Geographical Association

Geography is compulsory in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 and optional in Key Stages 4 and 5.

• Foundation (3-5) ends with a report about seven areas of learning
  
• Key Stage 1 (5-7) ends with a statement of progress
  
• Key Stage 2 (8-11) ends with a statement of progress
  
• Key Stage 3 (11-13) ends with a National Curriculum level
  
• Key Stage 4 (14-16) ends with GCSE exams
  
• Key Stage 5 (17-18) ends with AS and A2 exams

From Key Stages 1 to 3 students must follow a National Curriculum in Geography. Most Key Stage 1 and 2 schools deliver little or no specific geography content and skills. It is often taught through general topic headings that will include aspects of a number of subjects like maths, English, geography, history, art etc.

Some schools may have an intensive period of time on, say geography, for up to half a term and then it is not revisited for several months.

The DCSF Standards Site gives an example of a scheme of work combining geography and history.

Geography at Key Stage 3 is generally learned through a structured weekly timetable. Here geography will normally have one or two timetable periods a week. A new Geography National Curriculum has been taught from September 2008. This has less content than the previous curriculum and so allows teachers more flexibility to choose what to teach under the seven concept headings:

• Place
  
• Space
  
• Scale
  
• Interdependence
  
• Physical and human processes
  
• Environmental interaction and sustainable development
  
• Cultural understanding and diversity

More information is available from the QCA website where you can find out more about the concepts and download the full Programme of Study.

Support for the implementation of the new KS3 curriculum has been provided by the GA in conjunction with CfBT - find out more. The GA also published a book, Planning Your KS3 Geography Curriculum, to help you prepare your KS3 curriculum.