KS3 Geography
Foundation Curriculum Intention
At Scarborough UTC, our Year 9 Foundation Geography curriculum is designed to deepen students’ understanding of physical and human processes shaping the world today. Building on KS2 and Years 7–8 learning, this year provides a crucial foundation for GCSE-level Geography. The curriculum aims to:
- Spark curiosity about natural hazards, global development, and resource management.
- Develop core geographical skills including map reading, data analysis, and case study evaluation.
- Encourage students to make local, national, and global connections through enquiry-based learning.
- Introduce sustainability, climate change, and development as recurring themes.
Ultimately, Year 9 equips students with the knowledge and skills to become critical thinkers and responsible global citizens, preparing them for GCSE geography.
We are fortunate to offer three hours of geography each week at Key Stage 3, compared to the typical two hours in most schools, which allows our students to deepen their understanding, strengthen core geographical skills, and engage in more meaningful fieldwork and enquiry-based projects.
Year 9 Core Curriculum Knowledge Covered
Students at Scarborough UTC explore the dynamic forces shaping our planet and the human stories behind them. From the explosive power of earthquakes and volcanoes to the extremes of Britain’s wild weather, our learners investigate why hazards happen and how communities respond. Students journey across Asia to understand economic growth and demographic change, before returning to the UK’s eroding coastlines to examine physical processes and management strategies. Resource challenges in energy, food, and water are tackled alongside global issues of inequality and migration as learners ask: how can we close the development gap? Alongside exciting case studies and real-world investigations, students develop essential skills in mapping, data analysis, and critical thinking, preparing them for success at GCSE and beyond.
Mutually beneficial curriculum connections
- Mathematics
Students develop data skills through interpreting climate graphs, scatter plots, population pyramids, and choropleth maps. They apply statistical techniques such as calculating averages, analysing distributions, and understanding proportional relationships. - English
Case study writing and structured enquiry questions help students improve their explanation, analysis, and argumentation skills. They learn to evaluate evidence and communicate complex geographical issues clearly. - Science
Physical geography topics like tectonics, weather systems, ecosystems, and climate change directly support science learning in energy transfer, the rock cycle, environmental systems, and atmospheric science. - Engineering
Topics such as earthquake-proof building design, coastal management strategies, and sustainable energy solutions link closely to real-world engineering challenges, encouraging problem-solving and innovative thinking. - Sociology
Lessons on global development, migration, urbanisation, and resource distribution introduce students to key sociological concepts, including inequality, demographics, and the impacts of globalisation. - Health & Social Care
Students explore how access to resources, environmental hazards, and economic development affect global health and human wellbeing, linking geographical contexts to social care outcomes.
