AS/A Level GCE (for first teaching in 2008) Geography - H083 H483

FAQs

Please find below the most frequently asked questions for this qualification. If you have a question that is not answered here or elsewhere on the website please contact the OCR Customer Contact Centre.

Your regional Customer Support Manager is on hand to provide continued support, advice and guidance on what is happening with A Levels from an OCR prospective. This can include, an overview of our assessment approach or signposting to support and training to help you progress with our new A levels. To arrange a support call or visit, please email 14-19alevels@ocr.org.uk.

A. OCR was keen to produce a modern and relevant specification. In order to do this, we needed to consider the successful and popular elements of the current specifications, while introducing some new innovative elements. The best way to do this was to produce one NEW specification which could incorporate all of this, rather than simply updating the current specifications.

A. The new Energy topic will be modern and relevant, addressing one of the current global issues. This will include the study of a variety of key issues including the different sources of energy, the relationship between energy demand and economic development and how energy supply can be managed.

A. These topics focus on what is distinctive about hot and cold environments, what makes them fragile and vulnerable. Students will learn about the issues affecting development within these areas and issues for their sustainable management.

A. No. Students are purely assessed on their understanding of processes and skills in the exam paper. To complete this unit, candidates need an understanding of the process of investigation, an awareness of problems and the ability to evaluate outcomes.

A. The pre-release booklet focused on one area related to sustainable development. Wider coverage is now necessary due to the larger weighting of the unit. Resources and stimulus (e.g. maps, images, graphs etc) will feature throughout the exam papers.

A. Yes. In response to centre demand, OCR will be publishing past papers for live specifications on the OCR website. These will be free of charge. Question papers from the June 2008 series will be available to download from OCR Interchange only. Further details are available from OCR Interchange.

A. OCR is working in partnership with individual publishers for different subject groups. Comprehensive resources are being developed by these Publishing Partners and others to support the specification and complement the support available from OCR. For details of our partners view the support page.

A. Schemes of work and lesson plans can be downloaded from the OCR website. The materials are available in fixed PDF format, for reference purposes, and also in Word format, so that teachers can adapt the materials for their own use.