GCSE Specification A GEOGRAPHY

TEACHERS’ BULLETIN April 2012

This bulletin contains important news concerning WJEC GCSE Geography A. Subtle changes are about to be made to the specification. These changes largely affect the assessment rather than content. The current specification is for final assessment in 2012. Please check that the version you are using is the one currently on the website. I suggest you print it and mark the front cover – FOR FINAL ASSESSMENT 2012.

Minor changes have been made to the specification for examination in 2013 and again for 2014 as part of a government agenda to:

  • Introduce the assessment of spelling, punctuation and grammar (2013);
  • Remove the opportunity for staged assessment for centres in England (2014);
  • ‘Strengthen’ the teaching and assessment of key humanities subjects including Geography (2014).

Please ensure that all members of your department are aware of the changes and I would encourage all teachers of the specification to subscribe to email alerts so they can be kept informed of these changes.

Assessment in 2013

Some changes will be made to assessment of GCSE Geography in 2013 as a result of government policy. Quality of written assessment (QWC) will continue to be assessed in all extended writing in GCSE Geography A (as in 2011). However, additional marks will now be available to award spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar (SPaG). In GCSE Geography A a total of 12 additional marks will be available for SPaG. These marks will only be awarded in Unit 2, and will be available for the last piece of extended writing in each theme.

A new specification for GCSE geography A has been approved for use in 2013 only. This new specification has a statement describing the assessment of SPaG on page 23. This is the only change to the specification from the one you are currently using. Therefore, I suggest you print just this page, and add it to your current hard copy rather than printing the whole specification. It is also important that you look at the Specimen Assessment Materials (SAMs) for 2013 to see where SPaG will be assessed and how it will be assessed in the mark scheme.The 2013 specification and SAMs will be uploaded to the WJEC website shortly. An overview of the assessment of SPaG is given on the following page of this bulletin.

In the Unit 2 Foundation tier paper, 4 SPaG marks will be available on all 6 mark questions. An example is shown below:

In the Unit 2 Higher tier paper, 4 SPag marks will be available on all 8 mark questions. An example is shown below:

SPaG will be assessed using nationally agreed level descriptors. These are shown below:

Assessment of spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar

Level / Performance descriptions
0 / Candidates do not reach the threshold performance outlined in the performance description below.
Threshold performance
1 mark / Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of grammar with reasonable accuracy in the context of the demands of the question. Any errors do not hinder meaning in the response. Where required, they use a limited range of specialist terms appropriately.
Intermediate performance
2 - 3 marks / Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of grammar with considerable accuracy and general control of meaning in the context of the demands of the question. Where required, they use a good range of specialist terms with facility.
High
performance
4 marks / Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of grammar with consistent accuracy and effective control of meaning in the context of the demands of the question. Where required, they use a wide range of specialist terms adeptly and with precision.

Assessment in 2014 for first teaching in September 2012

I am delighted to announce that GCSE Geography A has been approved by the regulator for teaching in September 2012 and first assessment in 2014.

The approval of the specification has resulted in very few changes. Those that have been made have been made to add greater clarity or improve administration. Again, some of these changes are quite subtle, and there is a danger you might miss them, so:

  • I will be writing a more detailed bulletin later in the summer term to highlight the changes;
  • WJEC will send two hard copies of the new specification to each existing centre. An electronic version of the new specification will be available to download in early May.

In the meantime I will headline the main changes below. The most important thing, at this stage, is that you appreciate that changes are on their way and they will come into effect for first teaching in September 2012.The key changes to the specification for first teaching in September 2012 and first assessment in 2014 are:

  • Centres in England will be no longer be able to enter candidates for staged (or unitised) assessment ie candidates will have to take all assessment at the end of a course;
  • The existing generic CA tasks will be replaced (later this term) with new ones for assessment in 2014. New generic tasks will then be released each year;
  • The content of the course has not changed. However, a few statements have been added to clarify exactly what must be taught;
  • The AO3 marking criteria for the DME/Problem Solving task have been rewritten. This has been done to clarify their use but should also sharpen the research focus of the task. You should take this into account when preparing your contextualised DME task for 2014.

Key Dates (Summer 2012 Series)

Unit 1 (Core Geography) / Thursday 14th June (am)
Unit 2 (Optional Themes) / Monday 18th June (am)

Contacts

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any queries.

Andy Owen

Subject Officer: GCSE Geography

Telephone (029) 20265114

Fax (029) 20575994

Steve James

Subject Support Officer

Telephone (029) 20265029

Fax (029) 20575994

Rob Bisatt

GCSE section (for examiner applications)

Telephone (029) 20265151

Website

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YMWADIAD

Nid yw cyfathrebiadau rhyngrwyd yn ddiogel ac felly nid yw CBAC yn derbyn cyfrifoldeb

cyfreithiol am gynnwys y neges hon. Safbwyntiau neu farn yr awdur yn unig yw'r rhai a fynegir yn y neges hon ac nid ydynt o angenrhaid yn adlewyrchu safbwyntiau neu farn CBAC, oni nodir

hynny'n benodol. Gofynnir i chi nodi y gall CBAC atal cyfathrebiadau e-bost mewnol neu allanol.