Students complete three exams for this course and topics are split into human geography, physical geography and geography skills.

Challenges in the human environment:

Urban issues and challenge - A study of cities and their changing nature. 50% of us currently live in urban areas and this is projected to be 70% by 2050. Managing the world’s urban areas is truly a challenge for the 21^st Century.

The changing economic world - We live in a divided economic world which is constantly changing. This raises many issues of development and the students consider how this affects people living in different economic states across the world.

The challenge of resource management - We are overusing the world’s resources. Experts predict we would need the equivalent of 1.5 earths to support our current usage and this is going to get worse. This unit looks at where these challenges are and how they affect people across the world.

Living with the physical environment:

The challenge of natural hazards - We live at the mercy of our world. Either through tectonic or climate processes. We are constantly affected by natural hazards. This unit looks at how they form and the effects they have on people.

Living world - A study of the natural world and how ecosystems work. This unit also includes more detailed study of tropical rainforests, one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth.

Physical landscapes in the UK - The UK has a large range of physical landscapes created by different processes. This unit looks at how the landscapes came to be created, and how this affects people living there including river and coastal landscapes.

Geographical applications:

Issue Evaluation - Students are required to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to a contemporary issue based on a pre-release booklet. They must demonstrate an understanding of the issue and present an evaluative judgement.

Fieldwork - Students must undertake at least two days of fieldwork, looking at both human and physical geography. The content and skills for this are assessed through the exam. Currently we visit Sheffield to study regeneration and the Skegness coastline to study human impacts on the coastal landscape.

Students are encouraged to reflect on their own values and attitudes throughout the course by learning to look at the world with a geographical eye. Geography continues to be a highly respected subject with employers. A healthy number of GCSE students go on to study Geography at A Level and beyond, reflecting the continued relevance of appreciating and understanding the world around us.