GCSE Geography covers:
Living with the physical environment: The challenge of natural hazards Physical landscapes in the UK Coastal landscapes in the UK River landscapes in the UK Glacial landscapes in the UK
The living world: Challenges in the human environment Urban issues and challenges The changing economic world The challenge of resource management
Geographical skills: Introduction to fieldwork - AQA Cartographic skills - AQA Improve your graphical skills - AQA Numerical and statistical skills - AQA Qualitative and quantitative data - AQA
Subject aims are explicit and include references to knowing geographical material, thinking like a geographer, studying like a geographer and applying geographical material.
Location and place knowledge are required, including the geography of the UK, in overview and through depth study. This means more than providing ‘case studies’ within the UK, but developing knowledge of UK landscapes, environmental challenges, changing economy and society.
Skills requirements set out the expectations for the use of maps, data (including geographic information systems) and fieldwork. Students must be offered different approaches to fieldwork undertaken in at least two contrasting environments and schools must confirm that they have offered all students these opportunities. There is no non-exam assessment, instead fieldwork is assessed within examination papers.
There are explicit expectations around the use of mathematical and statistical skills and the use of extended writing.
Physical geography content includes: geomorphic processes and landscape, including at least two distinctive landscapes within the UK; extreme weather conditions, natural weather hazards, the global circulation of the atmosphere; climate change from the beginning of the Quaternary period to the present day.
Environmental geography content covers: large scale global ecosystems, including two selected ecosystems; issues related to biodiversity and to sustainable ecosystem management; resource management with detailed study of either food, energy or water resource use.
Human geography content addresses: rapid urbanisation; study of a major city in what the requirements term an ‘economically advanced’ (meaning high-income) country and a ‘poorer country or recently emerging economy’ (referring to low- and middle-income economies); global economic development issues, including the changing context in at least one ‘poorer country or a newly emerging economy’.
In terms of assessment, all geography GCSE specifications must meet Ofqual’s general regulations for GCSEs and for GCSE geography
A numerical 9–1 grading system is used, rather than letter grades.
Examinations are not tiered: all candidates take the same papers.
There are four assessment objectives. The overall weighting of these is common to all specifications, but the way these are weighted within particular papers varies between specification: AO1: Demonstrate knowledge of locations, places, processes, environments and different scales. AO2: Demonstrate geographical understanding of concepts and how they are used in relation to places, environments and processes, and the inter-relationships between places, environments and processes. AO3: Apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues and to make judgements. AO4: Select, adapt and use a variety of skills and techniques to investigate questions and issues and communicate findings.
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