The Geography Department was ¡®officially¡¯ established in August 2008, whilst courses in IGCSE Geography commenced in August 2007. Two Teachers of Geography, Sunny Li and Mike Gadd (Head of Geography) are responsible for teaching and administration within the Department. Academic management and any other business are carried out by Mike Gadd. The Geography courses are academically stimulating and use a wide variety of resources and teaching techniques. There is a strong emphasis on ¡®visual¡¯ and practical approaches to teaching, to give students the best chance of understanding the key concepts and geographical language. The subject has generated a great deal of interest amongst the students and presently there are two groups at G1 (1st year of IGCSE), two groups at G2 (2nd year of IGCSE) and a healthy cohort studying AS level Geography. Although the Department is relatively new, levels of enthusiasm are high and the accumulation of teaching resources, including text books, reference books, digital media and field work equipment, is happening at rates higher than those ever recorded for population growth!!. Our A level cohort is expected to increase steadily over time whilst our IGCSE cohort is threatening to increase exponentially! Teaching activities are organized strictly according to the Cambridge International Examination (CIE) IGCSE and AS/A Level Geography syllabi. Students take IGCSE Geography examinations at the end of their G2 class, and in order to progress onto the AS Level course, students are expected to have gained grade ¡®C¡¯ or above. A good standard of spoken and written English is also a prerequisite before students are enrolled on IGCSE or A level courses. Currently, the IGCSE students sit the Alternative to Coursework (Paper 4) exam, although this is scheduled to change in 2010 to the submission of coursework (the Paper 3 route). After completion of the Geography AS course and examinations, students are free to continue onto the A Level course or drop the subject completely. Geography is a valuable subject in its own right, as well as being a suitable complement for AS Level courses in Commerce, Science and Humanities.

The Geography Department at SCIE is young and dynamic. Its teachers are openly enthusiastic about the subject and are working hard to ensure that the students have the best possible opportunities for learning. We are currently also developing a field study programme that will be integrated into our academic courses.

Teaching Staff

Mike Gadd Head of Geography Mike Gadd graduated from the University of Wales (BA Hons Geography) and the University of Leeds (PGCE Geography). He has over 16 years experience of teaching Geography, outdoor education and field studies. He enjoys working with all his colleagues, even outside the Geography Department!!, and has a great interest in introducing students to the ¡®world¡¯ of Geography.

Sunny Li Sunny graduated from the China Center Normal University (CCNU), and got his Bachelor Degree in Geography in 2006. He has one year's teaching experience in a Chinese high school In Yangzhou, Jiangsu province. He is highly regarded for sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with all students and colleagues.

top