Humanities

 

Humanities consists of Geography, History, Economics, Psychology, Religious Education and Business and Management.  Geography, History and RE are taught throughout the senior school, while Business Studies and Economics are introduced in Year 10 and Psychology at IB level. 

 

Geography 

Geography is concerned with the study of places, the inter-relationships between the human and physical processes which shape them and the people who live in them.  It helps makes sense of their surroundings and the wider world and in particular of the country in which we now live.

 

Geography is a compulsory subject at Key Stage 3, and is taught for two lessons per week in mixed ability form groups. 

 

The subject teachers follow an adapted form of the National Curriculum of England which allows for more local case studies, independent study and enquiry work.  A strong emphasis is placed on the key skills of Literacy, Numeracy and ICT within lessons including graphical, descriptive, persuasive writing, explanation and creative tasks; all students are assured varied lessons with home work activities set accordingly.

 

The key themes addressed in each year are:

• This is your world
• Dangerous world
• Unfair world?
• Water world
• Future world? 

 

Within each theme are three topic areas, one for each year.  Over the key stage students will build up skills and knowledge for all five themes.  The diagram below, taken from the 2007 National Curriculum revisions, shows the themes and topics that students will cover.

 

Fieldwork

 

During Key Stage 3, there are three one-day fieldtrips.  Year 7 visit Taal Volcano and Vulcanology Centre as part of the Tectonics topic.  Year 8 undertake a joint History and Geography field trip to Mindoro looking at the impact of tourism on culture and the coral reefs while Year 9 combines team building and coral reef investigations in Anilao as part of an Ecosystems topic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Years 10 - 11 (Key Stage 4) IGCSE

 

In Key Stage 4, Geography is an optional subject.  Students who choose to take the two-year course, will have three lessons a week.  The syllabus currently being followed is the IGCSE Edexcel long course.

 

There are plenty of opportunities for discussion and debate, and throughout the course, environmental and cultural issues are featured.  All the topics covered are relevant to the lives of students as they grow up in the 21^st century.  There is a considerable amount of practical work, and fieldwork is an integral and important part of the course.

Students cover six topics which integrate a study of physical and human geography.  The five compulsory topics are: Water, Hazards, Production, Development, Migration and Urban Environments. An additional topic is covered chosen from Fragile Environments, Globalisation or Human Welfare.

During the two years, the topics are taught as below:

 

 

 

 

Fieldwork

 

IGCSE students complete filed work in Donsol where they undertake research regarding tourism and whale sharks.  This is a three day trip to the Bicol region during which students carry out investigative fieldwork.  The trip gives students the opportunity to learn and practise a wide range of data collection, presentation and analytical techniques which are required for the IGCSE examination.

 

 

 

 

History

 

History at BSM  encourages our students to develop the knowledge and skills with which to understand the world in which they live, as well as encouraging them to formulate, develop and challenge ideas with a view to making them more informed and active citizens in modern society.  History is compulsory in Key Stage 3 and all students have two lessons a week and are taught in the mixed ability form groups.

 

 

 

Religious Education

Key Stage 3

 

 

The Department follows an adapted form of the English National Curriculum and all students have one lesson per week in mixed ability form groups.

 

Religious Education plays an important role alongside the other departments within the School concerning the spiritual and moral development of students.

 

At BSM we believe that RE is one of the most exciting and useful subjects to study.  Almost everyone students will meet has an opinion about religion. Students will read in the news and watch on TV about religion and also about many difficult moral issues that arise in the 21^st century.  It is important therefore for students to be able to understand more clearly and to be able to ask the right questions of what is going on in our world.

 

Students will have plenty of opportunities to develop skills of discussion, thinking, analysis, empathy, and evaluation amongst others.

 

 

The Key Stage 3 course serves as a good basis for the RE GCSE course that all BSM students complete in Years 10 and 11.

 

The course outline is indicated below:

 

 

 

 

Like the other Humanities subjects, RE assessments are varied and continuous throughout the academic year.  Students will receive BSM levels which reflect the level of skill demonstrated in an assignment and these levels can be tracked throughout Years 7, 8 and 9.  Assessment for Learning is a focus of the Department as students learn to monitor their own progress and set themselves new targets to be able to reach the next skills level.

 

Key Stage 4

In Key Stage 4, RE is a compulsory subject.  Students will have one lesson a week throughout both Years 10 and 11.

 

The students follow GCSE (Short Course) Religious Studies: Edexcel 3481 Unit A:

 

Religion and life based on a study of Christianity and Buddhism.

The course outline is shown below:

 

 

RE GCSE gives students the opportunity to reflect upon some tough questions and difficult moral dilemmas.  Students need to be able to discuss well, consider all points of view and justify their own position in any debate, enquiry, presentation or piece of written work they do.  Students will use and develop skills of analysis, empathy, evaluation and expression throughout the course.  RE GSCE is therefore an excellent preparation for the IB Theory Of Knowledge course and other Humanities subjects offered at IB.  Students complete assignments throughout the course and are marked according to the GSCE standards.  Assessment for Learning is a focus of the Department as students learn to monitor their own progress and set themselves new targets to be able to reach their desired GCSE grade.

 

Business Studies

 

Years 10 - 11 (Key Stage 4) IGCSE

  

 

In Key Stage 4, Business Studies is an optional subject.  Students who choose to take the two-year course, will have three lessons a week.  The syllabus currently being followed is the Cambridge IGCSE course.

 

Students will develop skills in making judgements about different aspects of a business and learn to justify their decisions. They will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding, application, analysis and evaluation.

 

There are plenty of opportunities for discussion and debate, and throughout the course, ethical issues are featured.  All the topics covered are relevant to the lives of students as they grow up in the 21^st century.  Students should be aware of current world events in order to fully immerse themselves in this subject.

 

During the two years, the topics are taught as below: 

 

 

 

 

 Assessment

 

Assessment is ongoing and takes a variety of forms including peer, self and teacher assessment.  Students receive two pieces of homework per week which is comment marked to allow students to gain a higher standard.  Students also receive exam question homework which is marked according to exam marking guidelines.  Grade equivalents are given to each student.  At the end of each topic students usually complete a test, under exam conditions.

 

 

Examinations

Students will be examined in the following way: 

 

   

 

 

Years 12 and 13 (IBDP)

 

In Years 12 and 13 students who choose Business Studies will study a course that involves a study of strategic decision making processes and how these decisions impact on internal and external environments.  It is the study of both the way in which individuals and groups interact in an organisation and the use of resources. Students will develop an understanding of business theory and be able to apply this to different situations.

 

There are plenty of opportunities for discussion and debate, and throughout the course, ethical issues are featured.  All the topics covered are relevant to the lives of students as they grow up in the 21^st century.  Students should be aware of current world events in order to fully immerse themselves in this subject.

 

During the two years, the topics are taught as below:

 

 

 

 

Assessment

 

Assessment is ongoing and takes a variety of forms including peer, self and teacher assessment.  Students receive homework each week which is comment marked to allow students to gain a higher standard.  Students also receive exam question homework which is marked according to exam marking guidelines. Grade equivalents are given to each student.  At the end of each topic students usually complete a test, under exam conditions.

 

 

 

Psychology         

 

 

 

Psychology is offered at IB level only.  An outline of the course is below.