Geography

Geography at William Ellis is taught by specialist teachers from Year 7 to A2 standard. Much of our teaching is influenced by our experiences of travelling and our personal interests. Our lessons benefit from interactive whiteboards and a range of teaching styles. Our Department was recently involved with a visit to our link school, Kunming in South West China, which has formed a topic in our Year 7 teaching.

We are particularly proud of our results:

GCSE Geography Results 2006

• A*-G - 79%
• A*-C - 79%
• A*-A - 32%

Geography awards are given at the end of each term and we like to emphasise positive re-enforcement in our teaching. Pupils in Year 7 enter a volcano model-making competition, and in Year 8, pupils have the opportunity to make a Maloca (a rainforest hut) while studying rainforests.

We offer a range of fieldwork opportunities. Year 7 students experience their local area, analysing local housing, shopping and field sketching. Year 8 pupils have the opportunity to visit a local river.

Year 11 coursework is held at The Mill, the school’s property in Surrey, and by year 12, AS Geography students conduct fieldwork in Barcelona and its surrounding rural and coastal areas.

The main aims of our Department are:

• To stimulate pupils' interest and curiosity about the world in which they live as part of a lifelong process.
  
  
• To develop pupils' awareness at local, national and global scales.
  
  
• To help pupils understand the interrelationships between people and their environments throughout the world.
  
  
• To enable pupils to examine geographical issues without bias towards gender or culture and to express informed opinions.
  
  
• To encourage direct concern for environmental quality and human well-being throughout the world.
  
  
• To help pupils understand and use maps and diagrams, analyse data, clarify information and summarise conclusions.
  
  
• To develop an understanding of the world of work through curriculum-related activities.