Geology is the subject of the future and the OCR A Level course sets students up for a career in this field excellently. Students will find parts of the course similar to aspects of Physical Geography; there is also overlap with Biology, Chemistry and Physics units covered at GCSE. We have a plethora of equipment and specimens in the department that will ‘bring Geology to life’. Students can also expect regular practical experiments and fieldwork as part of the course. The Geology department has an excellent track record of success at A Level which has helped many students gain the University place of their choice as well as securing job opportunities.
There are many careers in Geology due to the growing shortage of raw resources and energy. Geologists play a vital role in discovering and developing renewable energies, which is why there are ample opportunities, here and abroad, to become involved in jobs such as uranium mining and nuclear hazard consultancy. Geology is playing a key role in environmental issues including the management of flood plains, land reclamation and the siting of commercial, residential and industrial properties. Many students who take A Level Geology enjoy the subject so much that they go on to study it and related courses at university. A quote from a headline in a daily newspaper reads: “Want that top-paying job? Take a degree in Geology”. Daily Mail 26.09.16.
A Level Geology students will enjoy a week-long residential at the Lochranza Field Centre on the Isle of Arran in November of Y13, as well as a variety of other fieldwork opportunities such as a day in Castleton, a visit to the National Stone Centre, and a trip to the Natural History Museum, London. In class, students can expect regular practical experiment opportunities to enhance their understanding of how the world works.
5 GCSE grades at 9 – 5 including Science.
The first year of the course has been designed to provide a solid foundational understanding of key concepts in Geology. Topics taught in Y12 include: Minerals and Rocks, Fossils and Geological Time, Earth Structure and Plate Tectonics, Volcanoes, Rock Mechanics, and Interpreting Past Environments.
The second year of the course aims to build on the foundational knowledge provided in Y12. Topics taught in Y13 include: Applied Sedimentology, Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Exploration for Metals, Geohazard Risk Analysis, Applied Engineering Geology, Mass Extinctions (including dinosaurs) and Basin Analysis.
The Examination Board for this course is OCR. There are 3 examinations at the end of Y13.
