Oundle School
Geography
Head of Department: Mr J Hammond Chambers
The Department of Geography is housed on the 1st Floor of the Cloisters, above New Street. There are 4 main teaching rooms, one room dedicated to A level teaching and also an office with storage annex. In the same corridor is an ICT suite which the Department shares with other Cloisters-based academic departments.
Geography is part of the core curriculum from 1st to 3rd form. About 100 pupils opt for the subject at GCSE each year and 30 at AS, almost all of whom continue at A2. Several pupils go on to study Geography at leading universities each year. The Geography Society meets about 5 evenings each year to listen to researchers and lecturers from university departments, as well as explorers.
Geography is a spatial and temporal study of patterns, trends and issues. At its core is an understanding and knowledge of place – physical features, climates, vegetations, soils, populations and settlements. It is both a science and social science which focuses upon the relationship between Man and the Environment. Through this it contributes widely to educating pupils in concepts of sustainability, citizenship and global interdependence. Skills are also important in the context of project and research design and planning, data collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation of results, discussion of conclusions and limitations.
Fieldwork is seen as fundamental to the subject, based around the following curriculum fieldtrips:
1st form: local microclimate study
2nd form: local rivers study
3rd form: Peak District visit (geology and landscape study)
4th form: Yorkshire / Norfolk visit (coasts)
5th form: local urban study (for coursework)
L6th form: Residential fieldtrip (for coursework)
The department is staffed by:
Miss L Barnwell BSc
Mrs J.H. Briggs BSc
Mr J.R. Hammond-Chambers BA
Mr G Phillips BA
Mr C.W. Symes BSc
Mr J.M. Taylor BA MA
Mrs. M.S. Turner BA MBA
Mr J.R. Wake CertEd
Course content
GCSE
We study the OCR Specification A.
AS and A2
At A level the department follows the OCR specification. For further details of course content, and pattern of assessment, follow this link.
AEA
The Advanced Extension Award is offered as an option in the A2 year.