This exciting and relevant course studies geography around 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, Alaska, India, Brazil, China and the continent of Africa.
Topics of study include climate change, coasts, natural hazards, rivers, rainforests, poverty, deprivation, urbanisation, global shifts in economic power and the challenge of sustainable resource use. Students are also encouraged to understand their role in society, by considering different viewpoints, values and attitudes. Fieldwork is a key part of the course and students will go on two fieldtrips to Dawlish and Plymouth City Centre.
Homework is set on Seneca learning. Students can access the KS4 Learning Café to receive support with their homework.
Assessment in Geography aims to capture the progress students are making and to identify gaps in student learning. This will follow the schools 12 week assessment cycle and will be past exam papers. Teacher feedback will be given and students can resolve misconceptions and swiftly develop further knowledge and skills.
All students follow the reformed AQA GCSE (9-1) in geography.
Summative assessment will be in the form of 3 terminal exams. The first exam is on the Human topic, the second on the Physical topics. Fieldwork and skills will be assessed in the third exam, alongside advanced information on a topic in the course.
Exam Paper Distribution
Paper 1: Living with the physical environment
What is assessed?
3.1.1 The challenge of natural hazards
3.1.2 The living world
3.1.3 Physical landscapes in the UK
3.4 Geographical skill
How it is assessed:
• Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
• 88 marks (including 3 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology (SPaG))
• 35% of GCSE
Questions:
• Section A: answer all questions (33 marks)
• Section B: answer all questions (25 marks)
• Section C: answer any two questions from questions 3, 4 and 5 (30 marks)
• Question types: multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response, extended prose
Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment
What is assessed?
3.2.1 Urban issues and challenges
3.2.2 The changing economic world
3.2.3 The challenge of resource management
3.4 Geographical skills
How it is assessed:
• Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
• 88 marks (including 3 marks for SPaG)
• 35% of GCSE
Questions:
• Section A: answer all questions (33 marks)
• Section B: answer all questions (30 marks)
• Section C: answer question 3 and one from questions 4, 5 or 6 (25 marks)
• Question types: multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response, extended prose
Paper 3: Geographical applications
What is assessed?
3.3.1 Issue evaluation
3.3.2 Fieldwork
3.4 Geographical skills
How it is assessed:
• Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
• 76 marks (including 6 marks for SPaG)
• 30% of GCSE
• Pre-release resources booklet made available 12 weeks before Paper 3 exam
Questions:
• Section A: answer all questions (37 marks)
• Section B: answer all questions (39 marks)
• Question types: multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response, extended prose
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