Geography at King Richard III college enables pupils to understand their world. It also provides them with an excellent subject to support their application for top universities around the world. It is of value in both sciences and arts courses at higher education level.
Pupils at this international school in Mallorca follow the Oxford course for Key Stage 3 and the University of Cambridge International courses to IGCSE and A/AS Levels.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3 students learn about different natural and human environments and the interaction between physical and human processes. Some of the topics studied are population, migration, coastal environments, weather and climate, tourism and economic development. In addition, pupils learn geographical skills such as analysis of photographs, written material, interpretation of graphs, diagrams and topographical maps.
Students will be encouraged to analyze, debate and use critical thinking skills when examining issues that affect our societies. They will also learn the importance of Geography in sustainably managing the negative effects of these issues.
IGCSE
Pupils who select the option of IGCSE Geography follow course 0460 set by the
Cambridge International Examinations board. The topics covered in this course are divided into the three branches of Geography: human, physical and economic development.
Geography is a multidisciplinary subject combining science and social studies. Therefore, students who select this option will develop a global view of environmental and human issues that affect our societies and will learn how
sustainable management can help to reduce their negative impacts.At the end of the course, students take three exams:
Paper 1: Themes (answering short and long answer questions about 3 different topics)
Paper 2: Skills (including the analysis of photographs, written material, interpretation of graphs, diagrams or topographical maps).
Paper 4: Alternative to Coursework (assesses enquiry techniques where students are given an hypothesis which has to be tested by the use of questionnaires, observation, record of measurements, data and analysis to reach a final conclusion).
A Level
The A Level Geography course provides an excellent preparation for the Cambridge AS/A2 Geography examinations (syllabus 9696). This multidisciplinary subject combines very well both social and physical sciences and it is extremely useful to develop data analysis and critical thinking. Geography is highly rated at universities and very valuable for degrees such as international relations, urban planning, tourism or environmental management and climate change.
The AS Geography students take two exams of 90 minutes: one in Physical Geography (hydrology, atmosphere and weather and rocks and weathering) and one in Human Geography (population, migration and settlement dynamics). In each paper, pupils answer 3 short questions from the topics studied and an extended question.
The A2 course is also examined in two 90 minute papers where students evaluate issues related to the topics studied: Environmental Management, Global Interdependence (Human Geography), Coastal Environments and Hazardous Environments (Physical Geography).