The Geography Department at Runnymede has the following aims at GCSE:

1. To stimulate pupils' interest in their surroundings and in the variety of physical and human conditions on the earth's surface.
2. To give pupils a broad based knowledge of the physical and human landscapes and the processes which contribute to them, at a variety of scales, from local to global.
3. To help pupils to understand the complex inter-relationships between people and their physical, socio-economic, cultural and political environments.
4. To contribute to the pupils' development in such cross-curricular areas as literacy, numeracy, graphicacy and information technology.
5. To enable pupils to play a thoughtful and responsible role in the future of society based on their understanding of their planet and of the part of humans in responding to it, shaping it and acting as its custodians.
6. To promote the formation of pupils' own values and attitudes and ability to empathise with other points of view. To give pupils a broad based knowledge of the physical and human landscapes and the processes which contribute to them, at a variety of scales, from local to global.

GCSE Objectives:

• The syllabus aims to build on from Key Stage 3 and to lay a foundation for advanced study by raising a series of issues and promoting awareness and understanding of these issues as they involve people and places.
• To stimulate pupils' interest in Geography, to develop a sense of place and an appreciation of the environment, and to help them to act in an informed and responsible way.
• To acquire knowledge and understanding of a range of places, environments and geographical patterns at a range of scales from local to global and acquire an understanding of the physical and human processes, including decision making, which affect their development.
• To understand the significance and effects of decision making about places and environments.
• To develop awareness of the ways in which people and environments interact and appreciate the opportunities, challenges and constraints that face people in different places.
• To appreciate that the study of geography is dynamic, not only because geographical features, patterns and issues change but also because new ideas and methods lead to new interpretations.
• To acquire and apply the skills and techniques, including those of map-work, fieldwork and Information Technology (IT), needed to conduct geographical enquiry.

Subject Specific Skills:

As a result of studying the content, candidates should acquire and develop a range of subject specific as well as general skills:

1. Skill in selecting and extracting relevant data from sources such as:
   • books, journals, reports, the media, maps at a range of scales, statistics, censuses, graphs, photographs, satellite images, people, information stored in an IT format.
2. Skill in collecting data in the field using techniques including:
   • field sketching, land use mapping, questionnaires, interviews, environmental assessments;
   • the use of simple instruments and equipment for measuring and recording such as soil testing kits, clinometers, measuring tapes, compasses, an automatic weather station, cameras, tape recorders.
3. Skill in interpreting data by:
   • identifying patterns, trends and relationships in data such as:
     • OS maps at a variety of scales;
     • atlas maps, route maps and plans, thematic maps (for instance maps showing weather, geology, land use, population and economic data);
     • ground and air photographs and satellite images;
     • graphs (including bar, line, scatter and triangular graphs) and other ways of representing statistical data such as histograms, pie charts and star charts;
   • identifying bias, meaning and purpose in media sources, promotional material, cartoons.
4. Skill in using evidence, analysing and synthesising data, to reach conclusions and to evaluate critically their own findings and those of others.
5. Skill in communicating the outcomes of their work in geography by:
   • representing data in a variety of map and graphic forms;
   • drawing sketch maps and field sketches;
   • using geographical vocabulary;
   • writing reports and discussing their findings with others.
6. Skill in planning their own geographical investigations by drawing upon the skills listed above and by identifying appropriate questions and strategies.