Update on use of Explain and Suggest command words in GCSE Geography A and Geography B from June 2024
As communicated previously, we are continuously reviewing our assessments to ensure they are accessible to all candidates. As a result of analysis of how questions performed and feedback from teachers, we are confirming the following.
Please note you do not need to change anything you are doing in your delivery for 2024 exams and beyond.
From 2024 for all exam papers for both GCSE Geography A and GCSE Geography B we will:
- No longer have ‘Explain/Suggest’ questions for 4 marks that are not structured/scaffolded. This is because we have found that the 4th mark is often inaccessible, even for students performing at grades 7,8 and 9. We will continue to use “Explain/Suggest” for both 2-mark and 3-mark questions.
- Continue to use ‘Explain/Suggest’ for 4 marks that are structured/scaffolded e.g. 'Explain/Suggest two...' e.g. ‘Explain/Suggest one x and one y...’ e.g., Explain/Suggest why/how x and y..... The marks will continue be in even pairs (i.e. 2 + 2). Candidates find questions structured in this way more accessible.
Examples of scaffolding/structured 4-mark questions can be found in past papers for GCSE Geography A and GCSE Geography B
SPaG marks from 2024 onwards
As communicated last year, we’ve also reviewed where the SPaG marks sit in our question papers to improve the accessibility of these marks. For candidates sitting Specification A the SPaG marks will be moved to the final 8-mark extended response question in Section B of Papers 1 and 2. The SPaG marks in Paper 3 will remain on the 12-mark ‘Discuss’ question item at the end of Question 5.
For candidates sitting Specification B the SPaG marks will remain on the final 8-mark extended response question in Section B of Papers 1 and 2 and the final 12-mark ‘Justify’ question at the end of Paper 3.
Subject advisor
Jon Wolton
Geography
