Geography

The Pearson Edexcel A-Level in Geography consists of three externally examined papers and one non-examination assessment component.

During Year 12 there is a compulsory 4 day residential fieldwork trip to Swanage to aid the NEA process and in Year 13 a non-compulsory/optional 4 day residential to Iceland .

Topics studied in the syllabus include:

• UNIT 1 Physical Geography: This will be assessed by an exam counting for 30% of the A-Level.
• Tectonic processes and tectonic hazards.
• Coastal landscapes and how they are changing.
• Water conflicts.
• Carbon cycle, climate change and energy security.
• UNIT 2 Human Geography: This will be assessed by an exam counting for 30% of the A-Level.
• Globalization.
• Urban regeneration.
• Superpowers.
• Migration, identity and sovereignty.
• UNIT 3 Synoptic Geography: This will also be assessed by an exam counting for 20% of the A-Level.
• This is not a topic to be taught separately but is an exam which draws together content and themes from the whole course by looking at one particular geographical issue based in a specific geographical location.
• UNIT 4 Independent Investigation: A completed investigation will be 3000 - 4000 words with supporting maps, graphs and diagrams. The completed investigation will count for 20% of the A-Level.

Why choose this course?

If you’re enjoying GCSE Geography and want to dig deeper into how our world works, this course is a natural next step. You’ll revisit some familiar topics—but with greater depth and insight—while also exploring brand-new themes, especially in Year 13, that will challenge and excite you.

If you're curious about environmental issues, global challenges, and the forces shaping our planet, this course will keep you thinking critically and asking big questions. With day trips, residentials, and hands-on fieldwork in both Human and Physical Geography, you’ll have the chance to apply your learning in real-world settings and see geography come to life.

Potential future pathways:

Geography is a good background for a degree course in many different subjects, which besides Geography could include: Anthropology, archaeology, architecture, cartography, conservation, development studies, ecology, economic history, economics, environmental management, estate management, forestry, geology, geochemistry, health studies, housing, international relations, journalism, landscape architecture, local government administration, oceanography, politics, population studies, publishing, surveying, town and country planning, transport, travel, tourism and urban studies.