Geography

Departmental Staff

M G Cline, BA (Southampton) Head of Geography
S Collins, BA (Durham) Head of Outdoor Training
Mrs G C Dexter, BA (Queen’s University, Belfast)
Miss V Godbold, BA (Hull) Assistant Head (Assessment)
M S Hadley, BSc (Edinburgh)
P C Klein, BSc (Cheltenham & Gloucester College)
Mrs V Ramsden, MSc (Nottingham) †

Geography at RGS

Geography is taught as a core subject from Year 7 to 9, and as an option for GCSE and A-level. Years 7, 8 and 9 cover a broad range of topics using a variety of texts and resources. There is a strong emphasis on skills and enquiry. We cover Edexcel’s IGCSE course for Years 10 and 11. Set sizes vary from 12 to 22 students. For AS and A2, we cover OCR Geography H083 and H483 with the subject divided into Human and Physical topics and taught by subject specialists.

All the geographers contribute equally to the teaching of investigative skills and in fieldwork opportunities, including residential trips for A-level. Recent visits have included Dorset and Belize. Recent day visits have included the Cuckmere Haven (Year 10), the Earth Science Galleries at the Natural History Museum (Year 9), and Whipsnade Safari Park (Year 8).

Results at both IGCSE and A-level are impressive and reflect the high calibre of our students. The department has also scored particularly well in terms of value added from GCSE to A-levels. A significant number of students continue to study Geography at university with courses including Geography and Planning, Geography and Oceanography, Geology, Geomatics, Environmental Science and Environmental Law.  

For a summary of the course please click here.

Examination Boards

GCSE: Edexcel IGCSE
A-level: OCR

Examination Results

Departmental activities 2010-11

Lectures at Royal Geographical Society and Charterhouse School
Sixth Form fieldtrip to Swanage including National Trust talk at Studland and powerboat trip around Swanage and Studland Bays
Visits to Whipsnade and Camber
Geography and Biology trip to Belize, Central America