GCSE Geography A review of Summer 2019 Stacey

GCSE Geography: A review of Summer 2019 Stacey Hill Head of Curriculum – Geography Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Follow us on Twitter @AQACPD

Presentation Overview • Data: entries, grade boundaries • Overall performance of component papers based on the examiners reports • Features of the design of the assessment and review process • Themes where students performed well • Themes where students didn’t perform as well • How do teachers improve students’ performance on these themes?

GCSE Geography at AQA Provisional 2019 Entry statistics - AQA 166, 212 entries 2, 650 centres ~68% of overall entries (242, 726) Increased AQA entries by approx. 8, 000 compared to 2018 (22, 500 since 2017) AQA growth of 24% from 2017 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Grade boundaries: GCSE Geography (8035) Subject or paper Geography 8035 Max mark Summer 2019 grade boundaries (raw mark) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 252 184 165 147 129 112 95 69 44 19 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Grade boundaries: GCSE Geography (8035) Subject or paper Geography 8035 Cumulative % for AQA centres Max mark Summer 2019 grade boundaries (raw mark) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 252 184 165 147 129 112 95 69 44 19 24 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. 65 98

Grade boundaries: GCSE Geography (8035) Subject or paper Geography 8035 Cumulative % for AQA centres (2018) Max mark Summer 2019 grade boundaries (raw mark) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 252 184 165 147 129 112 95 69 44 19 24 65 98 24 64 98 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Grade boundaries: GCSE Geography (8035) Subject or paper Geography 8035 Cumulative % for AQA centres • • Max mark Summer 2019 grade boundaries (raw mark) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 252 184 165 147 129 112 95 69 44 19 24 65 98 The cumulative % of students achieving each grade at the judgemental boundary is maintained year on year and is requirement that awarding organisations must adhere to as result of Ofqual regulations. The process takes into account the previous attainment of the cohort where we have KS 2 data This is done so as to not disadvantage students year on year We call this comparable outcomes Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Grade boundaries: GCSE Geography (8035) Paper 1 Subject or paper Geography 8035/1 Max mark 88 Summer 2018 grade boundaries (raw mark) 9 65 8 59 7 53 6 46 5 40 4 34 3 25 2 17 1 9 3 21 2 13 1 5 3 22 2 13 1 5 Paper 2 Subject or paper Geography 8035/2 Max mark 88 Summer 2018 grade boundaries (raw mark) 9 63 8 56 7 49 6 42 5 36 4 30 Paper 3 Subject or paper Geography 8035/3 Max mark 76 Summer 2018 grade boundaries (raw mark) 9 56 8 50 7 45 6 40 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. 5 35 4 31

Feedback from teachers • ‘Accessibility of questions felt better compared to 2018 series ’ * • ‘No surprises’ • ‘Timing was tight on Paper 3 again this year, but students struggled less to finish Paper 1 & Paper 2’ Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Chief and Lead Examiner’s Comments “Examiners felt that students were well prepared and there was a strong sense that, in this second summer of the qualification, both teachers and students were more confident with the demands of the paper and assessment objectives. ” “Schools should be commended on the way they have encouraged all students to engage with the paper and on the amount and variety of content they have clearly taught. This second year showed evidence of even better preparation for the examination than last for many aspects. ” “It was clear that in the majority of cases students appeared to have been effectively prepared for the examination and were comfortable with the pre-release material. ” Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Features of the design of the assessment and review process • How do we award grade boundaries? • What happens now the exams have been sat? • Do AQA make changes to assessment in light of outcomes from past series?

Marking and Awarding Standardisation 1 Lead Examiner and Assistant Principal Examiners mark and scrutinise a range of scripts, to set the standard and find responses at wide mark range. These responses are then used to make any necessary adjustments to the markschemes 2 Assistant Principals work through the mark scheme with their Team Leaders and the selected scripts their team of examiners will use. Team leaders then go through their own standardisation 3 Examiners complete standardisation, to ensure their marking is in line with the standard set by the Lead Examiner by working through marking of the scripts selected. How do we create effective assessment? Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Marking and Awarding occurs after standardisation, once marking is completed. Grade boundaries are set by assessing the standard of student work at judgemental boundaries. This process is driven by statistical analysis of student outcomes and takes into account prior attainment of the cohort as well as expert judgement of the Senior Examining Team. GCSE Geography is a reformed qualification for 2019; the final grade is based on marks from all papers. Boundary setting is overseen by Ofqual. How Grade Boundaries are awarded at AQA Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Post Results – what happens next? Question Paper Review During the Autumn Term, a detailed analysis of the performance of the question papers takes place (using quantitative and qualitative data). This process allows us to look at the performance at an item (question), component (paper) and subject level in order to discuss the reasons for patterns that appear in the data. It is particularly useful to see where some questions proved to be effective at assessing students, and also to look at areas for consideration in future series. There is also opportunity here to put forward any feedback received from teachers in relation to question papers. This is also an opportunity for the Senior Team to discuss how this influences the future series. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Overall performance of component papers based on the examiner’s reports

An overview of the 2019 summer series Most successful themes Students demonstrated good engagement with evaluative commands, particularly 9 mark questions Student performance on questions requiring use of photographs was better than last year Mathematical calculations were largely accurately carried out Students clearly engaged well with case studies and examples that were local/familiar to them Structure of responses to longer tariff questions shows improvement Engagement with the resources in the prerelease materials Making judgements in the issue evaluation questions, and responding to evaluative commands. Least successful themes Understanding of key geographical terms, including physical processes was lacking – particularly in paper 1 section C Questions that require students to bring their own understanding to a stimulus – students often didn’t extend their responses away from the resource Understanding what is expected in questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 Engagement with text-based stimulus Using examples or case study knowledge that supports the students response (e. g. Fairtrade) Ensuring that students are completing fieldwork in line with the requirements Accurately identifying titles of their own fieldwork investigations still requires improvement Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Overall performance of component papers based on the examiner’s reports • Understanding of key geographical terms, including physical processes was lacking – particularly in paper 1 section C

“Demonstrating understanding of key geographical terms” It is clear that students are struggling with key geographical terms and are not always demonstrating understanding of these terms within their responses. EXAMINER’S REPORT - PAPER 1 Key advice – ‘Be familiar with the terms listed in the specification and be able to define and understand these terms. Create a glossary of geographical vocabulary. ’ EXAMINER’S REPORT - PAPER 2 Key advice – ‘Gaps in terminology and coverage are to be avoided as each time marks are lost for not knowing a term or concept this will add up. ’ EXAMINER’S REPORT - PAPER 3 It is clear that students cannot always differentiate between the different strands of fieldwork e. g. data collection vs. data presentation. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Geographical terms: 2018 papers Paper 1 • Difference between ‘natural’ causes and ‘man made’ causes of global temperature change • Hurricane – ‘track’ required not ‘speed’ • Tropical storms – ‘effects’ required not ‘responses’ • Distribution not understood • Ecotourism and sustainability not clear • Upper course of a river Paper 3 • Water stress Paper 2 • Relief • National migration and international migration • Socio-economic • Intermediate technology activities • Well-being not understood • Data presentation • Agribusiness not known (many wrote about data collection) Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Geographical terms: 2019 papers Paper 1 • ‘Extreme’ weather • Confusion between frequency and distribution • Confusion between greenhouse effect and ozone layer (not on spec) when discussing climate change* • Responses required, not effects – reading the question closely • Decomposers – only 55% candidates secured mark for definition • Lack of process key terms used in the explanation of physical landforms e. g. hydraulic action, abrasion, weathering, mass movement • Confusion between channel and valley • Traction not known • Difference between hard and soft engineering (rivers) • Difference between weathering and erosion (glaciers) Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Geographical terms: 2019 papers Paper 2 • International vs. national importance – reading the question closely • Natural increase • Urban industrial area • Post-industrial economy Paper 3 • Temperature range • Confusion between data collection and data presentation (similar last year) • Accuracy vs. reliability – linked to validity Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Geographical terms: 2019 papers Lack of key term knowledge is hindering students in 3 main ways: • Point marked definition style questions. e. g. decomposers, traction, range. These marginal marks can impact students of all abilities. • Failing to access all/part of a question surrounding a particular keyword e. g. urban industrial areas, fieldwork strands data collection vs. presentation • Failure to use geographical language to support their explanation in level marked questions. e. g. greenhouse effect/ozone layers when discussing climate change, physical processes in landform development. Always using the most geographic language Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

8035/1: Challenges in the Physical Environment qn 03. 6 “Demonstrating understanding of key geographical terms” AO 2 – 3 marks AO 3 – 3 marks 03. 6 L 2+ L 3 45% 7% • A common theme throughout the series was that students struggled with demonstrating enough understanding of key geographical terms. • Students were often able to sequence the formation of landforms that they could see but did not go into detail about how different processes of erosion work in creating these landforms Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

8035/1: Challenges in the Physical Environment qn 03. 6 Explain how different coastal landforms are created by erosion. Use Figure 14 and your own understanding. [6 marks] “In Figure 14, it shows a cave, an arch and a stump. To create a cave you have to have a crack in the headland. Water gets into this crack and it expands widening the crack, eventually creating a cave. After this, the cave gets larger and larger until it has been eroded the whole way though, creating an arch. Next, the water continues to erode the arch making the bridge at the top weaker and weaker until it eventually collapses. The remaining piece of rock left out in the sea is the stack. Finally the stack can be eroded more into a smaller stump. ” Lead Examiner’s Comments: • L 2 – 3/6 marks • Clear sequencing of caves, arches and stacks. Some inference of processes but weak. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

8035/1: Challenges in the Physical Environment qn 03. 6 Explain how different coastal landforms are created by erosion. Use Figure 14 and your own understanding. [6 marks] “In Figure 14, it shows a cave, an arch and a stump. To create a cave you have to have a crack in the headland. Water gets into this crack and it expands widening the crack HOW? , HOW? eventually creating a cave. After this, the cave gets larger and larger HOW? until it has been eroded the whole way though, creating an arch. Next, the water continues to erode the arch making the bridge at the top weaker and weaker HOW? until it eventually collapses. The remaining piece of rock left out in the sea is the stack. Finally the stack can be eroded more HOW? into a smaller stump. ” Here we can see what the examiner means by ‘inference of processes but weak’. The student identifies that the landform is changing but does not explain the explicit processes at work here. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

“Demonstrating understanding of key geographical terms” REMEMBER – If the word appears in the specification, it can be explicitly used in a question. • Use the specification with students – give it to them at the start of topics, use them as learning and revision checklists etc. (but remember to keep the wording the same and rely less on textbooks) • Get students to create glossaries of keywords for each topic, using the specification as a guide. Can they identify the key geographical terms from the specification that they need to learn themselves? • Flipped learning – asking students to look at some of the key terms for a topic (perhaps through the creation of a glossary) before studying it can help them to go in to a topic using the right words from the offset. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

“Demonstrating understanding of key geographical terms” Getting the words to stick • Weekly/fortnightly low stakes testing on key terms – trial leader boards for competition where this is motivational. • Quizzy Swap – a useful starter where students define key terms, quiz each other and swap terms as many times as possible. • Quizlet/Memrise etc. These online revision card style websites are great for embedding keyword knowledge. Get students to create themselves or create a number of ‘sets’ for students to use (there are lots already available created by other teachers!). • Interleaving – make sure that students are revisiting old topics regularly – this can be easily done through the low stakes testing/ideas above. • Reworking exam answers to ‘upgrade’ the language, incorporating more and/or better geographical terms. • Verbal – take every opportunity to asks students (and get them to ask each other) to ‘upgrade’ their language. Don’t accept poor geographical language. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

“Demonstrating understanding of key geographical terms” Resource – subject specific vocabulary with ready-made definitions. Can be found on the AQA website under ‘Teach’. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Summary • Lack of understanding and use of Geographical terms can hinder students across a range of question types • Students need time to practice using key terms in written and verbal answers • Revisit the specification Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Overall performance of component papers based on the examiner’s reports • Understanding what is expected in questions testing AO 2 and AO 3

Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 Students are still struggling to understand the expectations of questions that test their understanding (AO 2) of Geographical concepts and applying that (AO 3) to a stimulus. These questions are designed to test the following: AO 2: Demonstrate geographical understanding of: concepts and how they are used in relation to places, environments and processes; the interrelationships between places, environments and processes (25%). AO 3: Apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues to make judgements (35%, including 10% applied to fieldwork context(s)). Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 EXAMINER’S REPORT - PAPER 1 Key advice – ‘Where a question uses a source and includes the phrase “and your own understanding”, students must make some reference to the figure but should also include their own relevant supporting information, ideally exemplar support, to give balance and depth to the answer. ’ EXAMINER’S REPORT - PAPER 2 Key advice – ‘Questions which require students to show understanding (AO 2) and then apply this (AO 3) still represent a significant challenge. Simply repeating case study information is knowledge (AO 1) and cannot gain credit in this style of question. ’ Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 What are these questions like? How can students identify them? • Typically level-marked 4 and 6 mark questions. 9 mark questions test these AOs as well. • Triggers can typically be seen in the question to help students spot these question types ‘…use Figure 1 and your own understanding…’ • Students are not always directed to refer to case studies or examples, but they are welcome to include in their responses some reference to these to demonstrate their understanding (application). • The stimulus can often be unfamiliar and may not always be contained directly within the content of the specification - students need to be able to ‘think on their feet’ i. e. apply knowledge and understanding (AO 3). • Simply describing a stimulus (as you might expect for a question testing AO 4 – skills) won’t necessarily gain credit, students must be able to bring something new (‘and you own understanding’) to their interpretation of the resource.

Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 Triggers can typically be seen in the question to help students spot these question types ‘…use figure 1 and your own understanding…’. EXAMPLES from 2018 and 2019 Paper 1 § Q 1. 4 Suggest how extreme weather in the UK can have economic and social impacts. Use Figure 2 and your own understanding. (2019) § Q 3. 6 Explain how different coastal landforms are created by erosion. Use Figure 14 and your own understanding. (2019) § Q 4. 7 ‘Differences in the shape of flood hydrographs are caused by both human and physical factors. ’ Do you agree? Use Figure 14 and your own understanding to explain your answer. (2018) Paper 2 § Q 1. 8 Explain how regeneration can help to solve urban problems. Use Figure 4 and your own understanding. § Q 1. 5 Use Figure 3 and a case study of a city in a LIC or NEE to suggest why managing traffic congestion and air pollution may be challenging. (2018) § Q 3. 4 Discuss the challenges of managing water quality and pollution in the UK. Use Figure 10 and your own understanding. (2019) Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

8035/2: Challenges in the Human Environment qn 01. 4 “Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3” Q 01. 4 AO 2 – 3 marks L 2+ L 3 40% 6% AO 3 – 3 marks • • Level 3 responses will cover the figure and either a named example or well developed geographical knowledge and provide a considered analysis of the link. Level 2 responses will show reasonable understanding of the link using the figure and an example/clear geographical knowledge or more considered analysis for just the figure or example used. Level 1 responses will show simple understanding of the link using the figure and/or a named example/simple geographical knowledge. Max top L 2 if only appropriate geography or Figure 2 covered. i. e. if ONLY referring to figure OR own knowledge = max Level 2 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Explain how urban industrial areas can help encourage development. Use Figure 2 and your own understanding. [6 marks] AO 3 AO 2 Urban industrial areas such as Jakarta shown in Figure 2 are usually situated around ports and airports. This means that these cities in Java are able to have connections with the wider world through e. g. trade, selling products such as food and building materials. As a result, this will bring in money for Java and boost their GNI. Consequently the capital can be put towards development projects e. g. improving infrastructure. Another way is that due to the ports and airports, more jobs will arise both directly and directly due to the multiplier effect. As a result, small-scale development can occur as locals put their own earnings towards local developmental projects. Also, as more people are earning money, more taxes will be paid. As a result the government has more capital to put towards the country’s development. Lead Examiner’s Comments: L 3 – 6/6 marks Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Explain how urban industrial areas can help encourage development. Use Figure 2 and your own understanding. [6 marks] AO 3 AO 2 In Figure 2 you can see that Kendal Industrial park is 25 km away from an international seaport and 20 km away from an international airport. This can help encourage development as it makes it easier to transfer goods in and out of the country which allows the urban areas to make more money and therefore increase development. Also, urban industrial areas can increase urbanisation so more people will move to the urban areas for money and job security. They will then get jobs so they will earn money so they will have to pay taxes which will give the government more money and encourage development. Lead Examiner’s Comments: L 2– 3/6 marks Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Some application of knowledge to figure here (AO 3) – student explains the importance of air and sea links to trade. However, the AO 2 development is weaker – there is a lack of keywords (e. g. imports/exports, GNI, multiplier effect) and reasons for increased development are only inferred (i. e. more money = development. Student needs to explain HOW (increased GNI, investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare etc. )

8035/2: Challenges in the Human Environment qn 02. 10 Q 02. 10 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. L 2+ L 3 31% 5%

Suggest how the UK is moving towards a post-industrial economy. Use Figure 8 and your own understanding. [6 marks] AO 2 AO 3 The UK is moving towards a post-industrial economy through it’s changing industrial mix, where there has been a decline in manufacturing and a rise in tertiary and quaternary sectors, such as research and finance, and business and science park (for example the Sheffield University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Figure 8). There has also been a shift towards modern manufacturing industries where its development is more concerned about sustainability. For example in Figure 8 the Research Centre is built on reclaimed brownfield site which limits the damage to habitats and the environment. Furthermore, different industries are now closer to each other to support each other for growth, for example the Research Centre in Figure 8 combines research and science firms where they can share ideas and technology. Lead Examiner’s Comments: L 3 – 6/6 marks Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

8035/2: Challenges in the Human Environment qn 01. 8 These can also appear on 4 mark questions Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 Resources • Past papers for practise – SKM on e-AQA. • Remember – the same idea applies to 9 mark questions where figures are presented – it’s not always 4 and 6 markers. • Creating your own questions – use a photograph or map/graph as a stimulus and style a question using a command word such as ‘explain’, ‘suggest how’ or ‘discuss’. Use keywords from the specification only! Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 – strategies to consider Helping students master these types question: • Train them in how to identify AO 2/3 questions – this means talking about it all the time! REMEMBER - If they do what the question asks (use the figure and their own understanding) they will hit the assessment objectives. • Exposure to a range of stimulus to apply their knowledge in a variety of different ways using different types of questions – Use resources from past papers, SAMs, online resources, ‘Geography in the news – Think about using these as a start or plenary – get students to think about this regularly and as soon as they enter the classroom’ Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Understanding expectations of questions testing AO 2 and AO 3 – strategies to consider Helping students master these types question: • Analysing student answers – use different colours to highlight references to figure, use of ‘own knowledge’ and developmental connectives/chains – use this as an indicator as to where improvements to answer can be made through peer, self and teacher assessment. • Combine this type of peer/self assessment with some keyword upgrades. Make it routine. • Using ‘model’ answers are great – but answers that students can improve may be more helpful to help students see how a good answer is built. • Use connective word mats to help develop AO 2 – give examples of connectives to for explanation, exemplification, comparing etc. * • Structure strips? Get students to write them for each other using different questions. They should direct each other where to refer to figure and use own understanding. Add a key term box at the bottom with questions-specific essential terminology. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Summary • Students need to be able to identify AO 2/AO 3 questions – teach them to identify the triggers • Exposure to a range of stimulus throughout teaching of the course • Continuous analysis of responses to these question types - their own and others Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Overall performance of component papers based on the examiner’s reports • Familiar and unfamiliar fieldwork questions & responses

8035/3: Geographical Applications: General Themes from 2019 • Fieldwork experiences were wide and varied. • In the majority of cases students appeared to have been effectively prepared for the examination and were comfortable with the pre-release material. • Though time could have been an issue for some students, with a minority not completing the paper or leaving gaps (it is possible many writing too much due to familiar pre-release topic). • Students were also not able on many occasions to write their titles. • Some students did not understand the different strands of the enquiry (e. g. the different between methods and data presentation). • Students struggled in some questions about their own fieldwork to go beyond generic observations in their responses Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Fieldwork Titles EXAMINER’S REPORT - PAPER 3 • ‘a number of students did not identify their fieldwork titles appropriately ‘ • ‘the lack of a title can often reduce the opportunity to fully appreciate the extent to which the student has addressed the question’ TOP TIPS • Whilst the development of a good investigation title and the related hypothesis/aims is a very important process for students, the title they need to recall for the exam should be short and snappy. • Whilst there are no marks in the exam attached to writing the title of their fieldwork, it does help the examiner with some context for their exam answers. This is important for achieving higher level answers, as well as for students who may not write with as much clarity in their answers. • One option if students are really struggling is to write down the core geographic theme and the location on the exam paper e. g. ‘Regeneration in Stratford’, ‘Longshore drift at West Wittering’ • Students will still need to understand the full aims/hypothesis to access marks on the more extended question types Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Enquiry Strands • • • Students need to be familiar with these – all fieldwork questions (both familiar and unfamiliar) are based around these enquiry strands. The 9 mark question will always target more than 1 of these enquiry strands. There are more details on the specification (pages 27 -28) ENQUIRY STRANDS 1. Suitable question for geographical enquiry 2. Selecting, measuring and recording data appropriate to the chosen enquiry 3. Selecting appropriate ways of processing and presenting fieldwork data 4. Describing, analysing and explaining fieldwork data 5. Reaching conclusions 6. Evaluation of geographical enquiry Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Familiar vs. Unfamiliar Fieldwork • Section B, Q 4 – Unfamiliar Fieldwork – Maximum tariff is 4 marks – Tests students fieldwork skills that are not related to their own enquiry • Section B, Q 5 –Familiar fieldwork – Maximum tariff is 9 marks – Related to the students own physical and human investigations • Both the familiar and unfamiliar fieldwork questions will link to the fieldwork enquiry strands • They may also test the skills listed on the skills checklist (page 29 -32 in the specification) Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Assess the suitability of the location chosen for your human geography enquiry. [6 marks] The difference between familiar and unfamiliar fieldwork EXAMINER’S REPORT - PAPER 3 Key advice – ‘ The message here is clear; when answering fieldwork based questions where a title has been requested the answer must have specific links to the title and not simply offer generic points which could apply to any context. Indicative content from the mark scheme: • Max Level 1 if suitability considered in terms of generic/organisational factors and not specifically related to human geography enquiry (near/easy to get to/safe/cheaper travel/appropriate facilities). • • Key things to consider Is the student’s answer specifically related to their own fieldwork experience? Or is it another case of ‘the geography of anywhere’ – or in this case, ‘any fieldwork’? Think of specific information relating to their own fieldwork enquiry like supporting case study/example knowledge in a paper 1 or 2 answer. Good extended written answers always have specific evidence to support – the familiar fieldwork questions are no different. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

8035/3: Geographical Applications qn 05. 3 The difference between familiar and unfamiliar fieldwork % L 2+ % L 3 35 3 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Assess the suitability of the location chosen for your human geography enquiry. [6 marks] Our location suitability was excellent. It is a local city not far from our school (a thirty minute coach journey) with many shops and a bustling high street with shops to measure the RSV value of. It has many different areas with different functions all close together, the three roads we studied in depth (New Road, Duke Street and Western Road) all have very different functions (entertainment, local shops and chain store brands) while all being close together as to not waste time. Although this area does have busy roads and chances of being lost, an adequate risk assessment was taken allowing us to visit, further showing how it is an excellent location. Lead Examiner’s Comments: • L 2 – 4/6 marks • Clear reference to a range of factors – proximity, risk and some suitability for the study linked to the enquiry title. Last part generic. The purple highlights clearly where the student has made specific links between the factor affecting suitability and their own enquiry. However, student could improve answer by ‘assessing’: Explaining why being only 30 mins away and why having different functions in the town was important for their enquiry. This would address the command word better. Last part about risk assessment is explained slightly but lacks links to specific enquiry.

Preparing students for fieldwork questions Knowledge Organisers If using them, do they reflect the focus of what will be assessed? i. e. WHY You might consider bringing in more guidance from the enquiry strands in the specification and getting students to focus on the WHY and EVALUATION elements for each strand. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Assess the suitability of the location chosen for your human geography enquiry. [6 marks] Indicative content from the mark scheme • The command is “assess the suitability” so there is an expectation of a judgement which is supported by evidence. So the focus of the question is an evaluation of the degree to which the location of the human geography enquiry was suitable. 4 things to consider: 1. Remember these questions are assessing AO 3 – there will likely be some requirement to make a judgement and It can apply to any strand of the enquiry process. 2. If a question asks specifically about the physical or human enquiry make sure that there is specific reference in students answers, avoid the ‘geography of anywhere’. 3. Encourage students to go beyond generic observations when ‘assessing’ the suitability of their location – the 4. Take time to prepare students for unfamiliar fieldwork questions

Key take home messages 1. Revisit the specification and plan in time to practice using Geographical terms across a range of question types 2. Plan in time to expose students to a range of stimulus throughout teaching of the course 3. When preparing students in answering questions about their own fieldwork, ensure that there is enough link to the students own enquiry Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Questions?

New resource: Teaching guide assessment grade 1 -3 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Specification Change: A-Level Geography (7037) Summary of change: • We’ve made some changes to our A-level Geography Papers 1 and 2 to remove the 4 x 1 mark multiple choice questions in Section C and replace them with 1 x 4 mark question. The change will affect the summer 2020 exam series onwards. • These 4 mark questions will test AO 1 and are the same question style as those found at the beginning of Sections A and B. No new exam technique is being introduced. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Specification Change: A-Level Geography (7037) Summary of change: • We’ve made some changes to our A-level Geography Papers 1 and 2 to remove the 4 x 1 mark multiple choice questions in Section C and replace them with 1 x 4 mark question. The change will affect the summer 2020 exam series onwards. • These 4 mark questions will test AO 1 and are the same question style as those found at the beginning of Sections A and B. No new exam technique is being introduced. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Supporting you further Don’t forget about some of our resources • 3 sets of specimen materials and 2 sets of live papers (e-AQA) • Paper 3 Issue Evaluation guide • Teaching Guide grades 1 -3 Important resources to note • GCSE Geography insight report • Examiners reports • LIC/NEE Case Study Guide Other key events • Feedback on the examinations Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Thank you geography@aqa. org. uk Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Follow us on Twitter @AQACPD

Assess the suitability of the location chosen for your human geography enquiry. [6 marks] There is a 20 mile difference between each village, , meaning that it is very suitable as you can how two different villages have coped with a similar scenario. The areas were relatively populated, however Betws-y-Coed had 1250 but Penmachno had 600. This meant it was harder to find accurate results as the sample sizes were very different. Betws-y-Coed had very safe roads and crossings but Penmachno had less which reduced it’s suitability as it was not as safe. Also Betws-y-Coed was a much larger village than Penmachno which mean it wasn’t as suitable as they couldn’t be compared as well. Both our areas were once in a state of need after the mines closed in 1950’s this meant that they were suitable as we compared them to each other fairly as one wasn’t ____ (in need? ) of the other. Lead Examiner’s Comments: • L 3

Assess the suitability of the location chosen for your human geography enquiry. [6 marks] Sportcity was very suitable as it was once a brownfield site which has been regenerated to provide income for the city and provide social and economic benefits also. It was suitable because there was many transport links around Sportcity, for example the metrolink tram service, making it accessible for both the public and us carrying out the investigation. There also many different aspects to Sport City, for example Asda retail park, the velodrome and Manchester City’s football ground. This meant there was a wide range of people within the population of the area we studied, improving the reliability of our results when completing questionnaires. There were also environment, social and environmental aspects to Sportcity which we could evaluat For example, the tanks which collect 8 million litres of water which are used to rehydrate the football pitches or the job opportunities provided by the retail park or even social benefits provided by the velodrome and BMX park, which we could easily collect information about and improved validity of our overall conclusion. Lead Examiner’s Comments: • L 3