Geography
KEY STAGE 3 OVERVIEW
In Geography, we look to expose our learners to environments, cultures & ideas dissimilar to their own. We also seek to make learning relevant to our students’ lives. We want our learners to end up with enhanced reading and writing skills and those of problem-solving and synoptic thinking. The latter is needed in view of the many transformations our world will face in the coming years. Having a means to interpret events like climate change, Brexit and job market automation contributes to our learners’ economic and social well-being.
Sequence
At Harrow High School, Geography is taught in a way that balances physical and human geography while also making the important connections between them. The curriculum is carefully sequenced so that students steadily build their knowledge and skills across Years 7, 8, and 9.
Each year begins with two Big Issues in Geography, introducing students to pressing global challenges and encouraging them to think critically about the world around them. This is followed by the study of two contrasting biomes, where students explore different ecosystems and the interactions between people and the environment. From here, they progress to a series of continental and regional case studies, applying their understanding to real-world places and contexts.
Every year includes synoptic topics such as Tourism, Migration, and Geopolitics, which bring together physical and human geography. These units allow students to connect ideas across the curriculum, consider contemporary issues, and develop a broader appreciation of how geography helps us understand global change.
Students are consistently exposed to GCSE-standard material (including Decision Making Exercises from past GCSE papers), helping them to prepare thoroughly if they wish to take Geography as a GCSE subject.
This structured sequence ensures that students not only gain secure geographical knowledge but also develop the ability to think synoptically, linking concepts across topics to see the bigger picture.
ourney & Sequencing Rationale
Encouraging student curiosity & wonder and promoting the value of Geography are at the heart of our KS3 Geography Curriculum.
The Year 8 Geography curriculum is designed to deepen students’ understanding of both physical and human geography, while continuing to embed the disciplinary key concepts of place, space, environment, scale, interdependence, sustainability, change, and cultural awareness.
The sequence moves through thematic global challenges (urbanisation, conservation, plastic pollution), regional studies (Europe, Africa, Asia), and geopolitical processes, ensuring students develop a strong awareness of how geographical concepts apply across different scales and contexts.
The increased complexity in content, alongside regular review of concepts introduced in Year 7, promotes secure knowledge and clear learner progress as ideas are revisited, extended, and applied to new contexts.
The sequence has been carefully designed to:
Move from global → regional → thematic studies
Students begin with broad global themes such as urbanisation and sustainability before progressing into regional studies of Europe, Africa, and Asia. They then engage with complex global processes in geopolitics and trade. This sequencing reinforces scale and interdependence, while building on the global–national–local structure introduced in Year 7.
Interleave physical and human geography
By alternating between environmental topics (biomes, climate, ecosystems, plastic pollution) and human themes (urbanisation, economies, geopolitics), students recognise the interconnections between natural systems and socio-economic development. This continues the integrated approach established in Year 7, but at a greater depth and complexity.
Embed key concepts throughout
Each unit explicitly develops 2–3 disciplinary concepts, with progression from Year 7 in both breadth and depth:
● Place & Space → Regional studies of Europe, Africa, Asia (building on UK and North America in Year 7)
● Environment & Sustainability → Biomes, Plastic Pollution, Conservation (developing earlier work on oceans, polar regions, and hazards)
● Scale & Interdependence → Global trade, geopolitics, resource management (expanding Year 7’s focus on development and tourism)
● Change & Cultural Awareness → Urbanisation, African and Asian diversity, geopolitical shifts (progressing from Brexit, London, and Harrow development in Year 7)
Develop enquiry and critical thinking
Each unit is enquiry-led, framed around big questions such as “What are the pros and cons of urbanisation?” or “How does climate change affect geopolitics?” Assessments require explanation, analysis, and evaluation, ensuring students not only revisit Year 7 skills but apply them to increasingly complex issues, supporting readiness for KS4.
Connect personal to global
While much of the curriculum focuses on global and regional scales, students are encouraged to connect these issues back to their own lives (e.g., the impact of plastic consumption, urbanisation trends, or global trade networks). This ensures geography remains relevant, tangible, and empowering.
Learning Journey (KS3 Geography)
Links to YEAR 8 Geography Booklets
Year 8 Unit 1a Cities in the 21st Century I
Year 8 Unit 1b Cities in the 21st Century II
Year 8 Unit 2a Global Ecosystems I
Year 8 Unit 2b Global Ecosystems II
Year 8 Unit 3a The Geography of Conflict
Unit overview - autumn term
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Topics: Big Issues in Geography (2), Biomes (2) and The Geography of Europe |
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Skills |
Year 8 Term 1 topics build on Year 7 foundations and further develop key geographical skills. Students strengthen their enquiry skills by asking big, evaluative questions such as “What are the pros and cons of urbanisation?” and “Should we prioritise conservation or sustainability?”. They practise data analysis, interpreting graphs, maps, and statistics on urban growth, economic development, climate, and population change. Comparative skills are central, with regional contrasts (e.g., Nordics vs. Eastern Europe) requiring students to identify similarities, differences, and reasons for variation. Critical thinking and evaluation are developed through debates on conservation vs. sustainability and the impacts of urbanisation, while extended writing skills are reinforced by case study responses and structured arguments. Map and atlas work, alongside climate and biome analysis, continues to build cartographic and spatial awareness. |
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Knowledge |
Throughout these units, learners will gain knowledge on: The Term 1 programme introduces a broad but interconnected set of knowledge: ● Urbanisation & Overpopulation: definitions, causes, and impacts of rapid urban growth, including both opportunities (economic growth, services, innovation) and challenges (housing shortages, inequality, pollution). ● Conservation vs. Sustainability: conceptual knowledge of both approaches, their benefits and drawbacks, and how they are applied to real-world contexts. ● Biomes – Tropical Rainforests & Savannah: climate characteristics, biodiversity, and plant/animal adaptations to each environment, with links to global ecological importance and threats. ● Introducing Europe: an overview of Europe as a region, exploring its global importance, physical geography (mountains, rivers, climate zones), and diversity in culture, language, and ethnicity. ● Economic variation: developed vs. less developed economies within Europe, with specific focus on contrasting case studies of the Nordics (high-income, sustainable, innovative) and Eastern Europe (transitional economies, cultural distinctiveness, development challenges). |
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Rationale |
The Year 8 Term 1 curriculum is sequenced to build directly on Year 7 learning while increasing complexity and preparing for GCSE-style themes. Students begin with urbanisation and overpopulation, extending Year 7’s work on inequality and tourism into deeper socio-economic analysis. The conservation vs. sustainability debate then develops evaluative skills and prepares students for later GCSE topics such as ecosystems, resource management, and climate change. The study of tropical rainforests and savannahs reinforces biome knowledge introduced in Year 7 (polar and ocean environments), while setting up direct links to GCSE Paper 1 ecosystems. The Europe regional study mirrors the structure of Year 7’s UK and North America units, reinforcing the concept of scale while adding complexity through physical, climatic, cultural, and economic comparisons. The Nordics and Eastern Europe case studies give students comparative insight into how historical, cultural, and economic factors shape regions differently — a skill that directly prepares them for GCSE regional and case study requirements. |
Unit overview - spring term
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Topics: Plastic Pollution and The Geography of Africa |
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Skills |
Term 2 topics provide opportunities to extend enquiry and critical thinking skills into contemporary and regional contexts. In Plastic Pollution, students practise problem-solving and evaluation, weighing up the effectiveness of different solutions and recognising trade-offs between environmental, social, and economic needs. They interpret statistics, maps, and case study examples showing the scale of plastic pollution, strengthening their ability to link evidence to arguments. In Africa, students develop regional comparison and synthesis skills, interpreting maps of climate zones, landforms, and economic data. They practise identifying patterns and anomalies, comparing physical and human geography across the continent, and evaluating how climate, resources, and history influence development. Case studies of South Africa and the Sahel further strengthen skills in applying specific examples to wider themes, preparing students for GCSE-style case study responses. |
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Knowledge |
Throughout these units, learners will gain knowledge on: Term 2 builds secure knowledge of both a global environmental challenge and a key world region: Plastic Pollution: ● The global problem and its scale, including sources of plastic waste and hotspots of accumulation (e.g., oceans, rivers). ● Impacts on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. ● Social and economic impacts, including waste management inequalities. ● Solutions such as recycling, bans, biodegradable alternatives, and international agreements — with evaluation of pros and cons. Africa: ● Location, scale, and global importance of Africa as a region. ● Physical geography: major landscapes (Sahara, Sahel, Congo Basin, Rift Valley), rivers, and climate zones. ● Climate: variations across equatorial, desert, and savannah regions, and their impacts on people and economies. ● Diversity: cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and environmental richness. ● Economies: contrast between developed and less developed economies, resource distribution, and global trade links. ● Case Study: South Africa → importance as an emerging economy, regional leadership, and challenges of inequality. ● Case Study: The Sahel → a transitional climate zone facing environmental pressures, poverty, and conflict. ● Disciplinary concepts are embedded: environment and sustainability (plastic pollution, Sahel), place and space (Africa’s diversity), scale and interdependence (global waste flows, Africa’s global importance), and change and cultural awareness (South Africa’s history, Sahel’s vulnerability). |
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Rationale |
The Year 8 Term 2 sequence is designed to extend Year 7 learning into more complex global challenges and regions, while directly preparing for GCSE themes. Plastic Pollution develops sustainability concepts introduced in Year 7 (biomes, oceans, tourism) by applying them to a major 21st-century environmental issue. Students move from understanding a problem to evaluating solutions, practising the analytical and evaluative thinking central to GCSE extended questions and KS5 essay-style responses. The study of Africa builds on Year 7’s regional studies (UK and North America) and Year 8 Term 1’s Europe, ensuring students gain a balanced global perspective across continents. By exploring Africa’s physical geography, climate, diversity, and economies, students confront issues of development, inequality, and sustainability that are revisited in GCSE topics such as The Changing Economic World and Resource Management. The case studies of South Africa and the Sahel deepen understanding of contrasts within the continent and provide exemplars for exam-style case study practice. |
Unit overview - summer
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Topics: Geopolitics & The Geography of Asia |
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Skills |
Term 3 strengthens higher-order geographical and analytical skills. In Geopolitics, students develop critical thinking and evaluation, tackling abstract and complex questions about power, borders, and conflict. They practise decision-making and argument construction, weighing evidence about institutions, alliances, and resource disputes. The use of contemporary case studies (e.g., the Arctic, trade disputes, climate change impacts) enhances skills in applying geography to real-world global challenges. In Asia, students refine regional study skills by analysing maps, physical and climatic data, and socio-economic indicators across the world’s largest continent. They practise comparative analysis, contrasting economies and political systems in North vs. South Korea and Japan. Students also build synthesis skills, connecting physical, cultural, and economic geography to explain Asia’s global importance. These skills mirror GCSE-style case study analysis and extended evaluative writing |
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Knowledge |
Throughout these units, learners will gain knowledge on: Students acquire a wide-ranging body of interconnected knowledge: Geopolitics: ● What geopolitics is and why geography and politics are interlinked. ● Borders and boundaries, and the causes and consequences of disputes. ● The role of natural resources in global power and inequality. ● The influence of global institutions (UN, NATO, WTO). ● Geopolitical hotspots (e.g., the Arctic) and the causes of conflict vs. peaceful resolution. ● Global trade and technology as drivers of cooperation and tension. ● Alliances and shifting power balances. ● Climate change as a geopolitical challenge. ● Future scenarios in global politics and geography. Asia: ● Location, scale, and global significance of Asia. ● Physical geography: key landscapes (Himalayas, rivers, deserts). ● Climate: monsoon systems, arid zones, and varied impacts on people and economies. ● Diversity: cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and religious variation. ● Economies: contrasts between developed, emerging, and less developed countries. Case Studies: ● North & South Korea → political division, contrasting economies, and global tensions. ● Japan → developed economy, resilience, innovation, and environmental challenges. Disciplinary concepts are central: place (regional and national identities), scale (local → global geopolitics), interdependence (trade, alliances), environment and sustainability (climate change impacts), and change and cultural awareness (diversity in Asia, shifting global power). |
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Rationale |
The Term 3 curriculum is deliberately ambitious, introducing students to geopolitics as a thematic bridge between geography and international relations. By addressing borders, resources, trade, and institutions, students encounter many of the issues they will revisit in GCSE themes such as The Changing Economic World and Resource Management, as well as in A Level Geography (global governance, superpowers, conflict). The focus on evaluation of causes, impacts, and solutions develops the higher-level analytical skills required for extended exam questions. The regional study of Asia ensures global balance across KS3, following Year 7’s focus on the UK and North America and Year 8’s studies of Europe and Africa. Asia’s size, diversity, and global importance allow students to apply key concepts of scale, interdependence, and cultural awareness. The Korea and Japan case studies provide depth and contrast, giving learners real-world examples of development, conflict, resilience, and innovation that connect directly to GCSE and KS5 themes. |
Knowledge organisers
A knowledge organiser is an important document that lists the important facts that learners should know by the end of a unit of work. It is important that learners can recall these facts easily, so that when they are answering challenging questions in their assessments and GCSE and A-Level exams, they are not wasting precious time in exams focusing on remembering simple facts, but making complex arguments and calculations.
We encourage all pupils to use them by doing the following:
- Quiz themselves at home, using the read, write, cover, check method.
- Practise spelling key vocabulary
- Further researching people, events and processes are most relevant to the unit.