April 2024 Geography Subject Update

Support for updated AS and A level Geography specifications

We ran a live online event to support you on our updated AS and A level specifications with two of the reviewers Nona Anderson and Hamda Sheikh. For those of you that missed it you can watch the recording below:

Geographical Association Conference 2024

Further support for students this Summer

Pearson, Ofqual and the JCQ have a range of general information and advice to help support and guide your students during the exam period. Please take a look at the information we’ve summarised below and pass it on to your students.

Pearson Edexcel: survey on the use of AI in Geography and History  

We are keen to find out more about how Geography and History teachers and students are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in schools. We'd welcome your thoughts on this important issue, even if you aren't using it or aren’t aware of how it can be used. We've created a short questionnaire to capture your views and we plan to share the results with teachers later this year. It will also help us to ensure we are making the most of any opportunities AI provides in supporting teachers and students.

Embedding Critical Thinking in your KS3 Geography Curriculum (2024)

Developing students' critical thinking skills can help them to become more independent and understand more complex geographical concepts from a range of different perspectives. This course on 03 July 2024 at 16:00-17:30 will introduce you to a number of practical strategies that can be adapted to different topics and year groups. You'll also hear from a Head of Geography who has successfully embedded critical thinking in her KS3 curriculum to improve student outcomes.

New forms for the Independent Investigation (non-examination assessment) 

We've released a NEW Geography Independent Investigation form and a NEW Geography Independent Investigation Mark Sheet to include reference to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the candidate and teacher declarations. 

N.B. If you have already used the old forms for 2024 we will still accept them. 

2024 Fieldwork Statement

A reminder that a Fieldwork Statement from centres is required again in 2024 to confirm that your geographers have done the compulsory fieldwork for GCSE Geography, AS Geography, A level Geography and International AS Level Geography. No fieldwork statement is required for International GCSE Geography.

Fieldwork Statement Forms can be found on the relevant qualification page under 'Forms and administration' or as an appendix in the relevant specification.

Your Fieldwork Statement must be submitted using the link below:

Reminder on A level Geography Coursework / NEA mark submission via Edexcel Online

Please enter the student marks you awarded to ALL your students on Edexcel Online by 15 May. For each student you should submit the raw mark out of 70.

You should be able to start submitting marks from March 2024 but you won’t be able to view the requested sample until mid-April 2024 (when you log in to Edexcel Online and go to the coursework mark submission screen there will be a tick next to the candidates' names that need to be submitted for moderation).  

Reminder to submit your Coursework / NEA via Learner Work Transfer Portal (LWT) 

Just like last year you will need to submit all A level Geography coursework / NEA samples via the digital Learner Work Transfer portal and there is no hard copy submission of coursework samples in Summer 2024. 

We have created a guidance document for teachers to provide more information and guidance on the process. The document outlines the different ways in which you can submit samples online. It may have implications on how you asj students to submit their coursework ie digitally.

Tip: Remember that you can either annotate the Independent Investigation Mark Sheet (using the comments box) rather than the actual coursework if it helps with end to end digital submission of the coursework (rather than printing and then scanning work).