Key Stage 4 Geography

Curriculum Content

Geography

Paper 1: Physical Geography

Three topics are chosen. One from section A, one from section B and one more from either A or B.

Section A:

  1. The Restless Earth
  2. Rocks, resources and scenery
  3. Challenge of weather and climate
  4. Living World

Section B:

  1. Water on the land
  2. Ice on the land
  3. The coastal zone

Paper 2: Human Geography

Three topics are chosen. One from section A, one from section B and one more from either A or B.

Section A:

  1. Population change
  2. Changing urban environments
  3. Changing rural environments

Section B:

  1. The development gap
  2. Globalisation
  3. Tourism

Controlled Assessment

This involves the taking part in fieldwork in order to collect data for the production of a report based on a key area of the syllabus. This is designed to assess numerous skills including group work, geographical understanding, problem solving, numeracy and literacy. This is completed over 20 hours within class time.

Geography

Teaching Methods

A variety of methods will be adopted which will include written work, maps, photographs, group work, simulations, ICT, video and fieldwork. Fieldwork is compulsory and it may be necessary to request a small charge for it. The examination papers and coursework will test your knowledge, skills and understanding of the geographical themes in the syllabus.

Resources

There will be a core course text which will be supplemented by teacher produced materials. Materials are kept up to date and topical through our subscriptions to on line resources of Geo Active and Geo file, the Geographical magazine and the internet.

Skills and Knowledge

Pupils are encouraged to develop:

  1. Fieldwork skills (observing and recording).
  2. Graphicacy (constructing and interpreting maps and graphs) skills.
  3. Describing, explaining, concluding and evaluating fieldwork data skills.

Assessment

The GCSE syllabus to be used is AQA 4032 (Geography A).

Examination:

  • Paper one 1½ hours 37.5% of total marks
  • Paper two 1½ hours 37.5% of total marks
  • Coursework 25% of total marks

There are two tiers of assessment:

    Foundation aimed at grades (G - C)
  • Higher aimed at grades (D - A*)
  • The syllabus content is the same for both tiers.