Dr Hutchinson - Geography GCSE Support Pages

Flooding in Bangladesh

2006-05-05T17:24:00.000+01:00

You should read through the following linked pages. They are taken from BBC Bitesize SOS Teacher, so they have been written specifically for GCSE students.

What are the environmental and economic effects of flooding in Bangladesh?

What is the Bangladesh Flood Action Plan? What are its aims and objectives?

Lucky Goldstar

2006-03-22T18:24:00.000Z

You should read through this link about the Lucky Goldstar investment in Wales.

Article from The Independent.

Year 11 - Call centres in India

2006-03-15T20:56:00.000Z

You should watch the video clips from this site and then read though this article.

Finally, have a look at this article about Abbey National returning jobs to the UK.

Year 11 People, work and development

2006-03-12T13:40:00.000Z

Here are links to the PowerPoint files used in the lessons. You will need to click on the images on the linked pages to open the files.
Lesson 1
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Magibox Map

Year 11 Industry in South Wales

2006-03-09T07:59:00.000Z

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/ngfl-flash/steel_works_e/steel_e.html

Coastal Conflict - Year 10

2006-02-26T15:52:00.000Z

Your homework is to complete this online activity.

Regional divide in the UK

2006-02-24T11:26:00.000Z

Year 11 homework:
(a) You should read through this article from the Guardian 'North-south divide set to widen'.
(b) Does recent research confirm the findings of the article? Read through the most recent links on this site to answer this question.

Nairobi Case Study - Informal Settlements

2005-12-11T11:50:00.000Z

You should read through the article about globalisation from Global Eye. Click here for the link.

The following article is taken from the UNFPA website.

Making a Shanty Town More Liveable

Nairobi (WFS) The ledge above Mathare looks down on a staggering beehive of rusted and crumbling corrugated iron roofs, held down by stones. As one descends the precarious footholds and enters the slum by way of a creaky bridge over a stream whose colour suggests pollution, it seems that hell has claimed a new outpost.
Mathare is less than a 30-minute drive from Nairobi's dazzling architectural wonders, well-laid neighbourhoods, clipped hedges and splendid gardens. It is an abject slum settlement wrenched out of a disused quarry on government-owned land. Its sardine-packed, makeshift houses are reportedly home to at least 20,000 marginalized people. "I had nowhere else to go when I came to the city," says one.
However, the story of Mathare is not just one of dirt, squalor, disease and hopelessness. It is also the story of resilience, and the indomitable spirit of a group of people who are trying desperately to brighten their corner of the world. The group is Wapenda Afya Bidi Women/Community Self Help Group (WAB). They are assisted by a Nairobi-based NGO, the Development Alternatives Network (DAN).
WAB's chairperson is Lydiah Nyambura Kinyua, 32, a mother of six. She trained as a nursery school teacher after completing her primary education, and now runs her own nursery in Mathare. Five years ago she and a few other women decided to do something about their dismal situation. They started the self-help group. "If we don't help ourselves nobody else will," Kinyua says simply.
Barefoot children line the narrow, wet tracks separating the hovels of what Kinyua calls "the village." Structures exist wherever there is space, with no thought of access for vehicles or even a breeze. Most of the time a visitor either has to duck or walk sideways.
The only evidence that city authorities have noticed the community's plight are two public toilets whose systems collapsed long ago. The refuse everywhere, the excreta by the stream and the flies hovering over uncovered food items on sale give an indication of the problem at hand. There is no electricity, and the source of clean water is a tap owned by individuals who open it to those who have money. Prices depend on the supply.
With DAN's help, a programme has been put into place to improve sanitation and reduce the incidence of disease. First on the agenda was waste management: every morning women from the self-help group manually clean the two broken toilets. Thanks to the daily clearing, barefoot children have less risk of picking up diseases. The incidence of dysentery, diarrhoea and worms has been reduced by at least 30 per cent in recent months, says Pontianus M. Nthuli who oversees DAN's training wing. A child health monitoring project has improved the chances of survival of children in Mathare. Mothers have learned to weigh their children regularly as a way of monitoring their health.
Among DAN's priorities are a training programme to enable the self- help group to organize itself properly, teach it survival skills, and set its own agenda: water and sanitation; child health, family planning and drug-abuse control.
The NGO's intervention has brought the WAB crucial recognition, Nthuli notes."They feel recognized, people now know about them." One result is that the traditional chief of the Mathare area has allocated land to the settlement for a community pharmacy, and the City Council has agreed to provide 15 water pumps to be operated by the women.
Copyright 1995, Women's Feature Service

Informal settlements

2005-12-04T20:48:00.000Z

Informal settlements are called different things depending upon where you are in the world. Have a look at this site to find some of the most frequent names. It also includes a case study of informal settlements in New Delhi.

Revision activity - migration

2005-11-24T18:05:00.000Z

Work through the Bitesize unit about migration and have a go at the test bite. Use the link here.

Year 10 case study - Migration - Mexico to the USA

2005-11-24T17:38:00.000Z

Your homework is to read through the linked page. Add additional notes to your case study to explain the effects of the migration on the USA.

Year 11 mocks - practice questions

2005-11-17T12:18:00.000Z

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

A type of climate and its effects on people and the environment (Specimen June 2003)

(i) Name and locate a type of climate you have studied
(ii) Describe the main features of the climate type
(iii) Explain how it affects of has affected people and the environment

The effect of a type of climate on people and the environment over a whole year (June 2000)

(i) Name the climate type
(ii) Describe the climate type
(iii) Explain how it affects people and the environment over a whole year

A weather event (June 2001)

(i) Name a weather event you have studied
(ii) Describe how the weather event affected different groups of people and the environment
(iii) Explain why the weather event took place

A weather event caused by a high or low pressure weather system (June 2003)

(i) Name a location where you have studied a weather event
(ii) State whether the weather event was caused by a high or low pressure system
(iii) Describe how the weather event affected people and the environment
(iv) Explain what caused the weather event (use diagrams if you wish)

ECOSYSTEMS

The sustainable management of an ecosystem (Specimen June 2003)

(i) Name and locate an ecosystem you have studied
(ii) Describe how the ecosystem has been managed for sustainability
(iii) Explain how successful this management has been

Conserving an ecosystem that is being damaged (June 2001)

(i) Name and locate an ecosystem that is being damaged
(ii) Describe how the ecosystem is being damaged
(iii) Explain how different groups of people or organisations are trying to conserve this ecosystem

The effects of people on an ecosystem (June 2003)

(i) Name and locate an ecosystem you have studied
(ii) Describe the structure of the ecosystem referring to plants and animals (use diagrams if you wish)
(iii) Explain how and why people are changing (or have changed) the ecosystem structure

An ecosystem and changes caused by different groups of people (June 2000)

(i) Name the ecosystem
(ii) Describe the main features of the ecosystem
(iii) Explain how different groups of people have changed the ecosystem

WATER SUPPLY

A scheme to change the supply of water (June 2002)

(i) Name a place where the supply of water has been, or is being, changed by people
(ii) Describe how the supply of water was, or is being, changed
(iii) Explain how the changing water supply is affecting, or will affect, different groups of people or organisations

A water shortage and its effects on people and places (Specimen June 2003)

(i) Name a place which has been affected by a water shortage
(ii) Describe how the water shortage caused problems for people and the environment
(iii) Explain what is being done or could be done to prevent a water shortage in the future

RIVER AND COASTAL LANDFORMS

A landform created by a river and its use by people (Specimen June 2003)

(i) Name and locate a landform created by a river
(ii) Describe how it was formed (use maps and diagrams if you wish)
(iii) Explain how it hs been used by people

A river landform (June 2003)

(i) Name a place where you have studied a river landform. Name the type of landform and state whether it was crated by erosion or deposition
(ii) Describe how the river landform was created
(iii) Explain how the river landform has been OR is being used by people and/or organisations

A landform that brings advantages and disadvantages to an area (June 2001)

(i) Name and locate the landform
(ii) Describe how it was formed (draw maps and diagrams if you wish)
(iii) Explain how it brings advantages and disadvantages to the area

A landform formed by water action that attracts people (June 2002)

(i) Name a landform formed by water action that attracts people
(ii) Describe what attracts people to the landform
(iii) Explain how people’s use of the landform brings advantages and disadvantages

FLOODING AND FLOOD PREVENTION

The effects of a flood and flood prevention (June 2001)

(i) Name an area where flooding has taken place
(ii) Describe how the flood affected people and the environment
(iii) Explain what is being done or could be done to prevent flooding in this area

A place where a serious flood or a serious drought has affected people and the environment (June 2003)

(i) Name a place where you have studied a serious flood or a serious drought
(ii) Describe how the flood or drought affected people and the environment
(iii) Explain what people could do or have done to prevent the flood or drought affecting them in the future

MIGRATION

A place that people have migrated away from

(i) Name a place that people have migrated away from
(ii) State whether this place is urban (town or city) or rural (village or countryside)
(iii) Describe the facts that caused people to migrate. Refer to push and pull factors
(iv) Explain how the area they migrated away from was affected

A place from where people have migrated (June 2002)

(i) Name a place from where people have migrated
(ii) Describe the place they migrated away from
(iii) Explain why they moved away (refer to push and pull factors)

SERVICES

Improving services

(i) Name a place where services have been improved
(ii) State whether this place is in an urban (town or city) or rural (village or countryside) area
(iii) Describe how the services have been improved
(iv) Explain how these improvements affected different groups of people

The distribution of a service (June 2000)

(i) Choose a service you have studied from the list below: parks and public open spaces; leisure services; transport services; shopping services; offices; education services
(ii) Name the place where you have studied this service
(iii) Draw a sketch map to show the distribution of the service
(iv) Explain the distribution of the service

An area that has been improved in a town or city in an MEDC (June 2001)

(i) Name and locate an area that has been improved
(ii) Describe the problems that needed solving in the area
(iii) Explain how successful the improvements have been for different groups of people living in or close to this area

Changes in a land use or service (June 2002)

(i) Name a place you have studied where a land use or a service has changed
(ii) Describe how the land use or service has changed
(iii) Explain how the changed affected different groups of people and the environment

HOUSING

A planning scheme that affected the quality of housing for different groups of people (June 2000)

(i) Name the area
(ii) Describe the planning scheme
(iii) Explain how the scheme affected the quality of housing for different groups of people

Different types of housing in a town or city (June 2001)

For a named town or city in an LEDC or MEDC:
(i) Name the town or city
(ii) Describe the distribution of different types of housing (draw diagrams or sketch maps if you wish)
(iii) Explain why different groups of people live in these housing areas

An area that has been improved in a town or city in an MEDC (June 2001)

(i) Name and locate an area that has been improved
(ii) Describe the problems that needed solving in the area
(iii) Explain how successful the improvements have been for different groups of people living in or close to this area

Changes in a land use or service (June 2002)

(i) Name a place you have studied where a land use or a service has changed
(ii) Describe how the land use or service has changed
(iii) Explain how the changed affected different groups of people and the environment

CHANGING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

A country or region outside the UK where changing employment opportunities are affecting people and the area (Specimen June 2003)

(i) Name the country or region
(ii) Describe how the employment opportunities are changing
(iii) Explain how these changes are affecting people and the area

OVERSEAS INVESTMENT

The effect of overseas investment on a country or region (June 2000)

For a named country or region you have studied
(i) describe how overseas investment has affected employment opportunities
(ii) explain any social or environmental impacts that the overseas investment has had on the country or region

Overseas investment in an MEDC (June 2002)

(i) Name an MEDC you have studied
(ii) Describe the nature of the overseas investment in the MEDC
(iii) Explain how the overseas investment has affected people and the environment in the MEDC

A country or region of a country that has received or is receiving aid (June 2003)

(i) Name a country or region of a country that has received or is receiving aid
(ii) Describe the aid that has been given to the country or region
(iii) Explain the impact of aid on the country or region

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

A primary or secondary industrial development (June 2000)

(i) Name the industrial development
(ii) Draw an annotated sketch map to show its location
(iii) Explain any advantages or disadvantages of its present location

The effect of the location of a primary or tertiary economic activity on people and the environment (Specimen June 2003)

(i) Name and locate a primary or tertiary economic activity that you have studied
(ii) Describe the location of the activity (use diagrams if you wish)
(iii) Explain how this location has affected people and the environment

The location of a primary or tertiary economic activity (June 2003)

(i) Name a place where you have studied a primary or tertiary economic activity
(ii) State whether you are writing about a primary or tertiary activity
(iii) Draw a labelled sketch map to show the location of the activity
(iv) Explain the advantages and disadvantages of this location now

The location of new job opportunities (June 2002)

(i) Name a place where new job opportunities have been created
(ii) Draw a labelled sketch map to show the location of this place
(iii) Explain why the new job opportunities were created in this place (you may annotate your map to show this)

Boscastle Flood

2005-11-17T11:13:00.000Z

Have a look at this site for details of the cause of the flood and some of the damage it caused.

The case study questions in 2001 and 2003 required you to:

- name an area which had flooded
- explain the damage to people and the environment
- suggest ways in which damage could be limited in the future

World population growth - ICT activity

2005-11-06T11:22:00.000Z

Your homework is to complete the activity from this site. You will need access to the internet and Microsoft Excel. You can use the computers in the resource centre if necessary - they are available at lunchtime.

Interactive activity - weather systems

2005-11-03T11:11:00.000Z

Have a go at the starter, main and plenary activities about air masses and depressions. Link here.

Cross section through a depression - revision activity

2005-10-31T09:38:00.000Z

Have a go at the test from this site.

Depressions - an interactive activity

2005-10-28T19:02:00.000+01:00

Have a go at the activities from the NGFL website, using this link.

The 1976 drought

2005-10-28T17:54:00.000+01:00

Read through the link below and make notes about the 1976 drought - what happened, where it happened, when it happened, why it happened, who was affected and how they were affected.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/understanding/1976_drought.shtml

Glasgow - Gorbals

2005-10-09T15:31:00.000+01:00

Your homework task is to read through the following articles and write up a case study of urban renewal in Glasgow using the 5 W's framework (i.e. what, when, where, why, who).

http://www.rampantscotland.com/glasgow/glw_gorbals.htm

http://ensure.org/entrust/summary1/4.4.4.Glasgow.htm

http://www.scot-homes.gov.uk/news/press594.html

Standard of Living / Quality of Life

2005-10-08T14:20:00.000+01:00

Have a look at these articles. Make a note of the variables that they use when trying to asses quality of life / standard of living. Try to sort these variables into three lists - physical environment, social environment and economic environment.

BBC News - Vancouver is best place to live

BBC News - Ireland is named best country

Weather and Climate - Climate Zones

2005-10-01T13:57:00.000+01:00

Your homework is to read through this web-based tutorial and complete the test bite.

Corfe Castle

2005-09-04T15:47:00.000+01:00

Here is a 1:25,000 map of the village of Corfe Castle. You will need to refer to it to complete the homework sheet about settlement site and situation.

Settlement Functions

2005-09-04T15:45:00.000+01:00

Settlements may be multi-functional, and functions can change over time. Click here to read case studies of Benidorm and mining towns in South Wales.

Year 10 Fieldwork - Useful Links

2005-05-02T18:25:00.000+01:00

Principles of floodplain management (USA site)

Floodplain management factsheet (pdf file)

Here is a link to PPG25 Development and Flood Risk - this must be considered when deciding whether or not to grant planning permission.

The first section of this word document explains how the Cambridge City Council have to consider floodplain issues when deciding whether to grant planning permission for developments on the floodplain.

Here is a link to the Cam Valley Walk. It is a 'walk through time' i.e. it tells you about the natural history of the River Cam.

Here's a map of the River Cam's catchment area.

Photos of flooding on the River Cam from the Trinity First and Third website and from local photographers.

The Cambridge 2000 has a number of useful photos.

The CamToo project proposes digging a flood relief channel from Riverside to Fen Ditton.

Holderness Coast

2005-04-27T11:06:00.000+01:00

Click here for the webtask.

There are some useful press cuttings here.

Here's a case study of Mappleton, with photos.

And a useful satellite image.

Photos of the area.

Information about coastal protection, and managed retreat.

Mappleton photos.

River features

2005-02-18T11:17:00.000Z

Here are some animations to show how river landforms are created.

You can revise the formation of meanders and oxbow lakes at BBC Bitesize. You should have a go at the testbite to check your understanding of these river features.

These case study files about the River Eden in Cumbria allow you to check your understanding of river processes (erosion, transportation and deposition) and the landforms that they create. You should aim to make notes about the key landforms along the river. Make sure that you know how the upper, middle and lower courses of the river have been used by people.

Population changes on St Kilda

2004-11-14T17:28:00.000Z

Your task is to produce a PowerPoint presentation. You will have pages 110-111 of the OCR B Textbook to assist you in producing your presentation. You should also use the St Kilda website.

Your presentation should include the following items:

(a) A slide containing a map to show the location of the island of St Kilda, and a paragraph to explain that St Kilda is a remote and isolated part of the UK. You should try to include a detailed map of the island here as well.
(b) A slide describing the way of life on St Kilda in the 19th century, and suggestign why this way of life was sustainable for thousands of years.
(c) A slide explaining the facts which led to the decline in population 1850-1925.
(d) A slide explaining 'the evacuation' - Why did the islanders decide to leave? Who helped them?
(e) A slide discussing the main threats to the future of St Kilda - both natural and human.

If you have time, have a look at the webpages about working parties on St Kilda.

The planning process - what stages does an application go through?

2004-10-13T13:30:00.000+01:00

Our key question for this topic is 'Why do some people have more power than others to influence planning decisions for housing and service provision?'. This diagram shows how a typical planning application passes through various stages of the application process before permission is either granted or refused. It should help to provide you with a better understanding of the application process and the points at which interested parties can interact with it.

2004-10-13T13:29:00.000+01:00

Planning application - flowchart

Gentrification and studentification

2004-10-13T13:03:00.000+01:00

Gentrification occurs when deteriorated urban property is restored and upgraded by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people who originally lived in the area.

We watched a clip of the film Notting Hill to illustrate the changes than may be made to an area. It is important to remember that it is not just the property that changes with gentrification - the change in the population also brings about changes in the number and type of service available, and the character of the area evolves over time. Here is a link to a website that gives tips on how to 'spot' up-and-coming areas.

We also examined the way in which a youthful population (eg. university students) can change an area. Studentification is the process by which students move into and 'colonise' an area. The services provided in the area change to reflect the demands of the new population - eg. fast food restaurants, off licences, late-night supermarkets. Out case study was Lenton in Nottingham, which has been dubbed 'kebabland'. In Nottingham, a councillor has estimated that student numbers in theLenton area have risen from 14,000 to 35,000 in just a decade. Lenton has a student population of over 42%. As families leave the area, class sizes at local schools have fallen dramatically.Pubs have turned into theme bars that close in the student holidays, and rents have soared, pricing locals out of the market. Here is a link to an article from the Guardian about stduentification in Lenton.

Leeds city council is drawing up plans to deliberately change the population structure of some urban districts, in order to address the rising problems associated with a youthful student population. This article explains why.

Coin Street Development

2004-09-28T20:51:00.000+01:00

The Coin Street area of London lies between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge on the south bank of the River Thames.
Until World War II the area was used primarily for riverside warehousing, industrial and residential use. After the war much of the area was cleared and it was earmarked for comprehensive development. By 1970 it was largely derelict being partly owned by the Greater London Council (GLC) and partly by private bodies.
In the decade after 1974 local community groups fought a major campaign against plans for massive office developments. They drew up alternative plans for a mixed development including housing, a park, managed workshops and leisure activities. In 1984 they achieved a significant victory when Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB), a development trust and social enterprise set up by local residents, bought the whole site. Since then CSCB has overseen demolition of old buildings, completion of the South Bank riverside walkway, creation of Bernie Spain Gardens and Gabriel's Wharf market, refurbishment of Oxo Tower Wharf for mixed uses including shops, restaurants, retail design studios and flats, and building of 220 affordable homes for four fully-mutual Housing Co-operatives.
CSCB is currently planning a major mixed development including subsidised, cost-rent and market housing; a public swimming pool and indoor sports centre; and shops, dance studios and other uses on a site adjacent to the National Theatre. Next door it is planning a neighbourhood centre to provide childcare, youth and family support; learning and enterprise support; a creative arts and media programme; and social facilities for the local community.
Follow these links to find out more about the Coin Street project...
1. Official CSCB website
2. Channel 4 study guide to accompany the TV programme we watched in class
3. via3.net CSCB link
4. Case study of the Coin Street area from De Montfort University

London Docklands Redevelopment

2004-09-26T17:54:00.000+01:00

During the 19th century, the port of London was the busiest in the world. By 1970, the area was virtually derelict with few jobs, few amenities and poor living conditions.
The LDDC was set up in 1981 to try to improve the social, economic and environmental conditions of the area. It generated 22,000 new homes (of which many are luxury flats) and refurbished 10,000 former local authority houses. Several huge new shopping malls were built, and a whole range of leisure facilities were developed (eg. watersports marina, indoor sports centre). 750 hectares of derelict land were reclaimed, and over 60,000 jobs created during a 20 year period. The Docklands Light Railway, City Airport and Jubilee Line Underground extension haev opened up the area to new businesses.
However, most of the new jobs went to people living outside the area, as locals did not have the necessary skills. Many of the new houses were too expensive for local people to buy, and wealthy newcomers caused the local shop and recreational prices to rise. More money was spent on expensive houses and offices than on essential services such as hospitals, schools and care for the elderly. Newcomers did not mix with local people, and there was a breakdown of the Eastender's community.
Have a look at this link to a PowerPoint presentation about the LDDC. You might also like to have a go at the test bite from the BBC Bitesize revision site. There is a superb Interactive Tour of the Docklands which is linked to a worksheet about strategies for managing change in the area. Click here to access the files from the Wycombe High School website. You can also download a summary sheet from this site.

Leicester urban zones case study

2004-09-19T17:43:00.000+01:00

The following files will assist you in developing your case study of Leicester's urban zones.
Make sure you have looked at these images before we start the 'slice of services' urban transect activity. The transect is based on Narborough Road, which is the outer of the two roads running from the city centre to the south west of the city.

2004-09-19T17:41:00.000+01:00

Housing in Leicester

2004-09-19T17:36:00.000+01:00

Percentage of non-white population in Leicester

2004-09-19T17:33:00.000+01:00

Population density in Leicester

Land use in Huntingdon

2004-09-19T17:08:00.000+01:00

Have a look at the file below which shows land use zones in Huntingdon.
You could print the worksheet out and then use the clues to complete the key.

2004-09-19T17:07:00.000+01:00

Huntingdon land use zones

The Burgess and Hoyt models of urban structure

2004-09-19T16:41:00.000+01:00

Within an urban area, there are distinctive housing zones with distinctive groups of people living in them. This arises from the fact that there are inequalities in housing and access to housing.

Key points about the Burgess model (concentric zones):

The central business district (CBD) contains the large shops and office blocks. It is at the heart of the city.
The CBD is surrounded by the zone in transition. This zone contains the oldest, poorest quality housing and industry.
The next zone out from the centre is the low class housing. This type of housing is sometimes known as inner city housing. It is usually terraced houses, which are built along narrow streets. There is very little room for car parking.
The middle class housing is mainly inter-war. These houses usually have garages and are semi-detached.
The most expensive housing is on the edge of the city. These houses tend to be detached, with large gardens. They usually have a garage.

Here is a link to a web-based tutorial about the Burgess model.

Key points about the Hoyt model (sector model):

In the sector model, industry tends to grow along main roads, rivers and railways.
The low cost housing is found next to the industry. This is because the rich people can afford to pay more money for their housing, and they locate away from the industrial areas. The industrial areas are undesirable, due to visual, noise, and smoke pollution.
The highest cost housing is furthest away from the industrial sector. In British cities, the high cost housing tends to be to the west of the city, and the industry to the east. This is because the most common wind direction is from the south west – so the smoke does not go over the high cost homes.
Hoyt said that one sector could grow faster than others, so it would extend outwards beyond other parts of the city.
The newest buildings in each zone tend to be found on the edge of the city, just like in the concentric model.

Here is a web-based tutorial about the Hoyt model.

Out of town shopping centres

2004-09-15T16:29:00.000+01:00

The shopping hierarchy has changed with the introduction of large out of town shopping centres, such as Thurrock Lakeside and Bluewater (London, M25) and Metrocentre (Gateshead). The UK has 11 megacentres.
Town centres may be adversely affected by these megacentres - when shops in the town centre are forced to close because of the competition from out of town centres, residents' access to services in the urban area is affected.
Here is a link to the student information pack about the Bluewater centre. It opened in 1999 and was built in a former chalk pit. It cost £350 million to build, and employs about 7000 people. The equivalent of at least one busload of shoppers arrives every minute throughout the working day. There are over 320 high-quality shops, over 40 places to eat and drink, a 13-screen cinema, six man-made lakes with recreation activities available, parks to walk in, a water garden, and a mini sports stadium. There are 13000 car parking spaces, including special spaces for disabled shoppers.
How do you think that shops in the nearby towns of Darenth and Greenhithe have been affected by the opening of the Bluewater centre? How has traffic on the M25 been affected? How did the opening of the Bluewater centre affect the Thurrock Lakeside shopping centre?

The settlement hierarchy

2004-09-14T13:15:00.000+01:00

There are many more small settlements than there are large settlements. The settlement hierarchy is triangular in shape - small settlements (hamlets) at the base, rising through villages, small towns, large towns, cities and conurbatuions.
Larger settlements are further apart than smaller settlements. They offer a greater range of services, with the shops selling both low and high order goods. The area they serve (their sphere of influence) is greater than that of smaller settlements because the high order services have a higher threshold population.
We can also draw a shopping hierarchy - many corner shops (eg. Nasreen Darr on Histon Road), several suburban centres (eg. Pink Elephant, Tommy Tucker, Lunchbox on Milton Road), a couple of secondary centres (eg the Cambridge Retail Park on Newmarket Road, the Beehive Centre) and a CBD (central business district). Access to services in the urban area is dependent upon where you live, the form of transport you use, how far you are prepared to travel, your age/sex and where abouts in the urban area you live. Different residents have very different experiences of services in their home area. Here is a link to a web-based tutorial about the shopping hierarchy.

Settlement forms and functions

2004-09-07T11:15:00.000+01:00

Key points:
Settlement 'form' means 'shape'.
Settlements can be: isolated, dispersed, nucleated, loose-knit, linear or planned.
Here is a link to a website about settlement form. It includes hyperlinks to multimap aerial photos showing each of the six settlement forms that we studied.
To remember the settlement shapes, we built settlements from strawberry bootlaces and skittles. Would you prefer to eat an isolated settlement or a nucleated settlement built around a crossroads?
Settlement 'functions' are purposes (think body functions - things that parts of your body do... no need for examples here!).
Settlement functions change over time.
Many settlements perform more than one function.
Settlement growth and decline is often linked to the functions that a settlement performs.

What is a settlement?

2004-09-04T01:03:00.000+01:00

Key points
A settlement is somewhere people live. Settlements range in size. They can be permanent or temporary.
The site of a settlement is the physical land on which it is built.
The situation of a settlement describes where the settlement is located in relation to its surrounding features (eg. other settlements, mountains, rivers, communications).
Site factors include: wet-points, dry-points, building materials, defence, fuel supplies, food supplies, nodal points, bridging points, shelter and aspect.
Your notes should include definitions of each of these site factors and an example for each factor. Here is a link to a case study file about Langton Matravers (external link). And here is a powerpoint presentation about settlement site factors which allows you to drag and drop an imaginary settlement onto a suitable piece of land (its a very large file).
Homework = complete the worksheet about the site of Cambridge and the worksheet about the site and situation of Carlisle.

Welcome to GCSE Geography.

2004-09-01T17:00:00.000+01:00

Welcome to GCSE Geography.
Here is the blogspot as promised.
I will try to post to it either during or at the end of every lesson.
All GCSE Geographers should log onto the site at least once a week to check for homework tasks and updated lesson notes.
Just to get us started, here's a link to the OCR Geography 'B' specification.