Specification points
Edexcel GCSE Geography A 1GA0
234 points in 8 topics, with Edexcel's codes and titles.
Grade boundaries·Edexcel command words
Codes and titles are read by a script from Edexcel's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: Edexcel’s specification.
1 The changing landscapes of the UK
- 1.1 Geological variations within the UK
- 1.1a UK rock types and their distribution
- 1.1b Geology and upland and lowland landscapes
- 1.2 Processes creating distinct UK landscapes
- 1.2a Physical processes shaping upland and lowland landscapes
- 1.2b Human activity shaping landscapes
- 1A Coastal landscapes and processes
- 1A.3 Physical processes shaping coastal landscapes
- 1A.3a Coastal processes
- 1A.3b Geology, rock type and wave action on coasts
- 1A.3c Weather, climate and coastal erosion
- 1A.4 Coastal erosion and deposition landforms
- 1A.4a Coastal erosional landforms
- 1A.4b Coastal depositional landforms
- 1A.5 Human activity changing coastal landscapes
- 1A.5a Human impacts, coastal recession and flooding
- 1A.5b Coastal defences
- 1A.6 Physical and human processes in coastal landscapes
- 1A.6a A named UK coastal landscape
- 1B River landscapes and processes
- 1B.7 Physical processes shaping river landscapes
- 1B.7a River processes
- 1B.7b Changes along a river's course
- 1B.7c Weather, climate and river processes
- 1B.8 River landforms from erosion and deposition
- 1B.8a Erosional river landforms
- 1B.8b Depositional river landforms
- 1B.8c Meanders and oxbow lakes
- 1B.9 Human activity changing river landscapes
- 1B.9a Human activity and river processes
- 1B.9b River flood defences
- 1B.10 Physical and human processes in river landscapes
- 1B.10a A named UK river landscape
- 1C Glaciated upland landscapes and processes
- 1C.11 Physical processes shaping glaciated upland landscapes
- 1C.11a Past glacial processes
- 1C.11b Processes on relict glacial landscapes today
- 1C.11c Climate and processes in glaciated uplands
- 1C.12 Glacial landforms
- 1C.12a Glacial erosional landforms
- 1C.12b Glacial depositional landforms
- 1C.12c Crag and tail and drumlins
- 1C.13 Human activity changing glaciated uplands
- 1C.13a Human impacts on glaciated upland processes
- 1C.13b Development in glaciated uplands
- 1C.14 Physical and human processes in glaciated uplands
- 1C.14a A named UK glaciated upland landscape
2 Weather hazards and climate change
- 2.1 The atmosphere as a global system
- 2.1a Global atmospheric circulation
- 2.1b Circulation cells and ocean currents transferring heat
- 2.2 Natural climate change
- 2.2a Past climate change in the Quaternary
- 2.2b Causes and evidence of natural climate change
- 2.3 Human-caused climate change
- 2.3a Greenhouse gases and the enhanced greenhouse effect
- 2.3b Effects of climate change on environment and people
- 2.4 The UK's climate and its changes
- 2.4a UK climate today and over the last 1000 years
- 2.4b Spatial variations in UK climate
- 2.4c The UK's location and its climate
- 2.5 Tropical cyclones
- 2.5a Formation of tropical cyclones
- 2.5b Characteristics and distribution of tropical cyclones
- 2.6 Impacts of and responses to tropical cyclones
- 2.6a Hazards caused by tropical cyclones
- 2.6b Impacts of tropical cyclones in named countries
- 2.6c Responses to tropical cyclones
- 2.7 Causes of drought
- 2.7a Arid environments and drought
- 2.7b Meteorological, hydrological and human causes of drought
- 2.7c Vulnerability to drought
- 2.8 Impacts of and responses to drought
- 2.8a Why droughts are hazardous
- 2.8b Impacts of drought in named countries
- 2.8c Responses to drought
3 Ecosystems, biodiversity and management
- 3.1 Large-scale ecosystems
- 3.1a Distribution and characteristics of global ecosystems
- 3.1b Climate and local factors in ecosystem distribution
- 3.2 The biosphere as a vital system
- 3.2a Resources from the biosphere
- 3.3 The UK's distinctive ecosystems
- 3.3a UK terrestrial ecosystems
- 3.3b UK marine ecosystems
- 3.4 Features of tropical rainforests
- 3.4a Biotic and abiotic characteristics of rainforests
- 3.4b Interdependence and nutrient cycling in rainforests
- 3.4c Rainforest biodiversity and adaptations
- 3.5 Rainforest goods and services under threat
- 3.5a Goods and services from rainforests
- 3.5b Climate change threats to rainforests
- 3.5c Causes of rainforest deforestation
- 3.5d Sustainable management of a rainforest
- 3.6 Features of deciduous woodlands
- 3.6a Biotic and abiotic characteristics of deciduous woodland
- 3.6b Interdependence and nutrient cycling in deciduous woodland
- 3.6c Deciduous woodland biodiversity and adaptations
- 3.7 Deciduous woodland goods and services under threat
- 3.7a Goods and services from deciduous woodland
- 3.7b Climate change threats to deciduous woodland
- 3.7c Causes of deciduous woodland loss
- 3.7d Sustainable management of deciduous woodland
4 Changing cities
- 4.1 Urbanisation as a global process
- 4.1a Contrasting urbanisation trends
- 4.1b Timing and rates of urbanisation
- 4.2 Urbanisation across the UK
- 4.2a UK urban population and major centres
- 4.2b Regional differences in UK urbanisation
- 4.3 Context, functions and structure of a UK city
- 4.3a Site, situation and connectivity of a UK city
- 4.3b Structure and land use of a UK city
- 4.4 Movements changing a UK city
- 4.4a Urbanisation, suburbanisation, counter- and re-urbanisation
- 4.4b Migration and its impact on a UK city
- 4.5 Challenges of globalisation for a UK city
- 4.5a Population characteristics of a UK city
- 4.5b Deindustrialisation and its impacts
- 4.5c Economic change and urban inequality
- 4.5d Changes in retailing
- 4.5e Strategies for sustainable urban living
- 4.6 Context, functions and structure of a developing or emerging city
- 4.6a Site, situation and connectivity of the chosen city
- 4.6b Structure and land use of the chosen city
- 4.7 Rapid growth of a developing or emerging city
- 4.7a Reasons for population growth in the chosen city
- 4.7b Migration and its impact on the chosen city
- 4.7c Growth and inequality in the chosen city
- 4.8 Managing challenges of rapid urban growth
- 4.8a Challenges of rapid urbanisation
- 4.8b Bottom-up and top-down urban management
- 4.8c Government policies improving quality of life
5 Global development
- 5.1 Defining and measuring development
- 5.1a Ways of defining development
- 5.1b Factors in human development
- 5.1c Measures of development
- 5.2 Global variation in development
- 5.2a Global pattern of development
- 5.2b Factors causing variations in development
- 5.3 Consequences of uneven development
- 5.3a Uneven development and quality of life
- 5.4 Strategies addressing uneven development
- 5.4a International strategies against uneven development
- 5.4b Top-down and bottom-up development projects
- 5.5 Location and context of the chosen country
- 5.5a Location of the chosen country
- 5.5b Political, social, cultural and environmental context
- 5.5c Uneven development within the chosen country
- 5.6 Processes influencing the chosen country's development
- 5.6a Changes in economic sectors
- 5.6b Trade and aid in the chosen country
- 5.6c Public and private investment
- 5.6d Changes in population structure and life expectancy
- 5.6e Changing social factors
- 5.7 Geopolitics, technology and development
- 5.7a Geopolitical relationships and development
- 5.7b Technology and connectivity supporting development
- 5.8 Impacts of rapid development
- 5.8a Positive and negative impacts of rapid development
- 5.8b Managing impacts of rapid development
6 Resource management
- 6.1 Natural resources
- 6.1a Classifying natural resources
- 6.1b Exploiting environments for resources
- 6.1c Environmental change from exploitation
- 6.2 Distribution and consumption of resources
- 6.2a Distribution of natural resources
- 6.2b Global consumption of food, energy and water
- 6A Energy resource management
- 6A.3 Developing energy resources
- 6A.3a Renewable and non-renewable energy
- 6A.3b A non-renewable energy resource
- 6A.3c A renewable energy resource
- 6A.4 The energy mix
- 6A.4a The UK's energy mix
- 6A.4b Global variations in the energy mix
- 6A.5 Meeting increasing energy demand
- 6A.5a Changing global energy demand and supply
- 6A.5b Developing non-renewable energy resources
- 6A.5c Developing renewable energy resources
- 6A.5d Fracking and energy shortages
- 6A.6 Interest groups and energy demand
- 6A.6a Stakeholder attitudes to energy exploitation
- 6A.7 Sustainable management of energy at different scales
- 6A.7a Why energy resources need sustainable management
- 6A.7b Views on sustainable energy management
- 6A.7c Sustainable energy management in two named countries
- 6B Water resource management
- 6B.8 Global variation in fresh water supply
- 6B.8a Global distribution of fresh water
- 6B.8b Availability of fresh water at different scales
- 6B.8c Water surplus and deficit
- 6B.8d Changes in water supply and demand
- 6B.9 Water consumption in developed and developing countries
- 6B.9a Agricultural, industrial and domestic water use
- 6B.9b Reasons for differences in water use
- 6B.10 Water supply problems at different levels of development
- 6B.10a UK water supply problems
- 6B.10b Water problems in developing or emerging countries
- 6B.11 Technology and interest groups in meeting water demand
- 6B.11a Stakeholder attitudes to water resources
- 6B.11b Desalination
- 6B.12 Sustainable management of water at different scales
- 6B.12a Why water resources need sustainable management
- 6B.12b Views on sustainable water management
- 6B.12c Sustainable water management in two named countries
7 Geographical investigations − fieldwork
- 7A Investigating physical environments (rivers landscapes OR coastal landscapes)
- 7A.1 Formulating Enquiry questions
- 7A.2 Fieldwork methods
- 7A.3 Secondary data sources
- 7B Investigating human environments (central/inner urban area OR rural settlements)
- 7B.1 Formulating Enquiry questions
- 7B.2 Fieldwork methods and techniques
- 7B.3 Secondary data sources
8 Geographical investigations − UK challenges
- 8.1 UK resource consumption and sustainability
- 8.1a Future UK population and resource use
- 8.1b Population pressure on UK ecosystems
- 8.1c Sustainable transport options for the UK
- 8.2 UK settlement, population and economic challenges
- 8.2a The two-speed economy
- 8.2b Greenfield and brownfield development
- 8.2c UK migration statistics and attitudes
- 8.3 UK landscape challenges
- 8.3a Conservation and development in National Parks
- 8.3b Managing UK river and coastal flood risk
- 8.4 UK climate change challenges
- 8.4a Uncertainty about future UK climate
- 8.4b Impacts of climate change in the UK
- 8.4c UK responses to climate change