Regulation

GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for geography (2022)

Published 11 November 2021

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering reformed A levels and AS qualifications in 2022.

We have developed all our requirements for GCE qualifications with the intention that AS and A level qualifications should fulfil the purposes set out below.

For A levels:

• define and assess achievement of the knowledge, skills and understanding which will be needed by students planning to progress to undergraduate study at a UK higher education establishment, particularly (although not only) in the same subject area
• set out a robust and internationally comparable post-16 academic course of study to develop that knowledge, skills and understanding
• permit UK universities to accurately identify the level of attainment of students
• provide a basis for school and college accountability measures at age 18
• provide a benchmark of academic ability for employers

For AS qualifications:

• provide evidence of students’ achievements in a robust and internationally comparable post-16 course of study that is a sub-set of A level content
• enable students to broaden the range of subjects they study

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the GCE Subject Level Conditions for Geography (2022). These conditions will come into effect at 09:30 on 12 November 2021 for the following qualifications:

• all GCE A levels in Geography
• all stand-alone GCE AS qualifications in Geography

for Learners completing the qualification in 2022, except where the General Qualifications Alternative Awarding Framework applies.

It also sets out our requirements in relation to:

• interpretation of the content document - an awarding organisation must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Geography)1.1(c)
• assessment objectives - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Geography)1.2
• assessment - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Geography)2.3

With respect to the qualifications listed above, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications
• our GCE Qualification Level Conditions and Requirements
• all relevant Regulatory Documents

With respect to all other GCE qualifications in Geography, taken by Learners completing the qualification in 2023 and after, an awarding organisation must continue to comply with the GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Geography.

Subject Level Conditions

GCE Subject Level Conditions for Geography

Condition GCE(Geography) 1: Compliance with content requirements

GCE(Geography)1.1

In respect of each GCE Qualification in Geography which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must -

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Geography GCE AS and A level subject content’, document reference DFE-00693-2014,
2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and
3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

GCE(Geography)1.2

In respect of each GCE Qualification in Geography which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for that qualification which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCE(Geography) 2: Assessment

GCE(Geography)2.1

Condition GCE4.1 does not apply to any GCE A level qualification in Geography which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

GCE(Geography)2.2

In respect of the total marks available for a GCE A level qualification in Geography which it makes available, an awarding organisation must ensure that -

1. (a) 80 per cent of those marks are made available through Assessments by Examination, and
2. (b) 20 per cent of those marks are made available through assessments that are not Assessments by Examination.

GCE(Geography)2.3

An awarding organisation must ensure that in respect of each assessment for a GCE A level qualification in Geography which it makes available which is not an Assessment by Examination it complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Subject content requirements

Requirements in relation to subject content for GCE Qualifications in Geography

The subject content for GCE Qualifications in Geography is set out in the Department for Education’s Geography GCE subject content, document reference DFE-00693-2014 (the ‘Content Document’).

Condition GCE(Geography)1.1(c) requires awarding organisations to interpret the Content Document in line with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, published by Ofqual.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Geography)1.1(c) below.

Content weightings and fieldwork

An awarding organisation must interpret the Content Document as if -

1. (a) the following have been disapplied -
2. (b) the required weightings of core and non-core content in paragraphs 5 and 6,
3. (c) paragraph 24, and
4. (d) the reference to a Learner using a mixture of methodological approaches him- or herself in paragraph 22, and
5. (e) in relation to paragraphs 25, 26 and 27, there is no requirement for a Learner to undertake fieldwork him- or herself.

Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives - GCE AS and A level qualifications in Geography

Condition GCE(Geography)1.2 allows us to specify requirements relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for GCE Qualifications in Geography.

The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Geography)1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCE AS and A level qualifications in Geography they make available.

Assessment objective	Description	A level weighting	AS weighting
AO1	Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of places, environments, concepts, processes, interactions and change, at a variety of scales	30 to 40%	30 to 40%
AO2	Apply knowledge and understanding in different contexts to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues	30 to 40%	30 to 40%
AO3	Use a variety of relevant quantitative, qualitative and fieldwork skills to: • investigate geographical questions and issues • interpret, analyse and evaluate data and evidence • construct arguments and draw conclusions	20 to 30%	20 to 30%

Assessment requirements

Requirements in relation to assessments for A level qualifications in Geography

Condition GCE(Geography)2.3 allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to assessments which are not Assessments by Examination for GCE A level qualifications in Geography.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Geography)2.3 below.

Non-examination assessment

Condition GCE(Geography)2.2(b) states that an awarding organisation must ensure that, of the total marks available for a GCE A level qualification in Geography, 20 per cent of those marks shall be made available through assessments which are not Assessments by Examination.

The subject content for GCE Qualifications in Geography is set out in the Secretary of State’s Geography GCE AS and A Level subject content, document reference DFE-00693-2014 (the ‘Content Document’).

Paragraph 27 of the Content Document states that each GCE A level qualification in Geography must -

ensure that each student undertakes one independent investigation that involves, but need not be restricted to, fieldwork.

An awarding organisation must ensure that each assessment which is not an Assessment by Examination requires each Learner to undertake a single independent investigation based on a question or issue defined and developed by the Learner.

Marking of assessments

Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment for a GCE A level qualification in Geography which is not an Assessment by Examination may be marked -

1. (a) by the awarding organisation or a person connected to the awarding organisation,
2. (b) by a Centre, or
3. (c) through a combination of (a) and (b).

In any event, the awarding organisation must demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction in its assessment strategy that -

1. (a) it has taken all reasonable steps to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect which may result from its approach to marking the assessments (and to moderation where appropriate), and
2. (b) where such a risk is identified, it has taken all reasonable steps to prevent that Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse Effect.