New key geography for gcse

The new GCSE geography specification for 2020 onwards has introduced some changes to the key geography concepts and themes. Here are the main changes:

Key Concepts:

  1. Place: This concept has been redefined to focus on the characteristics, processes, and relationships that shape places, including their physical and human environments.
  2. Space: This concept has been expanded to include the ways in which people and places interact, and how these interactions shape the world around us.
  3. Scale: This concept has been emphasized to highlight the importance of considering different scales (local, national, global) when studying geography.
  4. Interconnection: This concept has been introduced to emphasize the connections between different places, processes, and systems.

Key Themes:

  1. Global Systems and Governance: This theme focuses on the global systems that shape our world, including climate change, economic systems, and global governance.
  2. People and Place: This theme explores the relationships between people and places, including migration, urbanization, and cultural diversity.
  3. Environmental Processes and Hazards: This theme examines the natural and human-induced processes that shape our environment, including climate change, natural hazards, and environmental management.
  4. Urban and Rural Change: This theme investigates the changes that are taking place in urban and rural areas, including urbanization, gentrification, and rural decline.

Key Geography Skills:

  1. Geographical Enquiry: This skill involves using geographical concepts and methods to investigate and analyze geographical issues.
  2. Geographical Analysis: This skill involves using geographical data and information to analyze and interpret geographical issues.
  3. Geographical Communication: This skill involves communicating geographical information and ideas effectively to different audiences.

Assessment:

The new GCSE geography specification includes a range of assessment methods, including:

  1. Examination: A 2-hour exam that tests students' knowledge, understanding, and skills in geographical enquiry, analysis, and communication.
  2. Fieldwork: A fieldwork component that requires students to collect and analyze geographical data in a real-world setting.
  3. Coursework: A coursework component that allows students to demonstrate their geographical skills and knowledge in a more in-depth and independent way.

Overall, the new GCSE geography specification places a greater emphasis on geographical skills, enquiry, and analysis, and encourages students to think critically and creatively about the world around them.