Geography
The Geography curriculum at Arden gives pupils the chance to study
a diverse range of physical and human topics. An understanding of
the workings of our planet is important and Geography is an
obvious means of gaining this understanding. The subject touches
on economic, environmental, social and cultural issues providing
pupils with a wealth of information.
Geography is a subject which complements many others including
the Sciences, Maths, Economics and English. As the world gets
‘smaller’ the importance of Geography grows.
Through Geography pupils begin to understand the impact of
people’s actions on the planet and how decisions and life choices
affect the environment in which we live. This leads to a greater sense
of ownership and responsibility. There are few careers that don’t
require some global awareness and the skills that can be acquired
through Geography are highly valued in the workplace.
The Department prides itself on the variety of teaching and learning
techniques it employs. These include group work, thinking skills,
poster planning and design, extended writing, model making,
presentations and videos. Pupils are regularly required to undertake
self-assessment , increasing awareness of personal strengths and
weaknesses.
Field trips include visits to Iceland, Somerset , Stratford and North
Wales. These are a fantastic way for pupils to widen their horizons,
explore amazing places and increase understanding, all whilst
building strong bonds with their peers and their teachers.
Arden’s Geography results are consistently high at both GCSE and
A-level. They are a solid testament to the hard work of teachers and
their pupils. Since the launch of the Sixth Form, no Geography
student has left Arden with an A2 grade lower than a C and a high
number have gone on to study Geography at degree level.
History
History is important because it records the development of the
world in which we live. But History isn’t just about the past, it’s about
why we are who we are – and using that knowledge to predict
what may come next ... How do you know who you are unless you
know where you come from? As Philosopher, George Santayana
once observed “those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it”.
At Arden we believe that the nurturing of fully rounded young adults
requires the development of three dimensional insight and
understanding; History teaches them knowledge they need in life.
Our Key Stage Three curriculum is dynamic and unique; it is designed
to give our pupils a broad understanding of local, national, European
and world history and provides a sound preparation for GCSE and
A-Level courses. These, in turn, give pupils the understanding they
need to face the modern world.
The uptake of History at GCSE is consistently the highest of all the
option subjects at Arden and we pride ourselves on our pupil
retention rate at A Level. Above all, we are committed to delivering
the best that History has to offer; helping our pupils grow as
independent learners who are capable of thinking for themselves.
In the words of Martin Luther King Jnr. “we are not makers of
History, we are made by History.”
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