Curriculum 2000 - updates
Secondary Overview
Secondary Geography 2000 Update
Key Stage 3
There is no apparent change. You still have to make a study of TWO places but not from Lists A or B.
The TWO places must be in significantly different states of development.
You are now required to make studies of TEN themes (instead of nine).
However, there is no real change to the overall content. The nine themes become ten from the separation of the combined environment and resources theme (1995) to two separate themes ‘Environmental Issues’ and ‘Resource issues’ in Curriculum 2000.
There are a few subtle changes within the themes.
Tectonic processes – you will find reduced wording. What has gone before still stands.
There is a positive move in the study of ‘Geomorphological processes’ – it is more open ended and not specific to just rivers or coasts. These still apply but you could study glacial landscapes and karst scenery if you wish.
The studies of weather vs climate, ecosystems, population distribution and change, settlements, economic activity, development and environmental issues are almost identical wording.
Resource issues – the new topic – is less prescriptive than the comparable statement in the 1995 requirements. The 2000 statement refers to ‘… a resource’ rather than ‘reliable supply of freshwater…. or energy….’ in 1995.
This re-emphasises the way in which geography should be taught – an enquiry approach – with pupils setting/ asking their own questions to guide their learning; engaging in practical activity in the classroom and through fieldwork in the school grounds and beyond.
Very little change but with one important addition (sustainable development).
Level 3 – this is essentially the same set of expectations, just presented in more words and includes the requirement that pupils should ‘show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale’ and to ‘recognise how people seek to improve and sustain environments.
Level 4 – this is more or less the same words with the additional expectation that pupils can ‘explain their own views and the views that other people hold about an environmental change’.
Level 5 – again, more or less the same words with the additional expectation that pupils can ‘recognise how people try to manage environments sustainably’.
Level 6 – same words plus an exception that pupils will ‘appreciate the many links and relationships that make places dependent on each other’.
Level 7 – very similar wording with the additional expectation that pupils will ‘appreciate that considerations of sustainable development affect the planning and management of environments and resources.
This analysis of the levels further reinforces the importance of sustainable development issues within a range of topics across the key stage. Such issues can be naturally incorporated into population, settlement, economic activity, development, environment and resource topics.
All the additional guidance given in curriculum 2000 i.e. three principles of inclusion; the use of language and ICT across the curriculum is most welcome but does not go far enough. I will be working on guidance to support and take this further.
Changing plans for Secondary Geography
If you are happy with your current topics,
and what you have works,
do not change anything for the sake of it.
The remaining pages on this web site simply list the current (1995) statutory recommendations – on the right, with the new Geography 2000 curriculum listed on the right.
These statements are word for word from the respective documents so that you can immediately see where the changes have been made. This simply reinforces my interpretation of Curriculum 2000 outlined above.
You will have opened the files as a Word document. This means you can save the text to your MyWork folder and incorporate the information into any future changes you make to your Geography Policy, Guidelines and/ or Scheme of Work.
Further updates will follow and supersede this information as I hear or read more.