The Perse School
  • Parent Login
  • Pupil and Staff Login
  • Calendar
  • Sports Fixtures
  • Term dates
  • Search
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Explore
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • School Life
    • People
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • School Life
    • People
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • School Life
    • People
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • Sixth Form Life
    • People
    • The Perse Today
    • Summer School
    • Contact
    • Job Vacancies
    • Policies and Inspection
    • Events
    • Keep in Touch
    • Support Us
    • Get Involved
    • Notable Alumni
    • Head's Blog
    • News Stories
    • Parent Login
    • Pupil and Staff Login
    • Calendar
    • Sports Fixtures
    • Term dates
 

Geography

A broad-ranging and real-world subject which develops critical thinking, numeracy and communications

Our aim

Studying A level geography at The Perse provides an opportunity to work and think independently, supported by contemporary, relevant, interesting and creative teachers. We strongly believe that fieldwork is an essential component of the subject. Reading around the discipline forms a core part of the learning and helps students build skills ready for life at university or in further study.

At Sixth Form and beyond, geography is highly valued by universities and employers as a broad-ranging and real-world subject which exercises a wide range of skills. Students have ample opportunity to develop literacy skills such as critical assessment, argument and essay writing, debating and communication, numeracy skills such as the use of graphs and statistics, digital skills such as the use of GIS and communications skills of research, analysis and presentation.

See the Geographical Association for more detail about the role of geography.

The facts

Geography


Qualification
A level

Examining Board 
OCR

When taken
At the end of the Upper Sixth

Latest results
A* – A 79%

Complementary subjects
Geography can be combined equally well with science, arts or humanities


 

Notable alumni

Notable alumni

Mel Rodgers (1999) is a geophysicist and volcanologist at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on trying to improve monitoring and forecasting capabilities at volcanoes

Read more

Geography – the study of earth as home to humankind Ron Johnston
Learning journey - Lower Sixth

Students study a mixture of both human and physical geography.  They study glaciated environments and earth’s life support systems on the physical side and they investigate the geography of place, migration and geopolitics on the human side.  At the end of the year they do some investigate fieldwork, through a compulsory residential fieldtrip to Birmingham and Snowdonia where we explore a mixture of fieldwork techniques in contrasting environments.

Learning journey - Upper Sixth

The major topics are macro scale geography; an exploration into the causes, impacts and management of climate change, as well as an insight into hazardous earth and the management of large scale natural disasters.  These then link back to material covered in the Lower Sixth; for example, how climate change has influenced migration and caused climate change refugees or how tectonics hazards have influenced people’s sense of place.

 

Providing stretch

For students who love learning in the outdoors, be it in cities or the countryside, geography A level is an obvious choice. During the sixth form course students take part in a residential trip to Birmingham and Snowdonia as well as a fieldtrip in to London’s Brick Lane.

The department also runs a series of evening trips to lectures run by the local Geographical Association in and around Cambridge. This includes an opportunity to participate in or attend the GA’s annual Geog Meet where, in 2019, Perse students presented on topics such as conflict in the South China Sea and resolving geopolitical disputes in Mali.

We encourage wide reading to stimulate intellectual curiosity and develop new interests, understanding and skills. Geography students are encouraged to consider delving into Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, James Lovelock’s Gaia and Alan Weisman’s The World Without Us , among other works.

The department supports the Missing Maps programme. This involves students in all age groups contributing to open source mapping software and helping map previously unmapped parts of the planet. In turn, non-Government organisations, such as Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Clinton Health Foundation use these maps to facilitate getting aid supplies to people in need on the ground. This can be in the form of emergency aid to areas suffering in the aftermath of natural hazards or those that where mapping will increase future resilience.  Missing Maps runs in the school’s ICT suites after school and students can continue contributing at home. Older and keener students have been trained to assist new mappers. The school was the first in the country to establish such a programme.

Beyond the classroom

Eminent geographers give lunchtime lectures as part of our 42 society programme of inspiring lunchtime talks. For example, volcanologist Dr Mel Rogers gave a fascinating lecture on the on endlessly complex reasons why volcanoes erupt: ‘Volcano – will it blow or will it flow: why volcanoes behave in such different ways’, followed by a workshop for sixth form geographers.

G6 – our Sixth Form Geography Society – provides a vibrant student-led forum for discussion and debate about current affairs and includes article discussion, interviews, debates, reading and more. We run a geography debating competition for all members of the Sixth Form to grapple with geographical material that is not on the specification. There is a knock-out competition for the Crabtree Memorial trophy.

Geography Ambassadors are sixth form geographers who help teach lower school classes and brush up on their skills at the same time. Some become mentors to younger students and the most confident have even taught segments of lessons with geography staff.

Upper Sixth geographers participate in a mock UN Climate conference which stimulates the challenges of reaching global agreements over climate priorities.

Geography at university

We support students who wish to apply for geography at university through a range of specially arranged activities including mock interviews, seminars, lectures and study-day visits. The University Geography Group meets weekly during the Michaelmas term for students to share their reading, consider journal articles and discuss geography in the news. The department also helps with applications for related disciplines including geology, earth sciences or environmental studies.

 

 

  • In this section
  • Admissions
    • View Prospectus
    • Visiting the Sixth Form
      • Book a Tour
      • Open Evening
    • 360 Tour
    • How to Register
      • International Students
    • Fees
      • Help with Fees
    • Scholarships
    • Joining Us
      • Bus Services
  • Academic
    • Curriculum
    • Subjects
    • Independent Research
    • Enrichment
    • Learning Support
    • Exam Results
    • University
      • University destinations
  • Beyond Classroom
    • Clubs + Societies
      • The 42
    • Drama + dance
    • Music
    • Outdoor Pursuits
    • Sport
  • Sixth Form Life
    • Well-being
    • The Sixth Form Day
      • Timetable
      • Bus Services
    • Student Council
  • People
    • Staff list
    • Meet the Staff

Latest News

25 Jan 2021

Helping pupils stay positive during lockdown at The Perse

25 Jan 2021

COVID-19 Latest School Information

18 Jan 2021

It all adds up to success for Perse pupil in international maths competition

Read moreView all

@PerseGeography

@OldPerseans @alumnetsocial Happy you managed to capture a still that really shows me smiling 😂 Hope people enjoy this and happy to field any questions in the aftermath! Thanks for hosting me 🙏

Follow us on twitter

View Sixth Form Prospectus
View Sixth Form Prospectus
Visit the Sixth Form
Visit the Sixth Form
Return to startUp periscope

The Perse Pelican
Head: Francesca Heftman
92 Glebe Road
Cambridge
CB1 7TD

T +44 (0) 1223 403940

The Perse Prep
Head: James Piper
Trumpington Road
Cambridge
CB2 8EX

T +44 (0) 1223 403920

The Perse Upper
Head: Ed Elliott
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 8QF

T +44 (0) 1223 403800

  • Contact
  • Job Vacancies
  • Our Vision, Values and Aims
  • Term Dates
  • Inspection Report
  • Governors
  • Perse Studio
  • Policies
  • Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
  • Privacy Notices
  • Disclaimer
  • Website Terms of Use
pelican@perse.co.uk
prep@perse.co.uk
schooloffice@perse.co.uk
Twitter Facebook YouTube Instagram

© The Perse School 2021. All Rights reserved.
Crafted by The District and Chameleon Studios

 
Toggle the navigation
 
The Perse School
Parent Login Calendar Site Search
  • Homepage
  • About us 
    • The Perse Today 
      • Our vision, values and aims 
        • Sustainability 
      • Philosophy 
      • Outreach and Community Partnerships 
      • Governors 
      • Perse in Cambridge 
      • Rooted in History 
        • Timeline 
      • Expanding our Facilities 
    • Summer School 
    • Contact 
      • Open Events 
      • Request Prospectus 
      • Book a Tour 
    • Job Vacancies 
  • Pelican 
    • Admissions 
      • Request Prospectus 
      • Open Morning 
      • Book a Tour 
      • 360 Tour 
      • How to Register 
      • Fees 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
        • Nursery and Reception 
        • Years 1 and 2 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Club Pelican 
    • School Life 
      • Home from Home 
      • The School Day 
      • Pelican Behaviour 
      • Newsletter 
    • People 
      • Staff List 
      • Meet a few of our Pelican staff 
      • Parents’ Association 
  • Prep 
    • Admissions 
      • View Prospectus 
      • Visiting the Prep 
        • Open Morning 
        • Book a Tour 
        • Taster Morning 
        • Activity Morning 
        • Pre-Test Service 
      • Prep 360 Virtual Tour 
      • How to Register 
      • Fees 
      • Bus Services 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
      • Subjects 
      • Assessment 
      • Learning Support 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Clubs 
      • Drama + Music 
      • Sport 
    • School Life 
      • Well-being 
      • The School Day 
        • Timetable 
        • Bus Services 
      • The House System 
      • School Council 
      • Newsletter 
    • People 
      • Staff List 
      • Meet a few of our Prep Staff 
      • Parents’ Association 
  • Upper 
    • Admissions 
      • View Prospectus 
      • Open Days 
      • Visiting the Upper 
        • Book a Tour 
        • Taster Morning 
      • 360 Tour 
      • How to Register 
      • Fees 
        • Help with Fees 
      • Scholarships 
      • Joining Us 
        • Linking Project 
        • Bus Services 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
      • Subjects 
      • Independent Research 
      • Enrichment 
      • Exam Results 
      • Learning Support 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Clubs + Societies 
        • The 42 Society 
      • Drama + Dance 
      • Music 
      • Outdoor Pursuits 
      • Sport 
      • Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre 
    • School Life 
      • Well-being 
      • The School Day 
        • Timetable 
        • Bus Services 
      • The House System 
      • Student Council 
    • People 
      • Staff List 
      • Meet the Staff 
  • 6th Form 
    • Admissions 
      • View Prospectus 
      • Visiting the Sixth Form 
        • Book a Tour 
        • Open Evening 
      • 360 Tour 
      • How to Register 
        • International Students 
      • Fees 
        • Help with Fees 
      • Scholarships 
      • Joining Us 
        • Bus Services 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
      • Subjects 
      • Independent Research 
      • Enrichment 
      • Learning Support 
      • Exam Results 
      • University 
        • University destinations 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Clubs + Societies 
        • The 42 
      • Drama + dance 
      • Music 
      • Outdoor Pursuits 
      • Sport 
    • Sixth Form Life 
      • Well-being 
      • The Sixth Form Day 
        • Timetable 
        • Bus Services 
      • Student Council 
    • People 
      • Staff list 
      • Meet the Staff 
  • Alumni 
    • Events 
    • Keep in Touch 
      • OP News 
      • E-Newsletter 
        • Perse Profiles 
        • Into The Archive 
        • Recent Events 
      • Find a Friend 
      • Update Form 
      • Contact Us 
      • Memorabilia 
      • E-Communications 
    • Support Us 
      • Make a Gift 
      • Bursaries 
      • 2021 Leavers’ Gift 
      • Outreach 
      • Legacies 
      • Donor Recognition 
    • Get Involved 
      • Year Group Reps 
      • Networking & Careers 
      • 42 Society Lectures 
    • Notable Alumni 
  • News 
  • Head's Blog
  • Contact
  • Calendar
  • Sport Fixtures
  • Term Dates
  • Close Menu  Close Menu
  • Parent Login
  • Pupil + Staff Login
  • Close Menu  Close Menu
  • Twitter
  • Facebook