Geography

GCSE Geography encourages students to ‘think like geographers’ by developing an enquiry approach to contemporary topics of study. This qualification integrates fieldwork and geographical skills into the content and assessments giving a holistic approach to the subject.

EXAM BOARD: OCR

HOW IS THE COURSE ASSESSED?

Students will sit three examination papers at the end of the course. There is no longer any controlled assessment.

WHAT WILL YOU STUDY?

We study Human and Physical Geography. Physical Geography includes: Global hazards, Sustaining ecosystems, Changing Climate and Distinctive Landscapes.

Human Geography includes the topics Urban Futures, UK in the 21st Century, Resource Reliance and Dynamic Development.

Students also have to go on a Physical and Human Geography fieldtrip in order to collect data. These skills will also be tested in the examination papers.

COMPONENT 1: Our Natural World

The natural world contains a rich diversity of distinctive landscapes and ecosystems which are constantly changing through physical processes and human interactions. This component gives learners the opportunity to explore the natural world they live in, to understand why it looks the way it does and appreciate its value. It includes investigation of global hazards which humans face as well as an examination of how the climate is changing and what this means for the world today. Learners study the distinctive landscapes that surround them and the ecosystems that help sustain the life on Earth.

COMPONENT 2: People and Society

This component investigates patterns and processes that shape the human planet. It explores the connections between people and places, questioning how these may change over time and space. The component examines the social, cultural, political and economic forces that make places unique. It identifies urban trends, how people live in cities and what the future holds. This component provides the opportunity to study the causes of development inequalities, the UK’s significance in the 21st century and one of the biggest threats to human society – our attempts to feed an ever-increasing global population.

COMPONENT 3: Geographical Exploration

The assessment of this component will be fully synoptic in nature and will draw on both the Our Natural World 01 and People and Society 02 components. Although there is no specific content prescribed within the assessment of this component, it is anticipated that content from a range of topics within both the Our Natural World 01 and People and Society 02 components will be applied, as appropriate, in relation to a specific unseen country context. The synoptic nature of bringing together ideas from different topics will allow learners to ‘think like a geographer’.

MORE INFORMATION

If you have any further questions, please speak to Mrs Chester.

You can also find more detailed information on the OCR website.

GCSE - Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1) - J384 (from 2016) - OCR