Geography

Assessment

Unit Title Method of Assessment Topics Covered Weighting Paper 1: Living with the physical environment Exam (1 hour 30 min) Natural hazards: Tectonics, Weather & Climate Change Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforests & Hot Deserts. Physical Landscapes in the UK: Coastal Landscapes, River Landscapes 35% of GCSE 1hr 30 mins 85 marks +3 SPG Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment Exam (1 hour 30 min) The Global Pattern of Urban Change: Urban Growth in Nigeria, Urban Challenges in the UK, Sustainable Development of Urban Areas. Economic Development and Quality of Life: Reducing the Development Gap, Economic Development in Nigeria, Economic Development in the UK. Global Resource management: Resources in the UK, Food 35% of GCSE 1hr 30 mins 85 marks +3 SPG Paper 3: Geographical applications Exam (1 hour 15 min) Issue Evaluation (Pre-release analysis received 12 weeks before exam) Fieldwork and Geographical Enquiry (inc. map skills, graph skills, data analysis) 30% of GCSE 1hr 15 mins 70 marks + 6 SPG A Level At A Level, the AQA syllabus is taught over 2 years. Topics include water and carbon cycles, coastal systems and landscapes, hazards, global systems and global governance, changing places and population and the environment. A fieldwork project, based on water and carbon cycles is carried out at the end of Year 12 (worth 30%). Unit Title Method of Assessment Topics Covered Weighting Unit 1: Physical Geography Exam (2hours 30mins) Multiple choice, short answer, levels of response and extended prose A: Water and Carbon Cycles (answer all qus 36 marks) B: Coastal systems and landscapes (answer qu 3. worth 36 marks) C: Hazards (answer qu 5. worth 48 marks) 40% of A Level 120 marks Unit 2: Human Geography Exam (2hours 30mins) Multiple choice, short answer, levels of response and extended prose A: Global systems and global governance (answer all qus 36 marks) B: Changing places (answer all qus 36 marks) C: Population and the Environment (answer qu. 4 worth 48 marks) 40% of A Level 120 marks Unit 3: Geography Fieldwork Investigation Coursework 3000-4000 words Marked by teachers, moderated by AQA Individual investigation based on primary data collection on water and carbon cycles in Malham Tarn, North Yorkshire. 20% of A Level 60 marks Assessment is an important part of learning in geography. Small assessments are carried out regularly, with a bigger assessment every half term to monitor understanding of content. These are marked using approximate percentages. Formal assessments include, end of topic tests, homework projects, group presentations and formal examinations. Key Stage 3 percentages are recorded at the front of their exercise books. GCSE assessment mainly focuses on examination practice; varying between timed questions, homework tasks and open book activities. Year 9 assessments are in line with the GCSE specification and will be graded 1-9.