This course includes three components:
Unit 1: Living in the UK today
Study the dynamic and diverse geography of the UK, exploring the distinctive physical and human environments, the processes which drive them and the challenges they create.
Unit 2: The world around us
Explore the complexities of the planet and its interconnections. Examine the changing, dynamic nature of physical and human environments, the role of decision-makers and the sustainable nature and management of these environments.
Unit 3: Geographical skills and fieldwork assessment
Geographical skills are integrated into all aspects of the subject. You will learn these skills in Components 1 and 2, as you begin to ‘think geographically’ and apply skills in a range of contexts.
Geographical skills:
- Cartographic
- Graphical
- Numerical
- Statistical
Fieldwork
Fieldwork opportunities for both physical and human topics will allow you to collect primary data, and learn appropriate techniques of data presentation, interpretation and to draw relevant geographical conclusions.
You will also evaluate your fieldwork techniques, the strengths and weaknesses of the presentation and analytical techniques used and the validity of your findings. The skills and techniques overlap significantly with those taught in GCSE Mathematics, providing an opportunity to reinforce your skills and understand real-life applications.
Examination papers (60%)
Unit 1: Living in the UK today – 1 hour written paper (30%)
Unit 2: The World around us – 1 hour written paper (30%)
Geographical skills (40%)
Unit 3: Geographical skills and fieldwork assessment – 1 hour and 30 minutes (40%)
Students answer all questions in Unit 1 and Unit 2. Examination questions include short answers, structured answers and those requiring longer continuous prose, usually with reference to a case study. Marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar are included in all examination units.