Geography

Key Stage 4 Year 10

GCSE - WJEC Geography B

WJEC GCSE Geography Specification B is one of two new ‘strengthened’ GCSE Geography courses offered by WJEC. The specification has an ethos of student-centred geographical enquiry.

GCSE Geography B focuses the minds of students on the geographical issues that are relevant to their generation. Students have the opportunity to consider stakeholder views on a variety of geographical issues and, in doing so; become knowledgeable, yet critical, geographers.

One distinctive feature of the specification is the opportunity for students to develop and refine their problem solving and decision making skills, skills that are assessed through external assessment in Unit 2B.

Unit 1 is assessed by a 1 hour paper. It is worth 30% of the total marks. Unit 1 is split into two themes.

Theme 1: Challenges of living in a built environment

 

Quality of life / access to housing

Access to / changing service provision

Urbanisation

Planning issues in built environments

Rural change & planning issues

 

Theme 2: Physical processes and relationships between people and environments

 

Weather and climate

Ecosystems

The issue of desertification

River processes / landforms

Coastal processes / management

 

Unit 2 is assessed by two hour paper that is has distinct parts. Overall, Unit 2 is worth 45% of the total marks.

 

Unit 2A is a 30 minute paper which assesses the content of theme 3.

Theme 3: Uneven development and sustainable environments

Employment structures / opportunities

Location of economic activities

Economic activity and the environment

Development

Development issues and water

 

Unit 2B is a 1 hour 30 minute paper. It is a problem solving paper and may assess knowledge and understanding of any part of the specification.

 

Controlled Assessment

 

Candidates complete one controlled assessment task based on a fieldwork enquiry. It is worth 25% of the total marks.

 

Each paper has two tiers:

 

Higher Tier targeting grades A* - D

Foundation Tier targeting grades C – G

 

What are the advantages of studying Geography.

 

Geographers are taught a wide range of skills drawing in ideas from many sources. This ability to view issues from a wider perspective is useful for working in many different areas. The nature of peoples’ working lives is changing. It is becoming less likely that someone will spend all his or her life doing one type of job (the so-called job for life). If your career path is going to be varied then you will need to develop transferable skills and you will need to be flexible. Geography encourages these qualities and provides a good base for lifelong learning.

 

What do Geography courses provide.

 
• Employers want people with good communication skills – Geography courses include a wide range of written and        oral skills, writing essays, projects and oral presentations.

 
• Employers want people who are numerate – Geographers are used to handling and

   interpreting data.

 
• Employers want people who can analyse their work – Geographical enquiries at GCSE and A Level provide                opportunities for this.

 
• Employers want people who can manage themselves – these skills are developed when undertaking geographical        enquiries.

 
• Employers want people who can ask questions and then find answers – Geographers can pose problems and              investigate the answers.

 

Is Geography a good choice.

 

The skills you use in Geography can be useful to a wide range of employers. The close link between the subject and the world around us means there is a long list of related careers.

Examples include working with development or aid agencies, environmental work, planning in local authorities, census work and tourism. There are small samples of jobs and most of these only involve one part of the broad subject of Geography.
 

 

Key Stage 4 Year 11

GCSE - WJEC Geography B

WJEC GCSE Geography Specification B is one of two new ‘strengthened’ GCSE Geography courses offered by WJEC. The specification has an ethos of student-centred geographical enquiry.

GCSE Geography B focuses the minds of students on the geographical issues that are relevant to their generation. Students have the opportunity to consider stakeholder views on a variety of geographical issues and, in doing so; become knowledgeable, yet critical, geographers.

One distinctive feature of the specification is the opportunity for students to develop and refine their problem solving and decision making skills, skills that are assessed through external assessment in Unit 2B.

Unit 1 is assessed by a 1 hour paper. It is worth 30% of the total marks. Unit 1 is split into two themes.

Theme 1: Challenges of living in a built environment

 

Quality of life / access to housing

Access to / changing service provision

Urbanisation

Planning issues in built environments

Rural change & planning issues

 

Theme 2: Physical processes and relationships between people and environments

 

Weather and climate

Ecosystems

The issue of desertification

River processes / landforms

Coastal processes / management

 

Unit 2 is assessed by two hour paper that is has distinct parts. Overall, Unit 2 is worth 45% of the total marks.

 

Unit 2A is a 30 minute paper which assesses the content of theme 3.

Theme 3: Uneven development and sustainable environments

Employment structures / opportunities

Location of economic activities

Economic activity and the environment

Development

Development issues and water

 

Unit 2B is a 1 hour 30 minute paper. It is a problem solving paper and may assess knowledge and understanding of any part of the specification.

 

Controlled Assessment

 

Candidates complete one controlled assessment task based on a fieldwork enquiry. It is worth 25% of the total marks.

 

Each paper has two tiers:

 

Higher Tier targeting grades A* - D

Foundation Tier targeting grades C – G

 

What are the advantages of studying Geography.

 

Geographers are taught a wide range of skills drawing in ideas from many sources. This ability to view issues from a wider perspective is useful for working in many different areas. The nature of peoples’ working lives is changing. It is becoming less likely that someone will spend all his or her life doing one type of job (the so-called job for life). If your career path is going to be varied then you will need to develop transferable skills and you will need to be flexible. Geography encourages these qualities and provides a good base for lifelong learning.

 

What do Geography courses provide.

 
• Employers want people with good communication skills – Geography courses include a wide range of written and        oral skills, writing essays, projects and oral presentations.

 
• Employers want people who are numerate – Geographers are used to handling and

   interpreting data.

 
• Employers want people who can analyse their work – Geographical enquiries at GCSE and A Level provide                opportunities for this.

 
•Employers want people who can manage themselves – these skills are developed when undertaking geographical         enquiries.

 
•Employers want people who can ask questions and then find answers – Geographers can pose problems and               investigate the answers.

 

Is Geography a good choice

 

The skills you use in Geography can be useful to a wide range of employers. The close link between the subject and the world around us means there is a long list of related careers.

Examples include working with development or aid agencies, environmental work, planning in local authorities, census work and tourism. There are small samples of jobs and most of these only involve one part of the broad subject of Geography.