GCSE GEOGRAPHY

There has never been a more important time to study Geography. The world we live in is set to change more in the next 50 years than it ever has done before. Geography explains why and helps to prepare you for these changes.

This exciting course is based on a balanced range of physical and human geography. It will enable you to investigate links between the two themes and examine the battles between man-made and natural worlds. If you currently enjoy geography and have a keen interest in real issues that affect us all then this subject would be an excellent choice. Geography also develops a broad range of transferable skills such as information analysis, critical evaluation and analysis.

How is the course structured?

100% exam. 3 Exams all completed at the end of Year 11 - You will need to be good at writing and examinations.

PAPER 1: Living with the Physical Environment. 1.5 hours – 35% of the GCSE.

Topics: Tectonic Hazards, Climatic Hazards, Climate Change, The Living World (Tropical rainforests and hot deserts), Physical landscapes in the UK (Coasts and rivers).

PAPER 2: Challenges in the Human Environment. 1.5 hours – 35% of the GCSE.

Topics: Urban issues and challenges (Urban change and sustainability), The Changing Economic World (Development and the changing UK economy), The Challenge of Resource Management (Food, Water and Energy)

PAPER 3: Geographical Applications and Skills

Topics: Issue evaluation, fieldwork and geographical skills. In order to complete this paper, there will be 2 days of fieldwork. One day in a physical environment and another in a human environment.

What does it lead to?

The new geography GCSE provides an excellent basis for A-Level both in Geography and a range of other subjects including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Sociology and Politics.

Employers, VI Form Colleges and Universities value the important range of transferable skills that geography delivers. Indeed, geography has one of the highest graduate employment rates of any subject. It is broad, giving a breadth of study, it teaches fieldwork skills, teamwork, data analysis and it gives students a truly global outlook in an increasingly interdependent world.