A level Geology

KEY POINTS 

*A Geology A level will make you stand out from the crowd* 
*A Geology A level facilitates entry to all university courses* 
*A level Geology results are invariably amongst the best in the school* 

THE COURSE 

The GCE Geology A Level followed is that offered by EDUQAS. The Year 12 course comprises the basic components of Geology and includes Planetary Geology, Plate Tectonics, Mineralogy, Palaeontology, Petrology (Igneous, Metamorphic and Igneous rocks), Structural Geology, Geohazards and Climate Change. 

The Year 13 course affords an opportunity to extend the knowledge learned in Year 12 to a higher level. Additional new topics include Engineering Geology, Petroleum Geology, Economic Geology, Hydrogeology, The Lithosphere and Geological maps. 

The specification can be found on the EDUQAS website by clicking here.

During the A level course students will, in the majority of cases, be taught by both members of the department and the course will follow the following plan.

A LEVEL ASSESSMENT 

During the course students will be assessed by completing past examination paper questions (found on STU Geology) in the form of formal testing and homework tasks. Marking will be a mixture of teacher assessment, peer marking and self-marking. Peer and self-assessment are of vital importance to the development of examination technique and to improve understanding of assessment criteria.

Revision materials can be found in this section of the EQUQAS website as well as on STU Geology.

During year 12 and 13 students will sit formal mock examinations in school. During year 12 there will be 2 papers, which will be similar to components 1 and 2 detailed below. During the formal mock examination period during year 13, students will again sit 2 examinations similar to components 1 and 2, however, content and difficulty will have increased from the year 12 examinations. After Easter, when the course is completed, students will sit a component 3 mock examination during lessons.

At the end of the course, students will sit three formal examinations which are detailed below.

Y12 VALE OF EDEN & y13 Cyprus fieldtrip