Geography

Staff

Head of Department Mr. A. Hamill

Teacher Mr. N. Ross

Teacher Mr. R. Uprichard

Curriculum

GCSE

CCEA GCSE Geography is all about connections. It’s about understanding the relationships that shape and influence our planet and our world. It’s about seeing how our actions, the choices we make about the things we consume and what we do with those, join with similar actions with billions of our fellow citizens to influence the world and what it is becoming.

Our natural world

In the first Geography paper, we will see those connections in the natural world. It’s about marvelling at the amazing spectacle of an erupting volcano - and understanding the incredible processes going on under the ground that produce such an impressive show. How the majestic mountains, thrust up by vast tectonic forces high into the sky, are shaped and carved by raging torrents of rivers flowing down their sides. How those same rivers that bring life-giving water to the plains, can also bring devastating floods which bring havoc and destruction to the people and places there - and it’s about understanding how we can take steps to try to tame these mighty forces for the good of people and the environment. It’s about understanding the connections between all these elements that allow us to manage our planet whilst at the same time protecting the valuable resources that it offers.

We study GCSE Paper 1 in Y11 and you will get a chance to sit that exam paper in that year, being able to complete it in the year in which you studied it, giving you the chance to reduce your workload during the Y12 exams.

The world we share

The second Geography paper looks at the connections between humans. We will understand better how come we live in a world that is so unequal, where your life chances are shaped as much by the lottery of the country you were born into as anything else. We’ll understand why this is - and the steps that can be taken to make this world a fairer, more equal and better place.

We’ll explore why it is that millions of people in our planet pay thousands of dollars each to put their lives in the hands of people traffickers as they migrate from war-torn countries into Europe for the chance of a better life for them and their families. We will travel with them as they face the most arduous of journeys - across the baking heat of the Sahara Desert, and rammed into over-crowded and unsafe boats as they are smuggled across the Mediterranean Sea.

And we will explore the biggest challenge facing us as a planet in the 21st century: climate change. We will travel the length and breadth of the world, seeing how global warming is already having an impact - and we will explore the things we can do to tackle this, to stand together as a planet and say this place we live in is too beautiful and rich and valuable, and the people who live in it are too precious and significant and important for us to stand by and do nothing.

We study GCSE Paper 2 in Y12 and you do the exam for it at the end of Y12. At this stage, you will also get a chance to resit Paper 1, just in case you would like to try for a better grade in it.

The world we investigate

How better to connect to our natural world than to get out into it! We do a rivers study for GCSE, travelling to the Colin River, Belfast with our wellies on to get into the river itself, following it downstream off the top of Divis Mountain into the Colin Glen. There is no substitute for seeing the subject come to life in the real world like this.

This is assessed not through Controlled Assessment but through GCSE Paper 3. We do our fieldwork in June of Y11, study the remainder of the Fieldwork Unit in September of Y12, and then do the exam in June of Y12.

The world in which you will work

Once you leave school, you will enter into the world we have been studying in Geography. The subject is incredibly useful for a wide range of interesting - and well paid - careers. Understanding the world, being able to handle data presented in maps, tables and graphs, seeing patterns and connections, evaluating the relative strengths of different outcomes - these are all useful employability skills, and skills we develop whilst studying Geography.

In addition, Lurgan College is one of the few schools in Northern Ireland currently making extensive use of Geography’s very own IT technology - GIS (Geographic Information Systems). We are a pilot school for testing its applicability in schools, and we are loving using it. It is a digital mapping system that allows us to create data rich maps using our own data and data produced by others. Our pupils are enjoying using it - and they are getting an invaluable and unique insight into the potential of this for their future careers. One former pupil who works in the field said, “I’m so happy to hear that Lurgan College is one of the first schools here to use GIS extensively. Excellent employability for your pupils.” We agree!

AS/A2

A Level Geography is all about connections. It’s about understanding the relationships that shape and influence our planet and our world. It’s about seeing how our actions, the choices we make about the things we consume and what we do with those, join with similar actions with billions of our fellow citizens to influence the world and what it is becoming.

Our natural world

Through the physical geography we study at AS and A2, we will see those connections in the natural world. It’s about marvelling at the amazing spectacle of an erupting volcano - and understanding the incredible processes going on under the ground that produce such an impressive show. How the majestic mountains, thrust up by vast tectonic forces high into the sky, are shaped and carved by raging torrents of rivers flowing down their sides. How those same rivers that bring life-giving water to the plains, can also bring devastating floods which bring havoc and destruction to the people and places there - and it’s about understanding how we can take steps to try to tame these mighty forces for the good of people and the environment. It’s about understanding the connections between all these elements that allow us to manage our planet whilst at the same time protecting the valuable resources that it offers.

During AS, we study the themes of Rivers, Ecosystems and the Atmosphere. At A2, it’s tectonics (including earthquakes and volcanoes) along with coasts and their management.

The world we share

Human geography looks at the connections between humans. We will understand better how come we live in a world that is so unequal, where your life chances are shaped as much by the lottery of the country you were born into as anything else. We’ll understand why this is - and the steps that can be taken to make this world a fairer, more equal and better place. We will explore the Sustainable Development Goals, travelling to countries all over the world to look at issues such as gender inequality and the dreadful effects of HIV/AIDS especially on some of the poorest fellow citizens. We will discover how gloriously diverse our planet is, the challenges we face to make it a fairer place, and how we might address those challenges.

As our population increases and we use more and more resources, we will explore how our planet will cope with this increasing pressures and demands. How population growth is providing challenges – but also how it is giving opportunities to countries such as India, with its youthful population and vast work force, as it becomes an increasing player in the global market.

During AS, we study the themes of Population, Settlement and Development. At A2, it’s Tourism and Ethnic Diversity.

The world we investigate

How better to connect to our natural world than to get out into it! At AS, we do an extensive field trip day to Belfast to cover many of the geographical skills you will need for your exam. Staring on the top of Divis Mountain, we do a rivers study on the Colin River and an ecology investigation. We then move down to the Crumlin Road where we do a questionnaire survey about the issue of gentrification. Finally, we finish off with a walking tour survey of the Knock River, looking at how sustainably it is managed. This is assessed through AS Paper 3.

The world in which you will work

Careers

Related Degrees and Qualifications:

BSc (Hons) Geography
MSc (Master of Science) Environmental Science
Level 3 Diploma in Geography
Geographical Association (GA) Awards and Certificates

Professions Associated with Geography:

According to the Royal Geographical Society, here are the top 10 jobs geography graduates ended up employed in:

Top 10 professional jobs held by first-degree human geography graduates

Environment professionals
Secondary education teaching professionals
Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants
Human resources and industrial relations officers
Management consultants and business analysts
Advertising and marketing associate professionals
Construction project managers and related professionals
Business and related research professionals
Chartered surveyors
Business associate professionals N.E.C.

Top 10 professional jobs held by first-degree physical geography graduates

Environment professionals
Secondary education teaching professionals
Business associate professionals n.e.c.
Human resources and industrial relations officers
Advertising and marketing associate professionals
Construction project managers and related professionals
Chartered surveyors
Management consultants and business analysts
Civil engineers
Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants

Employability Skills Gained from Geography:

Geographers develop relevant knowledge and skills over the course of their degree. As a result, they are valued highly by employers and go into a range of sectors and careers. Geography is an intellectually challenging subject. Graduates leave with:

A knowledge of a breadth of subject matter and the complex intersections of society and the environment.
The ability to make sense of the world using a diverse range of methods, including both qualitative and quantitative research techniques.
Experience of using these techniques to study real-world problems through projects, fieldwork and experiential learning.
The capability to synthesise ideas and information and to communicate these clearly.
The ability to use other techniques, such as laboratory study, spatial data analysis, modelling, geographic information science (GISci) and remote sensing.
A knowledge of, and skills in, the ethical, methodological and theoretical frameworks that inform their conduct.

A knowledge of global challenges

Geographers are well placed to help identify and address economic, environmental and social challenges at a range of scales. This includes issues such as climate change, migration, inequality, geopolitics, and natural disasters. The World Economic Forum global risks report 2023 outlines all these as major risks that could cause significant negative impact to the global economy, populations and natural resources. Geographers are uniquely well-placed to address these issues in professional roles.

Green skills

Geography degrees provide graduates with an acute awareness of the current drivers of economic change, such as climate change, net zero, the green economy and environmental management. The subject also prepares graduates for changing economic, technological, and cultural conditions of a green economy.

The growth of the ‘green economy’ is opening up new sectors and roles that demand green skills:

A 2022 report by Deloitte documented growing demand for these skills - green jobs increased by 8% between 2021-2022 whilst total UK employment increased by 0.5%.
The UK Government Green Jobs Taskforce report outlines the skills required to deliver UK net zero targets, including digital and data skills.

Geospatial skills

Geographers understand the importance of location data and how to unlock its value. They have skills in the collection, analysis and interpretation of geospatial data, with expertise in GIS and Earth Observation.

The Geospatial Commission estimated that location data has a potential economic benefit to the UK of up to £11 billion per year. The geospatial industry is growing rapidly and geography graduates who are able to illustrate understanding and practise of these technologies are increasingly sought after.

The Demand for Geospatial Skills report for the Geospatial Commission highlights a diverse range of geospatial skills wanted by employers including processing, management, analysis, and visualisation of geospatial data.

Transferable skills

Geography graduates are numerate, literate, good team workers, able to think analytically and critically, and are highly data literate: Prospects - Geography. These transferable skills can be applied across sectors and are valued by employers:

Forbes identify digital literacy, data literacy and critical thinking as the top three most in-demand skills for the next 10 years.
In 2020, as part of the Job Reset Summit, the World Economic Forum (WEF) highlighted that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025 due to the adoption of technology. The WEF identify analytical thinking and innovation, complex problem solving, critical thinking and analysis, and leadership and social influence in the top 10 skills for 2025.
Good communication, effective leadership and management, planning and research skills and teamwork and interpersonal skills were all identified by Prospects as skills wanted by employers in a 'What skills do employers want?' 2021 report.

Related Professional Associations:

Royal Geographical Society (RGS): Website Link (see page 1 for links)
Geographical Association
Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM): Website Link (see page 1 for links)

Industry Trends and Insights:

Labour Market Information highlights a demand for geographers and professionals with spatial analysis skills, driven by urbanisation, climate change, and environmental management. Key trends include digital mapping technologies, green infrastructure planning, and climate adaptation strategies.

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