Programme of Study & Syllabus
Contents
The Syllabus, Examinations and Assessment
How Your Work is Assessed on the Course
The Transition from AS to A Level - Some Tips
Download your Programme of Study Download Download your Programme of Study
Welcome to your Wolsey Hall Cambridge A Level Geography course. Please take the time to read carefully through this page as it explains how the course is structured, how to get the most out from your studies and how your work will be assessed. At the end of this page, you will find details of the reading you will need to do from your textbook and also how each module links to the CAIE syllabus and the final examinations.
This course will lead you step-by-step through the syllabus by way of video links, resources, assignments and, of course, the textbook, so that by the end, you will be confident and fully prepared for your final examinations.
‘Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?’ Michael Palin 2007 (former RGS-IBG President).
At A Level, geography is a ‘facilitating subject’. Its combination of physical and social sciences, data skills and real-world applications, makes geography a highly relevant subject to study and the perfect companion to any other humanities or science subjects. Geography is the bridge between the natural and social sciences, providing its own specialist knowledge and skills and the valuable interdisciplinary approaches needed to address pressing global issues from climate change and migration, to environmental change and social cohesion. Geography is fundamental to understanding and interpreting spatial and temporal change and issues affecting people, places and environments. It encourages students to understand contemporary issues and the complexity of environmental systems. Students gain an understanding of the impacts of human activity on environments and how these impacts can be managed sustainably. Studying real examples and case studies illustrates the diversity and interdependence of physical and human environments.
A Level geography is a versatile qualification that is well respected by employers and universities alike. Employers highly value geography qualifications because geography students can think logically and analytically. They are accurate and objective in collecting, recording, processing, presenting, analysing and interpreting data. They can also interpret and evaluate different sources and types of information and present a structured, coherent and evidence-based argument. If you want to better understand our world, a rewarding job that pays well and to help shape the future, then look no further: choose geography. ‘Geography prepares for the world of work - geographers, with their skills of analysis are highly employable!’ Michael Palin.
"This is a great age for geography. Very big questions - climate, poverty, disease, migration, water, energy, biodiversity - all demand geographical analysis, as do specific national issues in the UK, like housing, social deprivation, flooding and regional development. As the population grows, and with pressures on the Earth's systems increasing, geography has never been so important." Nicholas Crane (former RGS-IBG President).
The aims of this course are to enable students to develop:
- An understanding of the principal processes operating within physical geography and human geography.
- An understanding of the causes and effects of change on natural and human environments.
- An awareness of the usefulness of geographical analysis to understand and solve contemporary human and environmental problems.
- The ability to handle and evaluate different types and sources of information.
- The skills to think logically, and to present an ordered and coherent argument in a variety of ways.
- An excellent foundation for studies beyond Cambridge International A Level in Geography, in further or higher education, and for professional courses.
The Syllabus, Examinations and Assessment
This Wolsey Hall course is designed to prepare you for the Cambridge A Level Geography examinations which you will sit at a Cambridge exam centre. It is vitally important that you become familiar with the syllabus which can be found below:
READ – Syllabus 2023-24 (CAIE) Download READ – Syllabus 2023-24 (CAIE)
READ – Syllabus 2025-26 (CAIE) Download READ – Syllabus 2025-26 (CAIE)
The examination code for AS and A Level Geography is: 9696
In addition to Paper 1 and Paper 2 taken at AS Level, to complete your A Level in Geography you will sit the following two papers:
- Paper 3: Advanced Physical Geography Options – This paper is worth 25% of your overall A Level grade. Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes. Candidates answer questions on two of the optional topics. Each topic consists of one structured question (10 marks) and a choice of essay questions (20 marks). This paper carries 60 marks in total.
- Paper 4: Advanced Human Geography Options – This paper is worth 25% of your overall A Level grade. Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes. Candidates answer questions on two of the optional topics. Each topic consists of one structured question (10 marks) and a choice of essay questions (20 marks). This paper carries 60 marks in total.
All components are externally assessed. The syllabus is examined in the June and November examination series.
Assessment Objectives
The assessment objectives (AOs) for AS and A Level Geography are as follows:
- AO1: Knowledge
- Give definitions and explanation of relevant geographical terms and concepts.
- Show working knowledge of relevant principles, theories and models.
- Recall accurately the location and character of places and environments.
- Show knowledge of physical and human processes and factors.
- AO2: Understanding and Application
- Understand the complex and interactive nature of physical and human environments.
- Understand how processes bring changes in systems, distributions and environments.
- Recognise the significance of the similarities and differences between places, environments and people.
- Recognise the significance of spatial scale and time scale.
- Apply geographical knowledge and understanding to unfamiliar contexts.
- AO3: Skills
- Interpret a variety of types of geographical data and sources and recognise their limitations.
- Use geographical data to identify trends and patterns.
- Demonstrate skills of analysis and synthesis of geographical information.
- Communicate geographical evidence, ideas and arguments.
- AO2: Evaluation
- Assess the effects of geographical processes and change on physical and human environments.
- Evaluate the relative success or failure of initiatives.
- Assess how the viewpoints of different groups of people, potential conflicts of interest and other factors interact in the management of physical and human environments.
- Critically evaluate geographical principles, theories and models.
Wolsey Hall offers a unique model of offline and online resources to our homeschooling students – a model which we have developed based on our many years’ experience of providing homeschooling courses to students.
Textbook
Each subject specialist team carefully selects the best textbook for you to use as you study. The textbooks for the A Level Geography course are:
Cambridge International AS and A Level Geography, by Garrett Nagle and Paul Guinness, (Hodder Education, 2016, 2nd edition); ISBN: 9781471868566
It is highly recommended that you use purchase the linked Workbook, which provides additional questions and practice:
Cambridge International AS and A Level Geographical Skills Workbook, by Garrett Nagle and Paul Guinness, (Hodder Education, 2016); ISBN: 9781471873768
Throughout the course, we recommend that you complete all of the questions and exercises in the textbook – the table below will highlight which pages you should read for each module.
Resources
In addition to your textbook, we have sourced a range of additional resources to support your learning. The resources are clearly marked out in the module pages and you should make use of these alongside your textbook to ensure that you get the very best out of your course.
You will also find a range of key resources in the General Resources section of the course. These are items which relate to the course as a whole, rather than to specific modules, and as such, you should make regular use of them. For A Level Geography, these include:
- Learner Guide for AS and A Level Geography (9696) (CAIE Support Materials)
- Preparing for your AL Geography Exams
- AL Geography Case Study File
- Geography Skills – Graphs and Charts
- Geography Skills – Maps
- Geography Workbook Answers
- Scheme of Work
- Glossary
- Command Words (Syllabus)
- Optional Further Reading List
- Going Places with Geography – Career and Further Study Advice
- Useful Websites
You should also make use of the exam preparation material at the end of the course to help you to prepare for your final examination.
All the files required for your course are uploaded onto our Learning Management System, Canvas. Once you have read through this page and downloaded the Programme of Study (POS) then you are ready to begin the course.
The course is divided into eleven modules: There are four physical geography modules, four human geography modules and three revision modules. These modules will help you to get the most out of your textbook. Each module is subdivided into topics so that you can study the course in manageable chunks. Each topic is set out as follows:
- Introduction – This section provides a brief synopsis of the topic and lists the learning objectives.
- Case Study – Where case studies are required in the specification they are highlighted here.
- Read and make notes – This section includes page references for the textbook. You should read, make notes and complete the activities.
- Download and print – These are topic guides and images that are useful from the textbook. Some of these are less useful in black and white so you may wish to make a decision based on your own printing capacity. You may find drawing them out is more useful to you.
- Top Tips – Hints relating to things that are often missed out or common misconceptions are given here, as well as ways of improving the layout of your notes or how to collate the information you are looking at. Skills you need for a particular topic may also be highlighted here.
- Key Terms – Keep track of new terminology by adding it to your glossary.
- Consolidate – Here there are links to additional resources to supplement and increase your understanding of the topic. Try to look at as many of them as you can. If you want higher than a C grade try to incorporate what you read into your notes, especially where additional case study material has been offered. You may of course use your initiative to create further notes from your own research!
- Synoptic Links – These identify inter-related topics. When we study geography in topics we can miss the overall picture – this section aims to help you understand how it all fits together.
- Quiz - At the end of each topic, there is a quiz which enables you to test what you have learnt before you move on to the next topic. This is a multiple-choice activity that can be completed as many times as you wish to ensure that you have fully understood all the material covered in the topic.
Once you have completed all the topics in each module and are fully prepared and feel confident with the material, you should be able to complete your assignment and move on to the next module.
Throughout the course, as well as knowledge of general geographical theory, you will also need to learn case studies. There are many useful case studies throughout your textbook and in the other online resources we have provided you with, however the curriculum gives you the opportunity to select your own case studies, so please feel free to make notes and collect information on other areas that relevant to where you live, things you have read about in the papers etc. You can keep track of all your case studies in the document AL Geography Case Study File which you can find on Canvas under General Resources.
Please note: The A Level Geography syllabus comprises 8 options (4 physical geography and 4 human geography) from which you will study only 4. Please do not study the other 4 options in your textbook.
Please note: The additional resources in the consolidate section of each topic are categorized in the following manner:
- Compulsory Resources – Important resources that every student should use.
- Important Resources – These resources are very useful and it is highly recommended that you study most of them.
- Optional Resources – Supplementary information if you want to investigate a topic in more depth or have some spare time on your hands.
How Your Work is Assessed on the Course
Your progress will be assessed by completing an assignment at the end of each module. We recommend that you do NOT look at the assignments until you've studied all the topics in the module. This will ensure that you focus on everything you need to know for the exam. If you focus only on what you need to know to do well in the assignment, you will miss important elements in each module that you need to know and understand.
The assignments have been designed to help you prepare for your final examination – many of the questions are based on past exam papers. Answering exam-style questions is crucial in developing your exam technique, understanding exactly what the examiner is looking for in each case and ensuring you are confident when you tackle the real exams. We do not expect you to complete your assignments without referring to your notes or textbook, however, we encourage you to rely less on these as you progress through the course. By your final assignment you should be able to work without reference to any additional notes.
The assignments allow you to think critically about what you have learned and will enable your tutor to see how well you are progressing. Your tutor will mark your assignments and provide you with detailed feedback. Once you have had your marked assignment returned, you will be able to access the mark scheme and/or a specimen answer (an A-grade piece of work). You should always reflect carefully on your tutor’s feedback and apply it in your future assignments.
You should read the assignment questions carefully and answer them to the best of your ability, providing relevant examples where necessary. If you don’t do well in your first assignment, don’t worry; your tutor is there to provide advice.
We ask that you do not submit multiple assignments at the same time. For you to see a steady improvement in your marks, it is very important that you reflect on your tutor’s feedback before beginning each new assignment, so that you can incorporate their tips for improvement into each new piece of work.
To get the best out of your course, before submitting each new assignment, you must:
- Complete all the reading, notes and activities in the preceding module;
- Read carefully through all of your tutor’s comments on your last assignment;
- Use the mark scheme and/or any exemplar or specimen answers provided to help you plan for the next assignment.
We cannot guarantee that tutors will be able to mark multiple assignments within the 3-5 working day window and your work may be returned to you to complete again in light of more recent feedback.
All assignments are submitted via Canvas – you should consult the Canvas Guide for more information.
Optional Mock Exam Service
At the end of the course, you will have the chance to use our Optional Mock Examination Service to complete a full set of A Level Geography exam papers. These must be completed under examination conditions and will be marked by your tutor. They provide a good opportunity for you to test your subject knowledge and exam technique so you are well prepared for the examinations.
The Transition from AS to A Level - Some Tips
To perform successfully in the second half of the A Level Geography course, it is assumed that you have mastered all of the skills, knowledge and vocabulary you acquired in the AS course. You will still be expected to refer to these in your work as the subject is cumulative, but you will now build on these and add to them.
If you have not fully mastered any of the AS material, then you need to begin by reviewing this, to provide you with a solid foundation for the course.
The style of the exams is quite similar to AS, as you will see as you practise exam-style questions in your assignments. However, there is a greater emphasis on longer essay-style questions, where you are expected to write a minimum of 1-2 side of A4. It is vital that you plan these longer questions before you start and include analysis and judgment, as well as facts and case studies. If you have not yet fully developed your essay-writing skills this is a great time to do so, and it will also stand you in great stead if and when you head to university.
For more detailed advice, see the document Preparing for your AL Geography Exams on Canvas under General Resources.
When you study a Wolsey Hall course, you are never alone. There are lots of people who are willing to help you. Everyone is on your side!
- Tutors: At Wolsey Hall, all our tutors are friendly and knowledgeable. They are subject experts and you should not be shy about asking them questions about your course. You will meet your tutor at the start of your course and you should contact them via Canvas messaging if you have any questions.
- Student Progress Managers: You have already been assigned a Student Progress Manager who can help with your Assignment Schedule.
- Exams Officers: Wolsey Hall’s Exams Officers are here to help students with any queries regarding exam centres.
- Canvas Help Desk: Canvas is a great virtual learning environment, but we understand that sometimes, even the best things can go wrong! If you have any problems with Canvas (e.g. uploading assignments or unable to access resources) you should submit a Canvas Help Ticket.
For information about how to create and submit a Help Ticket, please refer to the Canvas Guide.
We hope you’ll enjoy your course and studying at Wolsey Hall. We wish you the best of luck in your studies and success in your examinations. Please do let us know how you get on when you receive your examination results!
The Wolsey Hall Team