GEOGRAPHY
A Level Geography provides a contemporary and dynamic opportunity for students to engage with the world around them. The aim is to inspire a love of Geography for lifelong learning, drawing on issues that are relevant to a student’s own learning of the subject in a variety of contexts. The A Level specification has been designed to strengthen geographical and fieldwork skills gained at IGCSE and delve more deeply into content.
Who should choose to study Geography for A Level? Geography can be taken in combination with either Arts or Science subjects and it is not necessary for students to have studied the subject to GCSE/IGCSE level, although such study does convey certain advantages. Geography offers students the opportunity to develop their debating and discussion skills, and their statistical and analytical skills as well as applying an evaluative approach in extended writing. There are numerous transferable skills gained through Geography which can be utilised by students across all subjects as well as in their future careers.
University and Job Prospects Geography is studied by many in order to develop an array of skills, and a depth of knowledge and understanding, which prove essential in the workplace and at university. Students who have studied Geography will have the ability to compose a logical argument and debate issues with confidence and determinism. They will approach problems in an investigative and analytical manner, allowing them to look at all aspects of the issue, before drawing supported conclusions, whilst also evaluating any limitations encountered. Those who continue to study Geography as an undergraduate are able to develop these skills further and more than 60% of geography graduates are in full-time employment within six months of graduating, with the most popular areas of work including marketing, the environment, management consultancy and business analysis. As quoted in The Guardian: “ Geography: it’s the must-have A Level… it is inherently multidisciplinary in a world that increasingly values people who can work across the physical and social sciences… Geography’s all the rage.”
OCR Specification & Assessment (H481) There are 3 examination papers which include a mixture of short-answer, medium tariff and extended response questions. There is also an internally-assessed & externally-moderated independent investigation.
Physical Systems
Human Interactions
1 hour 30 minutes - 22% This involves the study of: Landscape Systems: Coastal, Glaciated or Drylands. Earth’s Life Support Systems: Tropical Rainforests and Arctic Tundra and the importance of water and carbon to life on earth.
1 hour 30 minutes - 22% This involves the study of: Changing Spaces; Making Places: Contrasting places at a local scale and understanding economic change and social inequality. Global Connections - Global Systems: Trade in the contemporary world or Global Migration; Global Governance: Human Rights or Power and Borders.
Geographical Debates 2 hour 30 minutes - 36% This involves the study of two of the following debates: Climate Change; Disease Dilemmas; Exploring Oceans; Future of Food; Hazardous Earth.
Investigative Geography 3,000-4,000 words - 20% This is an internally-assessed and externally-moderated assessment, which is an independent geographical investigation conducted by each candidate based on primary and secondary data. This element of the course includes a compulsory residential field trip.
Head of Department: Mrs LJ Gibbs - ljg@kes.hants.sch.uk
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