Exam guide

The exam at a glance

For 2027, the time and mark allocation of the written examination are confirmed to remain unchanged. In Part Two, you must attempt four questions, taking at least one from three of the four sections; the fourth can come from any section, meaning you may omit one section entirely. Under the normal unadjusted layout, questions were strictly required from all four sections.

Your time plan

Across 170 minutes for 400 marks, the pace is 0.425 minutes per mark; this is an arithmetic calculation, not an official instruction.

In 2026, Question 1 had a 20-mark skills part (a sketch map) and two 30-mark explanation parts; on the same arithmetic that is about 8.5 minutes (8 minutes with checking) and about 12.75 minutes (12 minutes with checking) each.

How your work is marked

In the 2026 marking scheme, written answers are marked using Significant Relevant Points (SRPs). A single SRP is one piece of factual information, typically worth 2 marks. The 2026 scheme warns that marking details can change from year to year without notice.

What this means for you: You must write precise factual statements rather than general descriptions. In 2026, a 30-mark part came to 15 points' worth of credit (in Question 1B, two named items at 2 marks each plus 13 SRPs), which must form a coherent answer to the question asked. For an Options essay, the scheme advises discussing three or four aspects in detail rather than covering many points thinly, as overall coherence alone is graded at 20, 17, 14, 10, 6, or 0 marks based on how directly you address the prompt.

Rules that win and lose marks

All of these rules are from the 2026 marking scheme:

• Attempting extra short questions: In Part One, if you attempt more than ten questions, all are marked and the ten highest scoring questions count.
• Contradicting yourself or using incorrect context: A term used wrongly, or contradicted elsewhere in the answer, may receive 0 marks.
• Answering only half of a two-part question: If a question asks for two specific items and you only explain one, your answer is capped (capped at 7 SRPs in 2026 Question 1B).
• Describing instead of explaining formation: Describing when asked to explain formation is capped at 1 SRP.
• Adding labelled diagrams: A relevant labelled diagram earns 1 SRP; an unlabelled diagram earns 0 marks. Up to two additional SRPs can be awarded for information on a labelled diagram not already given in the written text.
• Naming examples or locations: A named example or location earns 1 SRP when tied directly to the point being made.
• Drawing sketch map boundaries: The outline must be drawn at half the scale of the map with all four sides drawn; using the edge of the page does not count as a side. Traced sketches lose the 4 outline marks and showing marks; only labels score.
• Omitting sketch labels: A feature drawn on a sketch map that is not labelled on the sketch or in a key earns 0 marks for showing.

The sections of the paper

Part One: Short-answer questions worth 80 marks. In 2026, candidates attempted any ten, all carrying equal marks (8 marks each), written directly in the Part One answerbook.

Part Two, Section 1 (Physical): Questions 1 to 3 (80 marks each). In 2026, Question 1 included Part A (a 20-mark skills task like a sketch map) and Parts B and C (30-mark explanations). In 2027, you can choose a question from here as one of your four Part Two answers.

Part Two, Section 2 (Regional): Questions 4 to 6 (80 marks each). The 2026 marking detail for this section was not consulted for this guide. In 2027, you can choose a question from here.

Part Two, Section 3 (Electives): Questions 7 to 12 (80 marks each). The 2026 marking detail for this section was not consulted for this guide. In 2027, you can choose a question from here.

Part Two, Section 4 (Options): Questions 13 to 24 (80-mark essays). In 2026, essays were marked as three aspects (20 marks each) or four aspects (15 marks each), plus 20 marks for coherence. In 2027, you can choose an Options essay or omit this section entirely.

Coursework

The coursework component is the Geographical Investigation Report, which accounts for 20% of the subject grade (100 marks) and is assessed outside the terminal examination. For 2027, the investigation is confirmed unchanged. Candidates select one topic from a list of six circulated to schools in autumn 2025. The list of topics and the report submission date are not held in this file.

In the 2026 marking scheme, the 100 marks were awarded across five stages:

• Introduction (5 marks)
• Planning (5 marks)
• Gathering of data (40 marks: two methods at 18 marks each, plus coherence)
• Results, conclusions, evaluation (30 marks: only scores when written in its own section)
• Presentation of results (20 marks: graphs, tables, sketches)

Using past papers

Marking schemes show how SRPs and coherence are awarded, but every scheme warns that details can change from year to year without notice.

What examiners said

The 2012 Chief Examiner's report is the most recent report (now 15 years old) and predates the adjusted paper layout. It noted:

• Read questions first: Read all questions at the start and use the full examination time.
• Follow question requirements: Candidates lost marks by answering more questions than required, leaving parts out, or skipping the Options question entirely.
• Avoid vague answers: Weak answers were vague, generalised, or lacked factual development.
• Focus Options essays: Concentrate on three or four aspects in depth rather than covering many points thinly.
• Label graph axes: Label both axes on every graph in the investigation and on the written paper.
• Detail data gathering: In the investigation report, describe two distinct data gathering methods in detail.

In the exam hall

Practical instructions printed on the paper include:

• The written paper carries 400 marks and lasted 2 hours 50 minutes in 2026 (9:30 to 12:20; the 2027 timetable is not published yet).
• Part Two questions come in a separate booklet, but all answers must be written in the Part One answerbook.
• In Part One, answer any ten questions directly in the answerbook.
• In Part Two, answer four 80-mark questions, with at least one from three of the four sections.

From the 2026 marking scheme:

• The sketch outline had to be half the map's scale with all four sides drawn (the page edge did not count).
• A traced sketch lost the outline marks and the showing marks; only labels scored.