A-level Geography

Course duration: 2 years
Coursework: 25%
Contact teacher: Mr Bond

A-level Geography gives you a strong foundation for understanding the two main themes of the subject: human geography and physical geography. Between them, these two themes are what makes our planet tick. Human geography deals with how people and the environment interact. It also looks at how people and groups move and live in the world around us. For example, you’ll learn about things you see in the papers and on the news every day, including issues of sustainability. Physical geography on the other hand, is all about the scientific aspects of our world, with an emphasis on how we can manage them.

The end result of studying human and physical geography is that you’ll have a better understanding of how mankind and the Earth work together. It’s not all theory either, you will get the opportunity to visit places of geographic interest and roll up your sleeves with some fieldwork. In the classroom during the first year (AS) you’ll get a solid grounding in Geography. Human and physical geography are studied with two compulsory subjects - such as flood management and population change - along with optional subjects of your choosing. Those optional subjects include food, energy or health issues.

There will also be geographic investigative work and fieldwork. In the second year you’ll study topics such as tectonics, climate change, world cities and the development of societies, as well as more fieldwork opportunities.

How will I be assessed ?

Each year you’ll have two written exams. In the first year, the paper on your classroom work provides 70% of your marks for AS, and the fieldwork paper provides 30% of your marks. Similarly in the second year, but the weighting changes to 60% for the classroom studies paper and 40% for the fieldwork paper.

What else do I need to know ?

There will be natural progression from GCSE to A Level, ensuring that there is development of subject knowledge.
Students will be given the opportunity to develop fieldwork skills and study geographical issues and impacts. You need to be aware of the world around you and you need to have a keen interest in the news, particularly the human and physical processes that are behind world events