How Many GCSE Geography Papers Are There?

Paper 1

Paper 2

Paper 3

Living with the Physical Environment.

Challenges in the Human Environment.

Geographical Applications.

Section A: The challenge of natural hazards.

Answer all questions (33 marks).

Section B: The living world. 

Answer all questions (25 marks).

Section C: Physical landscapes in the UK.

Answer any two questions from three (30 marks).

Section A: Urban issues and challenges.

Answer all questions (33 marks).

Section B: The changing economic world. 

Answer all questions (25 marks).

Section C: The challenge of resource management.

Answer Question 3 and one other question in Section C (30 marks).

Section A: Issue evaluation.

Answer all questions (37 marks).

Section B: Fieldwork. 

Answer all questions (39 marks).

88 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 35% of your final grade.

88 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 35% of your final grade.

76 marks, of which 6 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 30% of your final grade.

90 minutes.

90 minutes.

75 minutes.

Question types will include multiple-choice, closed short answers and levelled responses. 

There will also be extended, levelled open-response questions. 

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types will include multiple-choice, closed short answers and levelled responses. 

There will also be extended, levelled open-response questions. 

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

There is a pre-release of 12 weeks before this paper 3 exam. Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed twice. 

Question types will be the same as in papers 1 & 2, along with definitions, calculation of results and fieldwork interpretation. 

There will also be graph, map and photograph analysis.

Paper 1

Paper 2

Paper 3

The Physical Environment.

The Human Environment.

Geographical Investigations Fieldwork and UK Challenges.

Section A: 

Answer question 1 and choose two from the optional questions 2, 3, and 4 (30 marks).

Section B: 

Answer all questions on weather hazards and climate change (30 marks). 

Section C: 

Answer all questions on ecosystems, biodiversity and management (34 marks).

Section A: 

Answer all questions on changing cities (30 marks).

Section B:

Answer all questions (30 marks).

Section C: 

Answer Question 3 and one other question in Section C (34 marks).

Section A:

 Answer either question 1 or 2 on physical fieldwork (18 marks).

Section B: 

Answer either question 3 or 4 on human fieldwork (18 marks).

Section C: 

Answer all questions on UK challenges (28 marks).

94 marks, of which 4 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 37.5% of your final grade.

94 marks, of which 4 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 37.5% of your final grade.

64 marks, of which 4 marks are for SPaG. This is worth  25% of your final grade.

90 minutes.

90 minutes.

90 minutes.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and 8-mark  extended, levelled open-response writing questions.

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice, closed short answers and levelled responses. 

There will also be extended, levelled open-response questions. 

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response and extended 

writing questions. Section C will include a 12-mark extended writing question with up to four additional marks for SPaG and use of specialist terminology. 

Paper 1

Paper 2

Paper 3

Global Geographical Issues.

UK Geographical Issues.

People and Environment Issues:  Making Geographical Decisions.

Section A: 

Answer all questions on hazardous earth.

Section B: 

Answer all questions on development dynamics.

Section C: 

Answer all questions on the challenges of an urbanising world.

Section A:

Answer all questions on the UK’s evolving physical landscape. 

Section B: 

Answer all questions about the UK’s evolving human landscape.

Section C: 

Answer two questions from four options—one physical and one human fieldwork (18 marks each).

Section A: 

Answer all questions on people and the biosphere.

Section B:

Answer all questions on forests under threat.

Section C: 

Answer all questions on consuming energy resources.

Section D: 

Answer Making a Geographical Decision (12 marks + 4 SPaG).

94 marks, of which 4 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 37.5% of your final grade.

94 marks, of which 4 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 37.5% of your final grade.

64 marks, of which 4 marks are for SPaG. This is worth  25% of your final grade.

90 minutes.

90 minutes.

90 minutes.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and 8-mark  extended, levelled open-response writing questions.

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice, closed short answers and levelled responses. 

There will also be extended, levelled open-response questions. 

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response and extended 

writing questions. Section D will include a 12-mark extended writing question with up to four additional marks for SPaG and use of specialist terminology. 

Paper 1

Paper 2

Paper 3

Living in the UK Today.

The World Around Us.

Geographical Skills.

Answer all questions on the following three themes:

Theme 1: Landscapes of the UK. 

Theme 2: People of the UK.

Theme 3: UK Environmental Challenges.

Answer all questions on the following three themes:

Theme 1: Ecosystems of the Planet.

Theme 2: People of the Planet.

Theme 3: Environmental threats to our planet.

Answer all questions from two sections.

Section A will focus on geographical skills and material across the course.

Section B will focus on fieldwork, both unfamiliar and your own experience. 

60 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 30% of your final grade.

60 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 30% of your final grade.

80 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth  40% of your final grade.

60 minutes.

60 minutes.

90 minutes.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and extended, levelled open-response writing questions.

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice, closed short answers and levelled responses. 

There will also be extended, levelled open-response questions. 

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response and extended. 

writing questions.

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Paper 1

Paper 2

Paper 3

Our Natural World.

People and Society.

Geographical Exploration.

Section A: 

Answer all questions on global hazards, changing climate, distinctive landscapes and sustaining ecosystems.

Section B: 

Answer all questions on physical fieldwork.

Section A: 

Answer all questions on urban futures, dynamic development, UK in the 21st century and resource reliance. 

Section B: 

Answer all questions on human fieldwork.

Answer all questions. The paper will draw on topics across the whole course and will feature a decision-making exercise. 

70 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 35% of your final grade.

70 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 35% of your final grade.

60 marks, of which 3 marks are for SPaG. This is worth  30% of your final grade.

75 minutes.

75 minutes.

90 minutes.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and extended, levelled open-response writing questions.

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice, closed short answers and levelled responses. 

There will also be extended, levelled open-response questions. 

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response and extended 

writing questions with up to three additional marks for SPaG and use of specialist terminology. 

Paper 1

Paper 2

Controlled Assessment Report

Changing Physical and Human Landscapes. 

Environmental and Development Issues.

Fieldwork Enquiry. 

Section A: 

Answer two structured, data-response questions assessing Core Theme 1 (Landscapes and Physical Processes) and Core Theme 2 (Rural-urban Links). 

Section B: 

Answer one structured question (from a choice of two) assessing either Theme 3 (Tectonic Landscapes and Hazards) or Theme 4 (Coastal Hazards and Their Management).

Section A: 

Answer two structured data response questions assessing Core Theme 5 (Weather, Climate and Ecosystems) and Core Theme 6 (Development and Resource Issues).  

Section B: 

Answer one structured question (from a choice of two) assessing either Theme 7 (Social Development Issues) or Theme 8 (Environmental Challenges). 

You need to write a report that includes evidence of your understanding of the enquiry process and your independent ability to process/present data and complete extended writing.

83 marks, of which 3 marks are for writing accurately. This is worth 40% of your final grade.

83 marks, of which 3 marks are for writing accurately. This is worth 40% of your final grade.

44 marks, of which 4 marks are for SPaG. This is worth 20% of your final grade.

90 minutes.

90 minutes.

2 hours, 30 minutes.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response, calculations and extended, levelled open-response writing questions.

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice, closed short answers and levelled responses. 

There will also be extended, levelled open-response questions. 

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology will be assessed.

Question types include multiple-choice questions, short open, open response and extended 

writing questions. Section D will include a 12-mark extended writing question with up to four additional marks for SPaG and use of specialist terminology.