Geography
All students will follow the AQA geography specification for GCSE. They will begin the course in Year 9 and dependant on progress and ability may have the opportunity to complete it at the end of Year 10.
Geography enables students to study issues which affect our everyday life, both now and in the future. The course is designed to deliver transferrable skills, essential when entering higher education or employment.
AQA Level 2
The course is equivalent to 1 GCSE qualification, during which students will study a mixture of human and physical topics.
The course also provides the opportunity for the planning and undertaking of a range of fieldwork activities.
Progression
The course offers progression to A Level geography and would also support students with other social science A Levels they have not previously studied.
Course Content
During the course students will study the following:
- Living with the physical environment: natural hazards, rivers, coasts and ecosystems.
- Challenges in the human environment: urbanisation, population and development.
- Geographical applications and skills: This includes two compulsory fieldwork data collection trips.
Fieldwork and map skills are also integrated into units of study throughout the GCSE course.
Assessment
At the end of the course students will be assessed through three examinations:
Paper 1 – Living with the physical environment – 1hr 30 minute paper worth 35% of the total GCSE.
Paper 2 – Challenges in the human environment - – 1hr 30 minute paper worth 35% of the total GCSE.
Paper 3 - Geographical applications 1hr 15 minute paper worth 30% of the total GCSE. A pre-release paper is available 12 weeks prior to the exam to aid preparation.