GCSE Exam & Specification
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GCSE Exam Board: |
AQA GCSE Geography specification |
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Link to GCSE Specification: |
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035 |
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Alevel Exam Board: |
Edexcel A level Geography specification |
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Link to Alevel Specification: |
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/geography-2016.html |
Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of our students in our local context and is underpinned by these 4 guiding principles:
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Rich and Powerful Knowledge: At INA, all students studying Geography become masters of different human and physical processes in geography as well as mastering the knowledge of places and geographical skills key to becoming a budding geographer
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Objective and Question Driven: At INA, geographers are able to explore the powerful questions in our changing world, looking towards the past, present and future of our planet from current issues such as global population growth, the development gap and climate change.
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Mastering The Foundations (Literacy and Numeracy): At INA, geographers quickly become familiar and begin to use the language of geography in their oral and written work through explicit definitions, recall and practice to improve their literacy in the subject. Geographical skills are interwoven and revisited throughout the curriculum for students to master the numeracy of geography including graphs, data analysis and calculation.
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Inclusive and Ambitious: Geographers at INA become global citizens, able to understand and empathize with the geographies of unfamiliar regions and places around the world.
Implementation
Our curriculum implementation is shaped across all phases of the academy by a set of shared principles that underpin pedagogy at AINA. Our curriculum implementation principles are as follows:
The following curriculum map outlines the ambitious curriculum your child will experience at AINA.
Geography Super Curriculum
Reception - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Me and My World | Autumn 2 - Supreme Superheroes | |
|---|---|---|
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Geography not studied. |
| Spring 1 - Let's Pretend | Spring 2 - Get Growing | |
|---|---|---|
What important processes occur in the world? (e.g. seasons) |
What important processes occur in the world? (e.g. seasons |
| Summer 1 - Exciting Expeditions | Summer 2 - Amazing Animals | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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All Reception Subjects Next Reception Subject - Religious Education
Year 1 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Into the Woods | Autumn 2 - Mind the Gap | ||
|---|---|---|---|
How can I use my observational skills to study the human and physical features of my school? |
How can I use a key when reading a map? |
| Spring 1 - The Magic Toymaker | Spring 2 - From A to B |
|---|---|
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Geography not studied |
Geography not studied |
| Summer 1 - Out of Africa | Summer 2 - Seen and Not Heard | |
|---|---|---|
How can the points of a compass help me to understand direction? |
Geography not studied |
All Year 1 Subjects Next Year 1 Subject - Religious Education
Year 2 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Super Humans | Autumn 2 - Are you sitting comfortably? |
|---|---|
| Geography not studied | Geography not studied |
| Spring 1 - Young Entrepreneurs | Spring 2 - Time Travellers |
|---|---|
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Geography not studied |
How can an atlas help me to locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans? |
| Summer 1 - Roots, Shoots, Animals and Fruits | Summer 2 - Oh I do like to be beside the seaside! |
|---|---|
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Geography not studied |
How can I build on my knowledge of physical features to better describe coastal areas? How can ariel photos help me identify human and physical features of coastal areas? |
All Year 2 Subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Religious Education
Year 3 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Did Dinosaurs Exist? | Autumn 2 - Who were the First People on Earth? |
|---|---|
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How can I use maps to locate the world’s countries and identify their key environmental regions and human and physical characteristics? How can I locate and describe key topographical features and land-use patterns over time? |
How can I develop my understanding of human geography? How can I use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe their features? |
| Spring 1 - Who were the Romans? | Spring 2 - How do Forces help us? |
|---|---|
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How can I locate the world’s countries and major cities, using maps? How can I identify and compare human and physical features of different countries? How can I compare different types of settlements and land use? How can I observe, measure record and present the human and physical features? |
Geography not studied. |
| Summer 1 - Who were the Anglo - Saxons? | Summer 2 - How does my body move? |
|---|---|
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How can I use maps and keys to plot migration patterns? How can I use topographical features to explain settlement patterns? How can I understand why geographical land use has changed over time? |
Geography not studied. |
All Year 3 Subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Religious Education
Year 4 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - What happened in 1066? | Autumn 2 - Can you hear me? |
|---|---|
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How can I use my knowledge of topographical features to explain human land use during a time of conflict? How can I understand human settlements in the context of the physical features of an area? |
Geography not studied |
| Spring 1 - What are the origins of Chocolate? | Spring 2 - How useful is Electricity? |
|---|---|
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How can I combine locational knowledge with an explanation of economic activity? I can I understand the ways in which the physical features of a country impact trade routes How can I describe, understand and explain a key geographical process? How can the 8 points of a compass, 4- and 6-figure grid references, symbols and keys help to locate specific places? |
Geography not studied |
| Summer 1 - who were the Tudors? | Summer 2 - How do I keep Healthy? |
|---|---|
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How can I plot journeys using key geographical vocabulary? (latitude, longitude, Equator, Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn) How can maps from different periods in time be used to track naval movement? |
How do food chains vary in different habitats? What can I find out about a particular biome? (Rainforest) How can I explain the impact of human activity on a particular biome? |
All Year 4 Subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Religious Education
Year 5 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Who were the Ancient Egyptians? | Autumn 2 - What forces are around me? |
|---|---|
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How can I use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate a country and describe its features? How can physical aspects of a location impact the type of human settlement that exists there and how the humans use the land? What can I discover when studying a key geographical feature in depth? |
Geography not studied |
| Spring 1 - What's out of this World? | Spring 2 - Who were the Ancient Greeks? |
|---|---|
| Geography not studied |
How can I use my understanding of human and physical geography to explain major Ancient Greek settlements and what made them successful? How can I use my mapping skills and knowledge of grid references to plot specific Greek battles on a map? |
| Summer 1 - What are the states of Matter? | Summer 2 - How do we Grow and Change? |
|---|---|
| Geography not studied |
How can I use my knowledge of the world’s continents to locate specific animal habitats? |
All Year 5 Subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Religious Education
Year 6 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Lights, Camera, Action! | Autumn 2 - What was Ilford like in the past? |
|---|---|
| Geography not studied |
How can I use my knowledge of Europe and map interpretation skills to locate key locations during WW2? How can I compare the human and physical features of one location at two different points in time? How has land use changed in a particular location over a period of time? How can OS survey maps help my understanding of a local areas? How can fieldwork techniques deepen my understanding of how a local area has changed over time? |
| Spring 1 - How do I look after myself? | Spring 2 - Who in the World? |
|---|---|
| Geography not studied |
How can I locate key physical features (volcanoes and rivers) around the world How can I use geological process to explain the formation of physical features and natural disasters? How can precise geographical vocabulary increase my understanding of locational facts? |
| Summer 1 - What can we learn from Ancient Civilisations? | Summer 2 - All Change! |
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How can maps be used to locate areas that fall under a particular biome?(rainforest How can I explore the human impact on a particular biome around the world? (rainforest) How do biomes in the UK differ to biomes in Europe and in other parts of the world? |
Geography not studied |
All Year 6 Subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Religious Education
Year 7 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Geography and Me | Autumn 2 - Our Planet |
|---|---|
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How to become a great geographer by understanding maps, physical and human geography of the UK Develop research skills and planning personal project |
How is atmosphere and hydrosphere important for us? Describe global population and wealth patterns. |
| Spring 1 - Resources and Trade | Spring 2 - Brilliant Biomes |
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What are the types of jobs? How does supply chain work-from raw materials to consumer? How and why has the UK’s employment structure change overtime-main focus on deindustrialisation? |
What are the world’s major biomes? What factors affect the distribution of biomes? What are the characteristics of biomes- focus on deciduous forests? |
| Summer 1 - Fantastic Landscapes of the UK | Summer 2 - UK Coasts |
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What processes have shaped the UK’s landscape-tectonic, glaciation, water processes? What is the UK’s geology like? |
What coastal processes create distinctive landforms? What distinctive landforms area created by erosion, transportation and deposition-Holderness coasts as case study? |
All Year 7 Subjects Next Year 7 Subject - Religious Education
Year 8 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - River Rivals | Autumn 2 - Food & Famine |
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How do river characteristics change from upper to lower course? How can different uses of rivers cause conflict (GERD dam)? Learn about river fieldwork skills via virtual fieldwork. |
What physical and human factors affect food security? How can food security be achieved and what could be the potential problems with these methods? |
| Spring 1 - Endless Energy | Spring 2 - Climate Change |
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What are different sources of energy-renewable and non-renewable? How can increasing demand for energy cause disputes in countries? |
What are causes, impacts and solutions to climate change? What are different stakeholders’ views about climate change? |
| Summer 1 - Polar Environments | Summer 2 - Middle East |
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What the earth’s end like-Polar areas? How have people, plants and animals adapted to live in the cold climates? How are polar areas environmentally and economically important? What landforms are formed in glaciated areas? |
What is physical and human geography of the Middle East like? What natural resources are found in the Middle east? What are the causes of conflict in the Middle east? |
All Year 8 Subjects Next Year 8 Subject - Religious Education
Year 9 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Global Oceans | Autumn 2 - Ocean Ecosystems & Governance |
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What physical processes happen under the oceans? How are oceans important for us? How can we find out what is under the oceans? |
What are the different marine ecosystems? How are marine ecosystems under threat? What are the political and environmental issues about oceans? |
| Spring 1 - Global Economy | Spring 2 - Development Disparity |
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How and why has economic of countries changed over time? What are the impacts of globalisation and TNCs? |
How is development measured? What factors affect development of countries? |
| Summer 1 - Glacial Processes and Landforms | Summer 2 - Uk Regions Fieldwork Investigation |
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What landforms are formed by glaciers? Where are glaciers found? Identify glacial features on OS maps? |
How to design, conduct and carry out fieldwork investigation of a UK coastal, river or glacial area. What are the different types of data collection: virtual, primary, and secondary? Lake District fieldwork (virtual) Our UK region fieldwork |
All Year 9 Subjects Next Year 9 Subject - Religious Education
Year 10 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - The Challenge of Natural Hazards | Autumn 2 - The Living World |
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What are the causes, effects, and management of tectonic and weather hazards? What are the causes, effects, and solutions to climate change? |
Small scale ecosystems and biomes What are the characteristics, impacts and management of tropical rainforests? What are the challenges and opportunities in desert environments? |
| Spring 1 - The Living World/Urban Issues and Challenges | Spring 2 - Urban issues and challenges |
|---|---|
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Opportunities and challenges of urban areas-Rio and London How can urban areas be managed more sustainably? |
Opportunities and challenges of urban areas-Rio and London How can urban areas be managed more sustainably? |
| Summer 1 - UK Physical landscapes (Rivers) | Summer 2 - UK Physical Landscapes (Coasts)/Physical fieldwork investigation |
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Mock exams What physical processes shape the UK’s River landscapes? How can rivers be managed. |
How to devise and collect reliable Fieldwork data collection How to present data using appropriate method How to write a report on the data collected |
All Year 10 Subjects Next Year 10 Subject - Religious Education
Year 11 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Challenges of resource management/Human Fieldwork investigation | Autumn 2 - Changing Economic World |
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What is the global distribution of food, water and energy? What opportunities and challenges are created by growing demand for resources? What strategies can be used to increase supply of resources? |
Fieldwork - physical How to devise and collect reliable Fieldwork data collection: How to present data using appropriate method How to write a report on the data collected Changing economic world: Why are here variation in global development and what strategies can be used to reduce these development gaps? What changes are experienced by NEE as a result of rapid economic growth? (Nigeria)? |
| Spring 1 - Changing Economic World | Spring 2 - Pre-release Issue Evaluation |
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Interim and mock exam revision Changing economic world: How have changes in economy of the UK affected and will affect employment patterns and regional growth? |
Starts w/c 27th Mar 23 TBC This will be based on the pre-release booklet for paper 3 |
| Summer 1 - Reteach and Revision | Summer 2 - GCSE Exams |
|---|---|
| Reteach of some topics after analysis of mock exams |
All Year 11 Subjects Next Year 11 Subject - Religious Education
Year 12 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - Tectonic Hazards & Globalisation | Autumn 2 - Coasts & Diverse Places |
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Tectonic hazards What theoretical frameworks can help to explain plate movements? How important are the hazards profiles, governance, and development in understanding of contrasting hazard impacts, vulnerability, and resilience? How can the impacts of tectonic hazards be managed by mitigation and adaptation strategies? Globalisation (Human) What are the causes of globalisation? What are the impacts of globalisation for countries, different groups of people and cultures and the physical environment and how should different players respond to its challenges? |
Coasts What are the distinctive features and landscapes of coast, and wider littoral zone? What factors affect coastal recession? What landforms are created by erosion, transportation, deposition, and weathering processes? Diverse places (Human) How do population structures vary? How are urban and rural areas seen differently by different groups of people due to their lived experience? Evaluate their views. |
| Spring 1 - Coasts & Diverse Places | Spring 2 - NEA & Superpowers |
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Coasts What are the risks and threats from sea level rise, coastal erosion, and flooding? How can coastlines be managed? Diverse places (Human) What cultural and demographic tensions occur in diverse places and why? How are these tensions being managed? |
Finish Coasts and start NEA. Choose a suitable enquiry question. Formulate data collection methods. Collect primary and secondary data. Analyse data Start superpowers (human) |
| Summer 1 - NEA | Summer 2 - NEA |
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NEA -Analyse data, evaluate the enquiry process. Revision for EOY exam |
NEA-Redraft and produce the final draft NEA. EOY exams |
All Year 12 Subjects Next Year 12 Subject - Religious Education
Year 13 - Geography
| Autumn 1 - NEA, Water Cycle & Superpowers | Autumn 2 - Carbon Cycle & Human Rights |
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Finish NEA Water cycle (physical) What are the processes operating within the hydrological cycle from global to local scale? What are the impacts of water deficits and surpluses? What are the physical and human causes of water scarcity and impacts of water scarcity? What are the different approaches to manage water supply? Superpowers (Human) What are superpowers and how have they changed overtime? What role superpowers and emerging nations play in international decision making concerning people and the physical environment? What tensions arise over acquisition of physical resources? What challenges do superpowers face? |
Carbon cycle (Physical) How does carbon cycle operate in short-term and long-term to maintain planetary system? What are the costs and benefits of alternatives to fossil fuels? What are the implications for human wellbeing from the degradation of the water and carbon cycles? Human rights (Human) What is human development and why do levels vary from place to place? How are human rights used as arguments for political and military intervention? |
| Spring 1 - Paper 3: Human Rights & Carbon Cycle | Spring 2 - Revision |
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Paper 3-Synpotic paper Carbon cycle What are the mitigation and adaptation strategies to rebalance carbon cycle? Finish Human rights (Human) What are the outcomes of geopolitical interventions? |
Revision |
| Summer 1 - Revision & Exams | Summer 2 - Revision & Exams |
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| Revision and exams | Revision and exams |
All Year 13 Subjects Next Year 13 Subject - Religious Education
Support from Home
Recommended websites/online platforms for home/independent learning:
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Revision guide to buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grade-GCSE-Geography-Revision-Guide/dp/1782946101.
Further reading and support – Geography super curriculum: https://isaacnewtonacademy.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/Geography%20INA%20super%20curriculum.pdf.
Feedback
Our aim is to ensure feedback helps drive student achievement by providing meaningful information that helps to address misconceptions and close curriculum and knowledge gaps.
Every piece of feedback given to our students should results in an action by the student. The following types of feedback that are given to students at AINA are:
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Self and peer assessment
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Written feedback
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Verbal feedback
Students receive written teacher feedback after formative diagnostic or interim assessments. The cycle is as follows:
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A score/percentage for the assessment
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Precise teacher comment/s linked to the curriculum/knowledge gap written in red
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A response/action/redo by the student in green pen
Career Pathways
Geography is a broad based academic subject which will open up options for you in your future. Employers and universities see geography as a robust academic subject rich in skills, knowledge and understanding. As a subject linking the arts and the sciences it is highly flexible in terms of what you can combine it with, both at GCSE and A Level. If you choose to take geography on to university there are literally hundreds of courses to choose from and the range of career areas accessed by graduates of geography will probably surprise you.
There are many reasons you might decide to study geography:
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You are interested in pressing global issues and enjoy learning about people and their societies, economies, cultures and the environment
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You are keen to develop a wide range of skills and apply these to solve real-world problems
Success in this subject can lead to:
University courses in:
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Geography BA
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Geography BSc
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Geography with Economics
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Geography (International study year abroad)
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Geography and International Development
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Geography and a modern foreign language (Spanish, French, Arabic or German)
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Geology
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Environmental Science
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Environmental Management
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Climate Change studies
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Zoology and Conservation
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Oceanography
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Global development and Sustainability
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Environment, Politics and Philosophy
Careers in:
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Teaching
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Lawyer
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GIS manager
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Town and urban planning
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Environmental consultancy
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Social researcher
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Conservationist
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Geologist
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Transport planner
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Travel agent
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Cartographer
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Environmental officer
Enrichment & Educational Visits
Enrichment and educational visits in this subject include:
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Natural History Museum
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London Zoo
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London Docklands
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Walton on the Naze – Y10 Coastal erosion and management
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Stratford, Olympic Park and Village – Y11 urban regeneration