Gce Subject Level Conditions and Requirements For Geography
Gce Subject Level Conditions and Requirements For Geography
Gce Subject Level Conditions and Requirements For Geography
Conditions and
Requirements for
Geography
March 2015
Ofqual/15/5656
GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Geography
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction
About this document
This document (highlighted in the figure below) is part of a suite of documents which
sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering reformed A
levels and AS qualifications.
We have developed all our requirements for GCE qualifications with the intention that
AS and A level qualifications should fulfil the purposes set out in the table below:
A levels AS qualifications
With respect to the qualifications listed above, awarding organisations must also
comply with:
1 www.gov.uk/government/publications/gce-as-and-a-level-geography
Summary of requirements
Subject Level Conditions
GCE(Geography)2 Assessment
Assessment objectives
Assessment requirements
2 www.gov.uk/government/publications/general-conditions-of-recognition
3 www.gov.uk/government/publications/gce-qualification-level-conditions-and-requirements
4 www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-documents-list
5 www.gov.uk/government/publications/gce-qualification-level-conditions-for-pre-reform-qualifications
6
GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Geography
6 www.gov.uk/government/publications/gce-as-and-a-level-geography
Condition Assessment
GCE(Geography)2
GCE(Geography)2.1 Condition GCE4.1 does not apply to any GCE A level
qualification in Geography which an awarding
organisation makes available or proposes to make
available.
7 www.gov.uk/government/publications/gce-as-and-a-level-geography
9
GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Geography
The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of
Condition GCE(Geography)1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with these
requirements in relation to all GCE AS and A level qualifications in Geography they
make available.
10
Assessment objectives − Ofqual 2015 10
Assessment requirements
___________________________________________________________________
11
GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Geography
Non-examination assessment
Condition GCE(Geography)2.2(b) states that an awarding organisation must ensure
that, of the total marks available for a GCE A level qualification in Geography, 20 per
cent of those marks shall be made available through assessments which are not
Assessments by Examination.
The subject content for GCE Qualifications in Geography is set out in the Secretary
of State’s Geography GCE AS and A Level subject content, document reference
DFE-00693-2014 (the ‘Content Document’).
Paragraph 27 of the Content Document states that each GCE A level qualification in
Geography must –
Marking of assessments
Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment for a GCE A level qualification in
Geography which is not an Assessment by Examination may be marked –
(b) by a Centre, or
(a) it has taken all reasonable steps to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect
which may result from its approach to marking the assessments (and to
moderation where appropriate), and
(b) where such a risk is identified, it has taken all reasonable steps to prevent that
Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse
Effect.
14
Geography
GCE AS and A Level subject content
December 2014
Contents
The content for AS and A level geography 3
Introduction 3
Subject content 5
Geographical skills 12
Fieldwork 13
2
The content for AS and A level geography
Introduction
1. The AS and A level subject content sets out the knowledge, understanding and
skills common to all AS and A level specifications in geography.
3
• improve their understanding of the ways in which values, attitudes and
circumstances 1 have an impact on the relationships between people, place and
environment, and develop the knowledge and ability to engage, as citizens, with
the questions and issues arising
• become confident and competent in selecting, using and evaluating a range of
quantitative and qualitative skills and approaches, (including observing,
collecting and analysing geo-located data) and applying them as an integral part
of their studies
• understand the fundamental role of fieldwork as a tool to understand and
generate new knowledge about the real world, and become skilled at planning,
undertaking and evaluating fieldwork in appropriate situations
• apply geographical knowledge, understanding, skills and approaches in a
rigorous way to a range of geographical questions and issues, including those
identified in fieldwork, recognising both the contributions and limitations of
geography
• develop as critical and reflective learners, able to articulate opinions, suggest
relevant new ideas and provide evidenced argument in a range of situations
4. Awarding organisations must ensure that the content is developed at an
appropriate level of demand for AS and A level, and that there is a clear progression in
the breadth and depth of content from GCSE. Awarding organisations must aim to:
1
'Circumstances' in this case refers to the context of people's lives, the socio-economic and political milieu
in which they find themselves.
4
• promote understanding of the rationale for, and applications of, skills and
approaches used, together with a considerable degree of independence in
selecting and using a wide range of geographical methods, techniques and
skills, involving both qualitative and quantitative methods
• ensure that fieldwork plays a key role in encouraging both AS and A level
students to apply and evaluate theory in the real world, and that A level fieldwork
in particular demands a high degree of responsibility from students for selecting
research questions, applying relevant techniques and skills, and identifying
appropriate ways of analysing and communicating findings
Subject content
• for AS, specifications must include at least one core physical geography theme
and one core human geography theme, together with an appropriate selection of
skills and fieldwork requirements relating to both physical and human themes,
representing overall 60% of the AS
• for A level, specifications must include all four core themes, all the geographical
skills, and all fieldwork requirements relating to both physical and human
themes, representing overall 60% of the A level
• the core themes are equal in weight and depth of content (although the length of
explanatory text may differ) and must be implemented with the depth, breadth
and coverage specified for each theme on pages 5-11
• the specification must require geographical skills and fieldwork to be embedded
within the required content knowledge
5
non-core content, it must draw evenly from physical geography and human
geography overall in order to maintain the balance required in the specification
as a whole
• the specification must require geographical skills and fieldwork to be embedded
within the required content knowledge
8. Study must:
• the distribution and size of the most important stores of carbon on land, in the
oceans and the atmosphere, and the factors driving change in the size of these
stores over time and in space
• the pathways and processes which control the cycling of carbon within and
between land, oceans and atmosphere at a range of time (seconds to millions of
years) and space (plant to continental) scales. These processes must include
(though need not be limited to) photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, fossil
fuel combustion, land use change, carbon sequestration in oceans and
sediments, weathering
• the distribution and size of the most important stores of water on land, in the
ocean, atmosphere and cryosphere, and the factors driving change in the size of
these stores over time and in space
6
• the pathways which control cycling between land, ocean, atmosphere and
cryosphere, and the processes which control transfers within and between them
at a range of time (minutes to millennia) and space (hillslope to global) scales.
These processes must include (though need not be limited to) evaporation and
condensation, the formation of clouds and the causes of precipitation, runoff
generation, catchment hydrology, water extraction and groundwater, land use
change, cryospheric processes
• the links between the two cycles using climate as a key context for exploring
these linkages and for developing and applying understanding of the role of
feedbacks within and between the two cycles
2. Landscape systems
10. A level specifications, and AS specifications which address this theme, must
require students to undertake an integrated study of earth surface processes, landforms
and resultant landscapes.
• drylands:
drylands are characterised by limited soil moisture, caused by low
precipitation and high evaporation, and by aeolian and episodic fluvial
processes.They occur at all latitudes of the planet. Study must include at
least one of: either drylands in high latitude polar regions or mid and low
latitude deserts or semi-arid environments. UK fieldwork may include
consideration of aeolian processes in coastal dune systems or other suitable
environments
or;
• coastal landscapes:
coastal landscapes develop by the interaction of winds, waves and currents,
and the sediment supply sourced from terrestrial and offshore sources.
Study must include both high energy coasts (such as rocky and sandy
coastlines) and low energy coasts (such as estuarine coastlines)
or;
• glaciated landscapes:
glaciated and formerly glaciated landscapes must include landscapes
shaped by valley glaciers and by ice sheets, bearing erosional and/or
depositional imprints of the former passage of glacier ice in a range of
features
7
• take place within a systems framework, focusing on transfers of energy and
movements of materials
• include landscapes from beyond the UK but may also include UK examples
• emphasise the use of quantitative approaches including developing observation
skills, measurement and geo-spatial mapping skills, together with data
manipulation and statistical skills applied to field measurement. Qualitative
approaches may be used if appropriate
12. Specifications must require students to demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of the key areas of content listed below, and through this knowledge to
gain understanding of how earth processes are a vital context for human activity:
13. Greater connectivity between people, places and environments across the globe
means that movements of goods, people, technology and ideas have become easier,
and the systems which facilitate and direct these flows have become truly global in reach
and impact. A level specifications, and AS specifications which address this theme, must
require students to undertake study of the way in which global systems shape
relationships between individuals, states and environments. They must also investigate
the increasing numbers of norms, laws and conventions, referred to here as 'global
governance', that aim to regulate the consequences of globalisation on people, places
and environments around the world.
8
(i) international trade and access to markets in the contemporary world;
or
(b) one from the following list illustrating the impacts of global governance; either:
• use both quantitative and qualitative approaches across the theme as a whole
15. Specifications must require students to demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of the key areas of content listed below, and through this knowledge to
gain understanding of the way in which global systems and global governance underlie
their own and other people's lives across the globe:
Global Systems
• the role of norms, laws and institutions in regulating and reproducing global
systems, and analysis of the geographical consequences for citizens and places
• how attempts at global governance (including the example of the United Nations
in the post-1945 era) can work to promote growth and stability but may also
exacerbate inequalities and injustices
• how interactions between the local, regional, national, international and global
scales are fundamental to an understanding of global governance
9
4. Changing place; changing places
16. Relationships and connections between people, the economy, society and the
environment help to explain why places are constantly changing. In addition, the
meanings and representations attached to places help to shape actions and behaviours
affecting that place. A level specifications, and AS specifications which address this
theme, must require that students undertake study of the way in which these factors
(relationships, connections, meaning, representation) affect continuity and change in the
nature of places and our understanding of place.
• by starting study from the local place within which students live or study and at
least one further contrasting place through which to develop the required
knowledge and understanding. Study must involve moving out from the local
place to encompass regional, national, international and global scales in order to
understand the dynamics of place. (Note that a local place may be a locality,
neighbourhood or small community, either urban or rural)
• focusing equally on two sub-themes:
(a) One from the list below which will allow investigation of the impact of
relationships and connections on people and place; either:
and
(b) one from the list below which will allow investigation of the importance of the
meanings and representations attached to places by people; either:
(i) place making and marketing as revealed and contrasted in the work
of a range of formal and informal agencies or their materials 2; or
(iii) lived experience of place (i.e. how people see, experience and
understand places) in the past and present
2
examples are, but are not limited to : governments, regional development bodies, investment companies,
community groups, local artists or writers, campaign materials, local museum and gallery exhibitions.
3
examples are, but are not limited to: photography, film, music, art, literature, poetry, drama.
10
• give particular weight to qualitative approaches involved in representing place,
and to analysing critically the impacts of different media on place meanings and
perceptions. The use of quantitative data, including the use of geospatial data
must also be used to present place characteristics
18. Specifications must require students to demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of the key areas of content listed below, and through this knowledge to
gain understanding of the way in which their own lives and those of others are affected
by continuity and change in the nature of places:
• how humans perceive, engage with and form attachments to places and how
they present and represent the world to others, including the way in which
everyday place meanings are bound up with different identities, perspectives
and experiences
• how external agencies, including (but not limited to) governments, corporate
bodies and community or local groups make attempts to influence or create
specific place-meanings and thereby shape the actions and behaviours of
individuals, groups, businesses and institutions
• that places may be represented in a variety of different forms 4 and use different
media 5 that often give contrasting images to that presented more formally or
statistically 6
4
for example but not limited to: advertising copy, tourist agency material, local art exhibitions.
5
for example but not limited to: photography, film, music, art, literature, poetry, graffiti.
6
formal approaches and statistical representations might include but are not limited to: cartography,
census data, digital worlds, geospatial technologies.
11
• that both past and present processes of development can be seen to influence
the social and economic characteristics of places and so be implicit in present
meanings
Geographical skills
19. Competence in using geographical skills should be developed during study of core
content and non-core content, not as a separate theme or topic. While the relative
balance of quantitative and qualitative methods and skills will differ between each of the
core and non-core themes, students must be introduced to a roughly equal balance of
quantitative and qualitative across the specification as a whole.
22. Students must demonstrate the following skills specific to qualitative data:
12
23. Students must demonstrate the following skills specific to quantitative data:
• understand what makes data geographical and the geospatial technologies (e.g.
GIS) that are used to collect, analyse and present geographical data
• demonstrate an ability to collect and to use digital, geo-located data, and to
understand a range of approaches to the use and analysis of such data;
• understand the purposes and difference between the following and be able to
use them in appropriate contexts:
• descriptive statistics of central tendency and dispersion
• descriptive measures of difference and association, inferential statistics and
the foundations of relational statistics, including (but not limited to)
measures of correlation and lines of best fit on a scatter plot
• measurement, measurement errors, and sampling
Fieldwork
24. AS and A level specifications must require students to undertake fieldwork which
meets the minimum requirements of 2 days of fieldwork at AS, and 4 days of fieldwork for
A level. Awarding Organisations must require evidence of this fieldwork in the form of a
written statement from Centres.
13
26. A level specifications must require students to:
14
• incorporate field data and/or evidence from field investigations, collected
individually or in groups
• draw on the student's own research, including their own field data and, if
relevant, secondary data sourced by the student
• require the student independently to contextualise, analyse and summarise
findings and data
• involve the individual drawing of conclusions and their communication by means
of extended writing and the presentation of relevant data
15
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16
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