GCSE Geography follows the Edexcel B specification and develops content and skills learnt at KS3. It is split into three units:

1) Global Geographical Issues

This unit is split into physical and human geography at a global scale. The first section is Hazardous Earth, where students explore the processes and risks linked to tectonic activity and climate, as well as how different countries respond. The second section, Development Dynamics, looks at global inequality, the challenges of development and the role of emerging economies. The third section focuses on Challenges of an Urbanising World, where students investigate the causes and consequences of rapid urban growth and how megacities are managed sustainably.

2) UK Geographical Issues

This unit examines geography within the UK. The first section, The UK’s Evolving Physical Landscape, covers coastal and river processes and the pressures they face. The second section, The UK’s Evolving Human Landscape, looks at population change, rural and urban areas, and the challenges of cities. The final part of this unit is Geographical Investigations, where students complete fieldwork in contrasting environments, one physical and one human.

3) People and Environment Issues – Making Geographical Decisions

In this unit students explore the relationship between people and the environment and how decisions are made about resource use. Topics include People and the Biosphere (global biomes and human reliance on them), Forests under Threat (tropical rainforests and boreal forests, the risks they face and how they can be managed sustainably), and Consuming Energy Resources (renewable and non-renewable resources, energy security and sustainable futures). Students use data, case studies and decision-making exercises to evaluate different strategies.