Geography at Ffynone House School in Swansea

Studying Geography at Ffynone House School 

The study of Geography should lead to a greater understanding of the world in which we live and so the Departmental aim is to foster a dynamic, questioning and independent approach to learning. The teachers in the Department, Mrs. J.L. Trollope and Mrs. M.W. Jones, favour the development of both subject-specific and cross curricular, transferable skills. A host of experiences are offered, ranging from statistical investigation to questionnaire surveys, from photographic analysis to fieldwork and from problem solving to decision making.

Geography at Key Stage Three

Key Stage Three schemes of work include topics on human, physical and environmental geography. There is an array of scales, from the local to national and global. Case studies are examined in Less Economically Developed Countries and More Economically Developed Countries and great emphasis is placed on the changing nature of the economic, social, physical and environmental background. Pupils in Key Stage Three receive three lessons of Geography a fortnight.

Geography at Key Stage Four

Key Stage Four pupils follow the Edexcel specification. This is a dynamic, issues- based approach to G.C.S.E. Geography. A new course will be introduced in September 2009 which does not entail a coursework component. Pupils in Key Stage Four receive three lessons of Geography per week.

Geography candidates at the school attained 100% A* to C grades at G.C.S.E. in 2007 and 2008, with Edexcel ranking one pupil's performance in the top 10 in the U.K., in 2007.

Geography at AS and A Level

Sixth Form students undertake Edexcel  A.S. and A2 examinations, sitting modules in both January and June in years 12 and 13. The new specification, introduced in September 2008, embraces Global Challenges, Geographical Investigations, the Contested Planet and Geographical Research. Although there is a heavy emphasis on fieldwork, there is no course-work component to the specification.

The Department is extremely proud of all its students, but one candidate's outstanding performances - earning her marks of 100% in three of the A.S. examination papers in 2007 - must be celebrated.