‘Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?’ – Michael Palin, President of the Royal Geographical Society.
At Tewkesbury Academy we aim to give students a broad and varied study of geography. Geography creates global citizens equipped to understand how a diverse range of economies, societies and environments are interconnected. It increases students’ awareness of the world in which they live and encourages them to question and research key issues and processes changing and shaping the world.
Geography encourages students to work independently and develop a wide range of skills including decision making, presentation, analysis and evaluation of information using a variety of different communication skills. The study of geography prepares students to grow as responsible citizens who can make a positive contribution to society at all levels. Geography inspires us to think about our place in the world, and our responsibilities to care for it.
A wide range of activities is utilised in the study of geography, both within and outside the classroom; using maps; making models and enquiring into local issues such as flooding as well as fieldwork around the school site. Their studies are also enhanced by the opportunity to visit the Natural History Museum, river fieldwork to the Forest of Dean and A-level students will have the opportunity to attend a residential fieldwork in Somerset. All of these extra-curricular activities complement and extend the learning of students covering a variety of different aspects of both physical and human geography, locally, nationally and globally.
