Geography

The Geography Department is currently in the middle of a move from the upper floor of the annex to the new Learning Resource Centre. The move should be complete by September 2007. There are currently 4 Geography teachers employed in Dowdales, they are:

Mr Barton (Subject Leader)
Mrs Massicks
Mr Matheson
Mrs O'Connor

Geography is a really popular option for GCSE. The uptake for 2007/08 is approximately 100 students out of around 220. The Department runs an annual fieldtrip for Year 10/11 to Grasmere to complete their GCSE Coursework entitled, 'The Impacts of Tourists on the Lake District National Park''. Geography at Dowdales strives to be topical, motivating, stimulating and challenging. We aim to give every pupil access to a relevant and interesting curriculum where they can contribute to the issues and topics being taught. Geography should stimulate an interest from pupils in, and a wonder of the world around us, giving them a desire to participate and explore their environment. Geography aims to provide pupils with a range of subject specific and transferable skills- graphicacy, literacy, numeracy, ICT, problem solving, team work, thinking skills, enquiry. Pupils will be learning to make well-informed judgments about current issues e.g. decisions about the environment and sustainable development through their investigations, role-play and debate. Geography empowers all young people to become active global citizens, feeling confident to make decisions and contribute to the community in their adult life.