Taught by: Miss Rayen Naghi BA (Hons), London.

The Geography Department at Islamia is run by a committed and professional subject specialist of considerable teaching experience, including some highly academic schools in Britain. She is a marking examiner for GCSE Geography examinations and a member of the Geographical Association of Great Britain, and has a wider interest in the subject and also in research.

Aims & Objectives

The teaching programme for Geography endeavours:

• To secure locational knowledge and understanding of spatial relations eg. how places are interconnected;
• To explain geographical patterns and processes, both human and physical;
• To develop knowledge and understanding of current events from local to global;
• To provide a meaningful context for developing transferable skills such as literacy, numeracy, ICT, problem solving, team work, thinking skills, map reading and enquiry;
• To provide opportunities through fieldwork, for the first hand information of places, environments and human behaviour;
• To empower all young people to become active young citizens.

Key Stage 3

At this stage the girls study a wide range of modules, which are selected from physical, human and environmental sections, including:

• 
  Population;
• Settlements;
• Weathering and Erosion;
• River and Coastal features;
• Brazil and the rainforests;
• Development;
• The EU, Japan and Kenya;
• Natural Hazards;
• Farming;
• Industries;
• Environmental Issues.

Key Stage 4

Geography is an optional subject at Key Stage 4. Those girls who choose to study for the GCSE, sit the Edexcel Specification 1312 Syllabus A. With commitment and motivation, geography students go on to obtain high grades at GCSE, and some continue the subject at GCSE A-level.

Fieldwork is an important part of the Geography curriculum.

At GCSE the girls do a variety of surveys, such as transects, pedestrian surveys, traffic surveys, environmental surveys, housing surveys and interviewing people using a questionnaire.

At Key Stage 3 the girls carry out local surveys in preparation for key stage 4. The girls have a chance to go on geographical trips to places such as the Thames barrier, London Docklands and the Natural History museum and the Transport museum. The girls are encouraged to do independent research and do project work on countries and geographical issues. Representatives from organizations such as the Royal Geographical Society are invited to the school to speak to the girls.

The Department takes part in the annual Ordnance Survey Department Map scheme. All the girls in year7 receive a free large scale map of the local area where the school is located and it has stimulated their interest in reading O/S maps.

Resources

The Department is well resourced. There are class sets of text books, work sheets and also a TV, Video and a DVD player and a wide range of videos and DVDs on numerous topics. The displays in the class room and the outside are maintained to a high standard to stimulate interest.