The Common Entrance prescription requires rather more global locations than does the National Curriculum at this stage, and an investigation, worth 20% of the final mark, is assessed internally before being sent on to the public school for moderation.

Not surprisingly maps are an important aspect of the subject, and there is a compulsory Ordnance Survey section in the Common Entrance exam. Whilst pupils progress from a diagram of their desktop to one of the solar system between Forms I and IV, it is the interpretation of maps which comes to the fore in the final two years. Sensibly, scholarship papers are increasingly including compulsory mapwork questions.

In general our approach is to encourage an inquiring mind. Often the ‘What’ and ‘Where’ are straightforward learning, so stressing the ‘Why’ from an early age hopefully allows increasingly sensible deductions and predictions.

In covering such topics as mining, national parks, use and misuse of resources, climates and natural vegetation, and earthquakes and volcanoes, we show man’s dependence on nature and vice-versa. Through this and by emphasising the variety and beauty of differing environments, hopefully a sense of responsibility for one’s surroundings is inculcated.

Parental input is encouraged, particularly in any project work - as long as this is acknowledged by the pupil. Perhaps parents could encourage some map reading in the car, ensure there is some weather measuring equipment at home, and, of course, go abroad: these can all help bring the subject home!

David Howard