GCSE Geography

What will be studied?

Geography helps make sense of the world around. It is hands on, it is relevant and it is fun. This exciting course offers a good balance of physical and human themes and investigates the link between them. Students will travel the world from the classroom, exploring case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), newly emerging economies (NEEs) and lower income countries (LICs). Topics of study include natural hazards, climate change, poverty, deprivation and the challenge of sustainable resource use. Students will be encouraged to understand their role in society, by considering different viewpoints, values and attitudes. There will be an outdoor learning element to the course with students undertaking two pieces of fieldwork.

Who will this course suit?

This course is well suited to students who are curious about the world around them.

Geography is a course for all-rounders. Students will use their literacy skills as some exam questions require extended writing. Numeracy skills are also needed as some questions require you to read graphs and make basic calculations. All of these will be developed during the course.

How is the course assessed?

This course is assessed by three exam papers.

Paper 1: Living with the natural environment (tectonic hazards, tropical storms, extreme weather in the UK, climate change, coasts and rivers, ecosystems). This paper is 1hr 30 minutes long and is worth 35% of the final grade.

Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment (urban issues and challenges, the changing economic world, resource management, energy). This paper is 1hr 30 minutes long and is worth 35% of the final grade.

Paper 3: Geographical application (issue evaluation, human geography fieldwork, physical geography fieldwork). This paper is 1 hour long and worth 30% of the final paper.