GCSE Geography
Geography asks learners to read and judge sources for bias, plan and evaluate a fieldwork enquiry, and write extended answers that reach a justified decision, all using precise geographical terms. Its numeracy is broad and applied: map scale, grid references and contours, sampling, averages and spread, percentage change, and drawing and interpreting graphs, all set out in Appendix B and used in every unit. The biggest thing Key Stage 3 should build is the habit of turning real local data into a correct graph and then a written conclusion that quotes the figures.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Level 1 and Level 2
- First taught
- September 2025
- Amount of literacy work
- High
- Amount of numeracy work
- High
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
- Unit 1: Our Physical and Human World: Written examination 1 hour 30 minutes, 30%
- Unit 2: Developing Fieldwork Skills: Non-examination assessment 7 hours (not including the fieldwork), 25%, set and marked by WJEC
- Unit 3: Our Dynamic and Diverse World: Written examination 1 hour 30 minutes, 30%
- Unit 4: Sustainable Solutions: Non-examination assessment 6 hours (3 hours research, 3 hours tasks), 15%, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC
Skills that use Proofreading, editing and improving
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Planning an enquiry, then evaluating and redrafting it
Learners pose and justify enquiry questions and predicted outcomes, plan their fieldwork, and later evaluate each stage of the six-stage enquiry. For Unit 4 they condense their research into a maximum of two sides of A4 notes.
Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Proofreading, editing and improving
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Before a litter survey of the school grounds, pupils write an enquiry question and a prediction, and afterwards write two sentences on what went well and what they would change.
- Year 8
- Pupils plan a microclimate enquiry around the school site, justify a hypothesis using what they know about shelter and aspect, then redraft their conclusion after teacher feedback.
- Year 9
- After a short fieldwork visit to Aberdare town centre, pupils write an evaluation under a heading for each enquiry stage and redraft it after peer feedback, then reduce their research to one side of A4 notes.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit 2, Section 2.1.2, page 18; Unit 2, Section 2.6.1, page 23; Section 3.2, page 37
“plan and design enquiry questions within a given topic”
Progression step 3
I can explore different ways to plan, draft and present my work appropriately.
I can reflect on, edit and redraft to improve the quality of my expression, and use a range of strategies to ensure greater clarity.
Progression step 4
I can select and use appropriate strategies to plan and develop my writing for different purposes and audiences.
I can improve writing through independent review and redrafting.
Progression step 5
I can select and use appropriate strategies to plan and develop my writing for a challenging range of different purposes and audiences.
I can improve the content, structure and accuracy of my writing through critical reflection, review and editing, responding constructively to feedback.
Good to know
- No marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar are mentioned anywhere in the specification. All marks sit under AO1 to AO4 (Section 3.1, page 36), and AO3 "Analyse, evaluate, or make judgements from a variety of sources" is worth 25% overall.
- Calculator use is not stated in the specification. Section 3 says "The Assessment Pack will include all detailed information relating to assessment" (page 36), so check the Assessment Pack for Unit 1 and Unit 3.
- Both NEA units "must be submitted digitally (they may be handwritten and scanned, or completed digitally)" (Section 3.2, pages 37 and 38), so extended writing may be handwritten.
- Unit 4 research notes are limited to "a maximum of two sides of A4 notes to be used during the assessment" (page 37).
- Unit 2 is 7 hours for 90 marks and needs one day of fieldwork "outside the classroom and school grounds" (page 37).
- Each unit says the depth of mathematical and statistical skills "is given in Appendix B on pages 44-45" (pages 10, 18, 24 and 33), but Appendix B is printed on pages 45 and 46.
Links with other qualifications
Averages, percentage change and scatter graphs overlap with Mathematics and Numeracy, and judging sources for bias overlaps with History.
Source: WJEC GCSE Geography specification, Teaching from 2025, For award from 2027, Version 6, September 2026.