Planet Earth is our home, it is awesome, diverse, inspiring and ever changing. Studying Geography takes us on a journey that excites as well as challenges our understanding of the dynamic world we live in.

The term ‘geography’ comes from the ancient Greeks who needed a word to describe the writings and maps that were helping them make sense of the world around them. In Greek, geo means ‘earth’ and graphy means ‘to write’. Today’s geographers are exactly the same. Here at Co-op Academy Swinton the curriculum focuses on four goals for life-long learning, so students leave having the best knowledge of the world around them. The four learning goals are:

• What do geographers need to ask to begin to learn about place and interactions?
  What questions do we need to ask about the geography we are learning to further our understanding?

• How do geographers consider opposing views from all global citizens?
  Investigating different viewpoints in order to form a balanced judgement.

• How do geographers find solutions to protect our planet and all living things?
  Investigating how humans overcome challenges in order to sustain the planet and its inhabitants.

• How do geographers communicate with each other?
  How do geographers write and verbalise their findings?

Learning Geography will create citizens who are able to understand and utilise both human and physical processes to enable something to be done about the major issues and problems facing the world today. The students at Co-op Academy Swinton hold the key to the future and need to understand the issues facing our world, including Climate Crisis, energy dependence, war, regional conflicts and diseases.

Now, more than ever, Geography is a crucial subject for the 21st Century. Geography helps us investigate and to think critically and creatively about the complexities of places, and different views and feelings relating to places. It enables us to explore sciences through the physical processes of the earth and its atmosphere, as well at looking critically at the impact of man-kind on our environment. The UK’s and world decision makers need geographic knowledge to maintain our moral, political, and economic leadership in a world of complex cultural and environmental relationships.