Geography A-Level
“Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?”
Examination: The course is examined in January and June of both Year 12 and Year 13
Course details
Unit 1: Global Challenges
- Topic 1: World at Risk
- Topic 2: Going Global
Unit 2: Geographical Investigations
- Topic 1: Crowded Coasts
- Topic 2: Urban Problems, Planning and Regeneration
- Fieldwork Investigation
Unit 3: Contested Planet
- Topic A1: Atmosphere and Weather Systems
- Topic A2: Biodiversity Under Threat
- Topic B1: Energy Security
- Topic C1: Superpower Geographies
Unit 4: Researching Geography
- Option 1: Tectonic Activity and Hazards
- Option 2: Feeding the World’s People
- Option 3: Cultural Diversity: People and Landscapes
- Option 4: Human Health and Disease
Assessment overview, duration and weighting
Paper 1 - Written examination 1 hour and 45 minutes (30% of qualification - 90 marks)
Paper 2 - Written examination 1 hour and 30 minutes (20% of qualification - 60 marks)
Paper 3 - Written examination 2 hours (30% of qualification - 90 marks)
Paper 4 - Written examination 1 hour and 30 minutes (20% of qualification - 60 marks)
| Exam Papers | % of IAL | Assessment overview |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 - Global Challenges (Jan Y12) | 30 | Section A: Data response and short-answer questions. Section B: Choice of longer/guided essay questions, on either Topic 1: World at Risk or Topic 2: Going Global. |
| Paper 2 - Geographical Investigations (June Y12) | 20 | Section A: Data response and short-answer questions on Topics 1 and 2: Crowded Coasts and Urban Problems, Planning and Regeneration. Section B: Compulsory short-answer questions on research and fieldwork investigation. Section C: Choice of one fieldwork question, on either Topic 1: Crowded Coasts or Topic 2: Urban Problems, Planning and Regeneration. |
| Paper 3 - Contested Planet (June Y13) | 30 | Section A: Longer/guided essay questions and a synoptic question. Section B: Choice of one data response/essay question from two topics (B1 or B2). Section C: Choice of one data response/essay question from two topics (C1 or C2). |
| Paper 4 - Researching Geography (Jan Y13) | 20 | Students will be given a list of questions based on the four options. Students will select and answer one question that relates to the option they have studied. |
Wider reading
World News
National Geographic Magazine – National Geographic Society.
Geofiles.
Marshall T, 2016, Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics, Elliot & Thompson Ltd (ISBN 978-1783962433).
Rosling H, 2018, Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About The World – And Why Things Are Better Than You Think, Sceptre (ISBN 978-1473637467).
Dorling D, 2013, Population 10 Billion, Constable (ISBN 978-1780334912).
Muir-Wood R, 2016, The Cure for Catastrophe: How We Can Stop Manufacturing Natural Disasters, One World Publications (ISBN 978-1786070050).
Morton O, 2016, The Planet Remade, Granta (ISBN 978-1783780983).
Would you like to know more?
Visit the campus in La Moraleja or ask us anything. We answer within 24 hours on working days.