Geographical skills, knowledge and understanding are assessed in a variety of ways to allow pupils to demonstrate their full potential. Within lessons, pupils are assessed using strategies including baseline assessments, extended written pieces, decision-making exercises, storyboards, unit tests, presentations and group tasks. Pupils are often encouraged to present work in unique and individual ways, always assessed within clear and flexible frameworks. Most assessment activities encourage independent research and can be tailored to suit the strengths of individual students or groups.
Key Stage 3
Year 7
Term 1
- Baseline (New Bridge)
- London – reasons for growth
- Design a sustainable settlement
Term 2
- Avalanche poster
- Cyclone Sidr Storyboard
Term 3
- Map skills assessment
- Country study
Year 8
Term 1
- How can a country develop?
- Brazil assessment test
Term 2
- Should we continue to use fossil fuels?
- Renewable energy table top presentation
- Design a desert animal – adaptations.
Term 3
- Is globalisation good for the world?
- Fair trade poster
- India test
Year 9
Term 1
- China one-child policy argument
- Kibera magazine article
- Immigration citizenship presentation
Term 2
- Mount St Helens volcano storyboard
- Indian Ocean tsunami mystery
Term 3
Coasts GCSE assessments
Key Stage 4
Year 10
In Years 10 and 11, you will be regularly assessed against the exam specification criteria to ensure that you are making good progress in the subject and to identify any aspects of your knowledge which may require further work. This will include and end of unit exam assessment for each of the main topics. These will be graded 1-9 and progress will be carefully tracked against MAG. Review time will be allocated to check knowledge, application, skills and overall progress. Individual feedback and guidance will be given at each review point.
Homework – Every 2 weeks you will be set an exam question or research task which may be graded and returned to you with suggested improvements which you can consider during MAD time.
Exams – You will sit a variety of assessment tests in Year 10 at the end of each unit. The Year 10 Mock Exam in May will focus on Unit 1 and will test all content covered up to that point.
The results of your exam, homework tasks, fact test and mock exams are used to determine your level of progress and are reported to parents 4 times per year.
Year 11
Assessment in Year 11 is exactly the same as Year 10 in terms of the homework and unit test arrangement.
As well as unit tests, you will sit two exams – your mock exam in November will be on Unit 1 and Unit 2, and your trial exam in March will test your knowledge of all three Units.
As with Year 10, the results or your homeworks, unit tests and exams are used to determine your progress and are regularly reported back to parents.
Geography – Formal GCSE examinations
At the end of Year 11 you will complete three formal examinations. The results of these exams will determine your final grade in the subject. The exams will be on the following topics:
Unit 1: ‘Living with the physical environment’ (Natural hazards, UK landscapes, The living world)
Written exam. 1 hour and 30 minutes. 35% of GCSE.
Unit 2: ‘Challenges in the human environment’ (Cities, Economic world, Global resources)
Written exam. 1 hour and 30 minutes. 35% of GCSE.
Unit 3: ‘Geographical applications’ (Fieldwork, Issue evaluation, Skills)
Written exam with pre-release materials. 1 hour and 15 minutes. 30% of GCSE.
