as geographers.
Key Stage 3
By the end of Year 9, all students will have accessed a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. Students will develop a secure understanding of key geographical concepts and begin to apply this knowledge critically. Through the study of topics such as weather and climate, natural hazards, development, urbanisation, rocks, rivers and coasts, students will strengthen their geographical enquiry skills and develop the literacy, numeracy and analytical skills needed for further study. The curriculum is designed to ensure that every student, regardless of starting point, can achieve success and develop confidence as a geographer.
The Key Stage 3 curriculum is carefully sequenced to build the knowledge required for success at GCSE and A-Level Geography. Students develop a secure understanding of core geographical concepts, processes and patterns, alongside the vocabulary and enquiry skills needed to think critically about the world around them. Through regular opportunities to interpret data, evaluate evidence, communicate arguments and apply knowledge to unfamiliar contexts, students develop the confidence and resilience needed for further study. This strong foundation ensures that all learners are well prepared to engage with the content and demands of Key Stage 4 and beyond.
Key Stage 4
By the end of Year 11, students will have developed and extended their understanding of locations, places, environments and geographical processes at a range of scales from local to global. They will gain a deeper understanding of social, economic, political and cultural contexts and the interactions between people and environments. Students will investigate how places change over time, evaluate the causes and impacts of geographical issues. They will become increasingly skilled at applying their knowledge to unfamiliar situations and making informed judgements based on evidence.
Students will further develop their geographical enquiry, analytical and evaluative skills through the study of contemporary issues and real-world case studies. Students will participate in two days of fieldwork, completing both human and physical geographical investigations. These experiences allow students to undertake the full geographical enquiry process, from formulating questions and collecting data to analysing, evaluating and drawing conclusions from their findings. By applying their learning beyond the classroom, students develop as independent geographers, strengthening their understanding of geographical concepts, places and processes through first-hand experience. The curriculum supports students in becoming independent thinkers who can critically engage with evidence and communicate reasoned arguments. These skills provide strong preparation for A-Level study and support future pathways in a wide range of professions.
Sixth Form
A-Level Geography is a popular and successful subject at Trinity. Geography provides students with the opportunity to engage critically with some of the most significant issues facing society today. Through a rigorous and intellectually challenging curriculum, students develop their investigative, analytical and evaluative skills while exploring contemporary geographical themes. Students undertake independent fieldwork and complete a personal investigation, fostering curiosity, resilience and independence as learners.
Whilst building upon knowledge gained at Key Stages 3 and 4, students are challenged to explore geographical concepts and debates in greater depth and complexity. They develop advanced research, analysis and communication skills and learn to evaluate a range of perspectives on geographical issues. The course prepares students with the knowledge, skills and cultural understanding valued by higher education institutions and employers, preparing them to participate confidently in an increasingly interconnected world.
SEND and Geography at Trinity
At Trinity It is an expectation that all lessons and wider resourcing has effective provision for students with SEND so that they are able to make equal progress to their peers. SEND data is analysed and used to inform planning and interventions where necessary.
In geography all teachers consider the needs of SEND students in three ways.
Firstly, teachers consider a ‘seating check’ In geography. This allows teachers to seat students within the classroom according to their SEND need. This means they are able to be best supported by their classroom teacher.
Secondly, all resources are checked to ensure they are SEND friendly. In geography this means that all resources are checked to ensure they are readable, and we use diagrams and images to represent the information that we are delivering. Handouts are available in lesson to reduce cognitive load in lessons, allowing students to focus on the content of the task.
Finally, the way Geography is implemented is at Trinity ensures all SEND students can make progress. This means that all students have the same learning destination, but they may take a different route via support available. For example, some students will be offered additional scaffolding such as success criteria, sentence starters or writing frames in longer written work. In geography new information is broken down into chunks of information, to support students in understanding the content before applying the information to composite tasks.
