Our aim is to give you the confidence to achieve and to overachieve in this GCSE. Geography is an exciting and practical subject which stretches your horizons.
Geography counts towards the EBACC. It has the advantage of being classified as a Science and an Arts subject so links into a whole range of other subjects.
Geography will empower you with a multitude of skills and attributes. It will:
Enable you to empathise with other people’s lives.
Train you to put forward arguments in an analytical manner.
Encourage you to research and interrogate resources.
Build your teamwork qualities through field work.
Understand the patterns and processes that connect humans to the world around us
GCSE GEOGRAPHY
Paper 1: Living with the physical environment
Units:The challenge of natural hazards, Physical landscapes in the UK, The living world and Geographical skills.
How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes • 35% of GCSE Questions
Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment
Units:Urban issues and challenges, The changing economic world, The challenge of resource management and Geographical skills.
How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes • 35% of GCSE Questions
Paper 3: Geographical applications
Units: Issue evaluation, Urban Fieldwork, Physical Fieldwork and Geographical skills
How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour • 30% of GCSE • Pre-release resources made available from March in the year of the exam.
Quotes from Years 10 and 11
“The field work day was mint and it helped me improve my understanding of the subject.”
“Geography is a fun subject which I enjoy researching about coasts and events on the news.”
“I didn’t realise it is a Science and an Arts subject. It has good career prospects and fits in well with all the other subjects.”
“Geography is a great course and I look forward to the lessons. I plan to take it at A Level.”
FAQ's
How many exams are there?
We do 3 exams in Geography. Paper 1 covers physical geography. Paper 2 is on human geography. Paper 3 is the skills and fieldwork paper.
How many topics do I have to learn?
There are three topics on Paper 1:
Challenge of Natural Hazards
Living World
Physical landscapes
Three topics on Paper 2:
Urban issues and Challenges
Changing Economic World
The Challenge of Resources
Then there are 3 topics on Paper 3:
Issue Evaluation
Geographical skills
Fieldwork
Are there any opportunities for fieldwork?
Yes! You will complete a physical field trip in Y10 and a human trip in Y11.
How long is the course?
Two academic years.
Is there any coursework?
There is no coursework element in GCSE Geography. You will have 3 exams at the end of Y11.
Which teacher will I have?
This will depend on timetabling.
How useful is GCSE Geography as a subject?
Geography is a great subject, it links to Arts and Sciences and gives a really good understanding of many contemporary issues such as climate change, flood risk and development.
Do I have to choose between Geography and History?
No, you will be able to study both subjects.
What are ‘Case Studies’?
These are examples of the various topics that we study in the real world. For example when we study The Living World topic, the case study is The Amazon Tropical Rainforest.
Do I have to do Duke of Edinburgh?
No, Duke of Edinburgh is separate to GCSE Geography
What can I do with GCSE Geography in the future?
GCSE Geography will set you up for future study (e.g. A Levels in Geography, Biology, etc.). The skills (e.g. statistics) you will learn are very transferable to most subjects and careers. Geography is considered as an Arts and a Science subject so it is a broad subject which will keep your options open into the future.