Geography

Departmental Overview

The Cranleigh Geography Department is located in a self-contained area of the Connaught Building at the centre of the School, where classrooms are fully equipped with a PC, data projector and a full range of other audio-visual equipment including DVD capability. In addition, there is a computer suite of 21 PCs within the department, an extensive map collection including UK Ordnance Survey software, a wide-ranging rock and mineral collection and a growing Departmental Library including magazines and periodicals as well as selected A Level book resources.

Academic Overview: Geography pursues an understanding of mankind’s place in the physical environment. It encourages an appreciation of the complex, dynamic world in which we live and as such the remit of the geographer is wide. As a subject it is demanding, intellectually stimulating and relevant.

All pupils study Geography in the IVth Form and approximately 70% carry on the subject to GCSE where the OCR ‘A’ syllabus is followed. The subject is a popular A Level choice with 30-40 pupils in each year of the VIth Form where they complete the OCR ‘A’ syllabus. Geology is also taught at AS Level, typically to sets of between 5 - 10 in their own dedicated area of the department. Many of our Geographers go on to read the subject at University (over a third in 2006).

Fieldwork is integral part of our studies (see Departmental Events & News, below).
Examination Results: Examination results in recent years have been very good with 85% or above of the pupils passing A Level at grades A or B for the past four years. Results are also strong at GCSE with 40% of pupils gaining an A* and 69% A* or A in 2007.

Click here to view latest exam results tables
Departmental Events and News: Day or residential trips are arranged for all but the IVth Form and all members of the department take a full part in the planning and running of fieldwork activities. In the Michaelmas term the Upper VIth spend three days at Slapton Sands in south Devon whilst the Lower VIth enjoy day visits to the Cuckmere river and Sussex coast as well as the 2012 Olympic site and Brick Lane in East London. In the Easter term the Lower VIth also undertake a three-day residential trip to Llanidloes, Powys.

Trips further afield occur regularly, with a Geology trip to the Isle of Arran occurring in summer 2007, and the department has also visited Iceland in the recent past. Once or twice a term VIth Form pupils attend lectures given by high profile Geographers (such as Professor Bill McGuire, author and Director of the UCL Hazard Research Centre), as well as attending lectures and events organised by the local Geographical Association in Guildford. Geographical film evenings are also organised: appropriate recent titles have been ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and ‘The Constant Gardner’.
Examples of Recent Work by Pupils: Most recent field trips have been to:

Cuckmere Haven and Seaford - Lower Sixth

Wales - Lower Sixth

West Wittering - Upper Fifth

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Geography

Departmental Overview